I Am a Vegetarian - Forum & Chat Board | Buying leather and fur is not vegetarian!

I'm sorry but if you're buying leather and fur, you're STILL supporting industries that abuse and slaughter millions of animals! You're basically handing money to the factory farms that sell their cows to leather companies.

You can't consider your vegetarian choice ethical until you refuse to wear the skin and fur of a dead animal.

This is true in someways. However, there are those that are vegetarian because they don't like the taste of meat and it doesn't have anything to do with morals. I would think they would still be aloud to call themselves vegetarians.

Also, I always encourage people to do what they can whether that be eating meat but not buying products made from animals or the other way around. I still think their helping in their own way. It's like saying vegetarians aren't helping at all because they're not vegans, so they're still supporting those industries.

For the record, I don't buy or wear fur though.

I totally agree

Notice though I said ethical choice. For people who choose not to eat meat because they don't like the taste or choose not to eat it for health reasons, this post doesn't apply.

And I agree that every little bit counts. But when it's as simple as esthetics (e.g. choosing a leather coat over one that's cruelty-free or choosing not to have a fur trim), shouldn't we make the conscious choice not to buy skin and fur, not only because it financially supports the industry we're morally against but also the statement we make by wearing cruel clothes and accessories?

Veganism is of course ideal but if people choose not to become vegan or are on their way to becoming one, something as trivial and superficial as clothing choice should be a no brainer.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTZQnQeAPJc check this out

I agree I haven't worn leather, fur, silk, wool or rabbit hair since before becoming a vegetarian ...I just don't like the idea of having animal skin on me, or rabbit hair or anything like that.  I think it's kinda gross but that's my personal opinion.  I know some vegetarians that wear leather and I don't get it. 

There have been times that I see shoes and go "FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK" because they are made of leather but I do not buy them because I can find a pair just as cute if not cuter that an animal was not skinned for.