4 Ways I Wear REAL Leather Ethically

"Our prime purpose in this life is to help others. And if you can't help them at least don't hurt them. "

-Dalai Lama

If I am honest, many vegans I have met, find it disgusting that I wear leather (or as they like to call it dead animal skins). I am approached with a lot of judgement, some eye rolling, and quite a bit of anger.   However, just wait one second and lets discuss this. Is there an ethical way to where real leather? 

4 Ways I Wear REAL Leather Ethically

1.) Buy Leather OLD verses NEW.

Look for leather in vintage shops, consignment, or thrift stores. For many years now, I do not invest in buying new leather, and therefore, do not contribute to the killing of animals nor the promotion of the leather industry. There is absolutely nothing wrong with wearing leather products that have been recycled for the second, third, fourth time. 

2.) Have Leather Swap Parties.

Rather than buying more leather goods, fill your fashion bug by swapping products with friends. The great thing about leather is how beautifully it ages. It has a lifetime unsurpassed by most materials and buying more should always be controlled to a minimum.

3.) Take care of Your Vintage Leather.

Leather has a life of its own, and if you take care of it with love, the proper creams, and repairs, there will be almost no need to throw it away. All my vintage boots had a life before me, and now with me, and as far as I am concerned will be with me as long as I live. 

4.) Never Throw Away Leather. Recycle.

People now a days are so quick to toss a pair of shoes, or a bag that looks a tiny bit old, but never do that with leather. The beauty of leather lies in its ability to age beautifully. If you no longer want it, either give it to a friend, donate it, or bring it to a consignment shop for re-sale.

Although, I cannot undo the harm that has been caused to animals in the past, I believe throwing away all previous leather products and vowing to never wear it is harmful to the environment. Why? There is undeniably tons and tons of leather goods on this planet and throwing all of them away is wasteful, environmentally hazardous, and disrespectful to the animal who had to die for it. The only ethical way to proceed is to limit the purchasing of " NEW" leather, while respecting the existence of the "old". 

What else can we do?  We as a fashion community need to push for proper laws that forbid unethical treatment of animals, or the inhumane killing of them. There should be a huge push for strictly organic leather and the reduction of products created per year. Wasteful shopping habits need to be re-examined, and true appreciation should be born.

Take care.

xo

Maya

Stella McCartney Vegan Bags are an Ethical Rip Off

'The consumption of animals - whether you're wearing them or eating them - is extraordinarily damaging to the planet. There are over a billion animals killed a year for food, half of which don't even get eaten. And there's over 50 million animals killed just for fashion.'

'If you're mindful of how you're approaching your life, then you see the connection. You can't avoid the connection.

-Stella McCartney BOF Magazine

Stella McCartney is a leading pioneer, in the fight for ethical high fashion. As spokesperson for PETA, her products stand true to her vegetarian beliefs, and no animal skins, fur, or feathers are ever used in her collections.

The only problem is, as ethical as her materials maybe, her price point is undeniably criminal. She is undoubtedly profiting from the vegan hype and the ignorance of many consumers, who cannot tell the difference between faux and real.The truth of the matter is, people place trust in the price. If you pay a couple of thousand on a bag, you assume it is made of the finest quality and will last you a lifetime. As far as I am aware, she has not patented some ultra exclusive fiber that trumps the quality of real genuine leather or mimics any of its luxurious qualities. Lets be real, pleather is cheap, lacks character and ages poorly. 

To be fair, luxury  brands in general, have millions of costs separate from the actual material fees. Whether it be advertisement, promotion, runway, production, there are a lot of reasons price points on brands, balloon out of proportion.

 However, $1,000 - $4,000 for a FAUX leather bag is undeniably a huge stretch and a clear rip off. At such a price point, the consumer (at the very least) should be guaranteed a product of the highest luxury material, or a highly developed alternative, that is a worthy competitor of leather. 

 If ethics is truly as high of a concern as they say, the money they save by using fake materials, should be noticeable in the final price. Or at the very least, a portion of the profits should be donated to an animal rights group. 

Otherwise, please do not vomit ethics, while profiting off of it. 

xo,

Maya