Leather: a tricky question.

Leather is a subject I’ve been wanting to explore here with you for ages. I know that it’s a tricky and controversial question, but I am really interested in your views on the subject!

To be clear: no I do not eat meat, no I would never ever wear fur (even vintage fur), but yes I am still wearing leather… and I do find this a bit disturbing and totally paradoxical!

Some people dissociate leather and fur. For them, it is OK to boycott fur (as it is widely pictured as unnecessary cruelty) and, at the same time, to wear leather without even questioning this habit. However, fur and  leather are the exact same thing: leather is basically a hairless fur!

It is also commonly said that leather is just a by-product of the meat industry, and we tend to believe that since the animal has already died, its skin will necessarily go to waste if we do not transform it into something useful (whereas, in the case of fur, animals are specifically bred for their skin).
That is probably a valid opinion, but it is not mine.  And yet, that is exactly what  I am doing: boycotting fur on one hand, and wearing leather on the other! And, from an ethical viewpoint, this does not feel coherent to me. At all.

If I’m still making this questionable choice at the moment, it is mainly because Continue reading