#vegan leather is plastic

[marzipanandminutiae]

i really want the La Femme en Noir CPeak inspired bag but idk how to justify $90 for plastic 😭

That's my issue with a lot of alternative fashion collections. Like, I get it; the employees have to make a living wage and contract with decent factories. But...it's plastic (call it what you will: polyester, manmade materials, "vegan leather," etc.). Not designed to last in the form in which you purchased it, or even really to be repairable; often not breathable or comfortable, for clothing. Terrible for the environment, too- though I'm aware many natural materials also have environmental production issues, synthetics combine those WITH the other issues mentioned above. It's just not worth the investment.

(Most companies that DO make 100% natural-material garments and accessories have more of a Floaty Beige Linen Minimalist aesthetic, which. Grrr. What's a girl to do to get non-plastic Victorian Goth clothing she doesn't have to make herself?)

(Also the Femme en Noir collection looks very basic, pared-down, and poorly-fitted for a line of pricey garments based on a movie with legendarily lavish costumes. They couldn't at least slap some trim on more of the pieces based on Edith's and Lucille's dazzling gowns? But that's another conversation.)

[tea-withnofixinsplease]

Some exciting news for crafters looking for an animal-free, plastic-free, vegan leather alternative in the near future 💕 this harvesting doesn't even kill the tree! Crazy

Between this, cactus leather, apple skin leather, mushroom leather, leaf leather, kombucha leather and pineapple leaf leather, we're looking at the ground work for a bright future where clothing can be made for the western world without chemicals, harming the animals, the environment, or the people

[thebestworstidea]

I’m going to scream I just saw a pair of boots labeled ‘Vegan and guilt free makes no dent in the environment’

[phoenixyfriend]

Whenever an existing faux product is described as "vegan product" my hackles raise.

It's not vegan leather, it's pleather.

It's not vegan butter, it's margarine.

It's not vegan cashmere, it's acrylic.

It's not vegan fur, it's faux fur. Also probably an acrylic or rayon blend.

It's not vegan silk, it's polyester.

We haven't gotten to calling vegetable shortening "vegan lard" yet, but given the butter situation...

Call a spade a spade and stop greenwashing! Just admit it's plastic! Just admit you've prioritized one kind of animal life over the other! Stop calling it vegan when it's just plastic, you're driving people to destroy the planet with the "more moral" option when it's NOT.

You can enjoy margarine, that's fine, just be up front about it being in the dish so people know what they're eating by a familiar name.

[rotationalsymmetry]

Tumblr pet peeve 27: the people who apparently spend so little time in reality that they think the main appeal of fake leather is that it's vegan and not that real leather is fucking expensive. Seriously when's the last time you bought something made out of real leather? That shit costs so much money.

[acti-veg]

What is more ethical, buying one leather/wool item that will last until I die or buy something plastic that I will have to replace every 5 years if am lucky?

That’s a lovely false dilemma you’ve got there; I wonder if there are any options outside of it?

[kardulis]

my fave thing about the wad polaroids tumblr account is the way so many of the twitter people have kpop-related usernames... when im on twt and see a new pola i don't register whether the op is a kpop stan too bc my tl is full of it (and dnp) regardless but on tumblr the username is the first thing i notice

being a kpoppie really convinced us to not even blink before buying a merch item just because it comes with a silly little photocard 💀

[tea-withnofixinsplease]

I've been seeing this resurface in the vegan tag recently, and it's making my mutuals sad, so once more for those who are genuinely curious:

Why vegans do not wear wool, or any animal byproducts if we can avoid doing so:

Website with link to reputable sources on the subject:

PVC and Pleather is bad, this is true! But things are not as Black and white as you may think. Both Industrialized leather and Pleather produce toxic waste, but Non-animal based leather still ends up with 1/3 of the impact on the environment compared to industrialized animal leather.

Leather is oftentimes a byproduct of slaughterhouses, which reduces the amount that would end in a landfill, but Non-animal based leather is also oftentimes made of upcycled materials that could end up in a landfill.

Lastly people argue that Animal Leather is better for the environment because it is made from natural materials that endure.

What people fail to understand is that it is 2023, and Environmentally friendly plant-based leather alternatives are on the rise, made from sustainably sourced cork, latex, mushroom, pineapple, grapes, apple skin, kombucha, leaves, rotted mangoes, and much more.

I've linked dozens of these links over the years but I'm sure non-vegans do not care all that much, so here's a throwaway article out of hundreds out there.

Not to mention, plant-based alternatives to fashion is not a new concept

If people want to maintain their symbiotic relationship with nature, such as Indigenous people who have depended on animal based fabrics for centuries, then by all means, do so.

But please do not believe that industrialized animal byproduct is comparable, nor that Vegans cannot have animal-free, durable, and sustainable alternatives ourselves.

We're not perfect, but we're trying, we're constantly evolving at a rapid pace (just look at what we have already done this past decade within the food industry, skincare, upcycling, etc.) and that should speak for itself.

[unityrain24]

hate when boot companies are like "we are Environmentally Friendly because we don't use real animal leather!" What do you mean environmentally friendly!!! that means you are using synthetic fake leather!! plastic is NOT environmentally friendly!!!!!

[jewishvitya]

Just had a discussion with a vegan that got me really heated. If I get harsh writing this, that's why.

For the record, nothing against veganism, I always make sure my home is vegan friendly so I can feed my friends when they visit, I learned a lot about cooking and food from the time I was vegan. But vegans have a white supremacy issue they need to be aware of. And there's a lot to address, but I'll mention one thing.

We were talking about the way vegans love to compare the meat industry to slavery and the holocaust. I tried explaining how problematic that is, given that we were compared to animals and robbed of our humanity. We were, and in some spaces still are, dehumanized.

She tells me something that boils down to, and I'm paraphrasing, "we aren't trying to lower you to the level of animals - we're trying to elevate animals to the level of humans so they can get the same kind of empathy and rights."

YOU DON'T GET TO DO THAT ON THE BACKS OF MARGINALIZED PEOPLE.

It's like you see us as a step between human and animal so you use us to pull the animals up the ladder. The historical atrocities done against us aren't a stepping stone for you to use. And even if you do see us as humans - hell, even if you're part of the marginalized group that suffered - you're using the social narrative that doesn't view us as humans. And that social narrative is alive and well. The ways I saw my people spoken about are sickening.

I always had the awareness that the nazis treated their dogs with more dignity than they gave us. If you put animals ahead of people, this is how I see you. And I don't even feel like apologizing for that.

[linddzz]

After years of cheap knock offs since my first pair of shitty hot topic boots in highschool...I discovered the outlet section of doc martens and have my first pair of legit fuckin boots. I have reached my pinnacle Bi Vibes

[sproutbell]

wish people would understand that white veganism is bad yes but the problem with white veganism is not the vegan part. it's an intersectionality and representation problem. class, race, and nationality. there are many, many nonwhite and nonwestern cultures that are traditionally plant based. the association of whiteness with veganism is a recent development. eating meat on a daily basis is a western invention of the last century. most vegans are not vegan because "they just love animals so much". they are vegan because of the rights of people who work in slaughterhouses- who in the us and uk are overwhelming staffed by immigrants. the people who work in these slaughterhouses also develop ptsd from killing so many animals or are literally physically maimed. many of them are undocumented and have no workers rights. meat packing plants are infamous for child labor. the jobs with the highest suicide rate in the country include people who work in farming and animal agriculture. the ecological effect of the animal agriculture industry disproportionately affects people who live in the global south. there's this weird narrative that because of peta, veganism is bad, or for rich people, or for white people, and that is just not true. statistically, black people are more likely to become vegan than white people. that's just... a fact! if you cannot eat vegan for health reasons, or because you live in a food desert without access to things like vegetables, that's fine! also, no one expects you to quit meat and dairy cold turkey! it's an impossible task. no one is asking you to do that. but if you are capable of making a choice or an effort, you have to understand that you are making that choice and that choice has consequences. we know that boycotting works, we know fast fashion is bad because of the environmental impact and working conditions that one again overwhelming affect poor working class people in nonwestern countries, but when it comes to the meat and dairy industry suddenly it's totally out of our hands? we have no choice? i'm not even vegan. i still eat eggs and seafood occasionally. but i'm at least trying. i encourage you all to try to consume less meat. also- people who hunt their food are awesome. people who use every part of an animal and respect their sacrifice are awesome. i did not stop eating meat because cows are cute or whatever. i stopped eating meat because i found out about the working conditions of slaughterhouses. also before anyone says "what about soy what about soy production for VEGANS??" 1) vegans are not the only people who eat soy? and 2) 70% of all soy produced is used to feed... u guess it.... livestock! i recommend this article if you're interested in someone smarter than me talking about white veganism. there are infinite resources available online discussing the inhumane things that go on in slaughterhouses to both human beings and animals. there are endless resources detailing the environmental toll of factory farming. if you consider yourself a humanitarian or an environmentalist PLEASE please please, do your best to limit your meat and dairy consumption.

[acti-veg]

Brands actually bragging about killing animals was always going to be the logical conclusion of this insufferable ‘vegan leather is PLASTIC’ propaganda you’re all spewing.