Person the other week noticed I was wearing vegan Doc Martens (the tags are white for vegan shoes). I know they're polyurethane, which isn't great, but I'd prefer that over animal skin on my feet. This person was apparently also a vegan, but says they prefer wearing leather (what) because in their words "Animal leather is biodegradable, lasts longer, and is a by-product of the already existing meat industry." making the point that animal leather has less of an environmental impact.
I didn't know how to respond at all. I know veganism isn't simply consumption habits but it did make me feel weird. I still don't think anyone should wear leather.
Does anyone have advice? I'm just feeling weird and self-conscious now
Nothing wrong with your shoes being plastic there are not really vegan alternatives that fit the bill most of the time.
Every single animal product is from an already dead animal (or one that will be killed soon by the industry in order for it to be profitable). Leather isn't special in this regard and you can say the same things about meat, milk, hair, bone, etc. Saying leather is a byproduct of the meat industry is itself a bit silly as the leather industry isn't just there due to people eating meat, it is an actually valuable commodity on its own and there are animals that are raised for their skin/leather and not their meat (e.g. snakes). It's all interconnected and there's no point to trying to read the tea leaves on exactly which animal products would count as "driving" the system and which would not.
I've known vegans that buy used leather products because they don't directly incentivize the industry. I personally don't gatekeep those vegans on that issue. But just straight-up going out of your way to get the animal product? That's not exactly a personal vegan choice lol.