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
Animal leather isn't really any better for the environment because the tanning process uses a ton of chemicals like chromium that are toxic, so if they decompose they leech chemicals into the soil, and the manufacturers tend to locate production in places like India, Bangladesh, Haiti, etc where they can get away with dumping huge amounts of chemical waste into the environment and can easily abuse workers due to low pay and lax health and safety regulations. And that's on top of the farm animals already contributing massive amounts to pollution and greenhouse gasses.
So unless their leather is artisanally handcrafted buffalo hide from a First Nations tribe that uses every part of the animal, they're delusional.
Yeah this was my suspicion but I couldn't articulate it in the moment. That person's point didn't even make sense from an environmentalist perspective.