In reality more than 1 billion animals are
killed worldwide for the leather trade
business every single year. This is not just
cows too; leather can be the skin of any
mammals, even dogs and cats.
These animals endure great suffering for us
to enjoy wearing their skin for fashion.
One shocking and less obvious
consequence of leather production
specifically, is the environmental impact of
the toxins that are loaded into the leather
skin to prevent it from decomposing.
Skins are tanned/treated with chemicals
like formaldehyde, coal-tar derivatives,
cyanide-based dyes and other dangerous
substances.
After the leather is loaded with these the
waste chemicals are simply dumped into
nearby rivers or fields causing massive
pollution. With more animal-based fashion
production moving away from the West, this
pollution is affecting the poorest countries,
where people often come into direct contact
with or even drink this toxic water.
There are loads of other faux leather and
suede options out there, brands like Hey
Honey, Save the Duck & Raw Apparel are
just some of the shops that are producing
ethical products, without any animal use in
the creation of their clothes.
14
ISSUE 101 / 2017
FASHION
Common myths about the use of animals in clothing include that leather clothes are simply the by-product of an
animal's death from slaughter for meat, or from natural causes.
WHY VEGAN FASHION CHOICES ARE IMPORTANT
