“I avoid meat but should I stop using my old leather boots and bags?”
Ellen Tout compares the ethical and environmental costs of wearing and rehoming pre-owned leather, and buying plant-based clothing and accessories
THIS QUESTION IS a matter of personal values and choice. I have been vegan for four years but still own old pairs of leather Converse and woollen jumpers. I get good use out of these and feel it would be more of an injustice for them to go to waste. Even if you replace clothing with green alternatives, every item produced has an impact. While this is an ethical decision, don’t overlook the environmental costs.
Why not continue using the items until they are no longer usable or wearable? Or patch them up at a repair cafe? If that doesn’t sit well, have you thought about donating or selling them? You could even give the money to an animal charity. If heading to a charity shop, I recommend TRAID, a charity that transforms unwanted clothing into fashionable items. TRAID’S research found that for every tonne of clothing reused in charity shops, 11 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent is saved.
You might think that leather will biodegrade after use but research estimates it takes around 50 years to break down because leather is treated with toxic chemicals to prevent decomposition. These chemicals have a huge environmental impact and pollute rivers and
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wildlife during production. Like the meat industry, leather produces greenhouse gases and has a substantial land impact.
So, what about vegan leather alternatives? Piñatex is a leather made from pineapple leaf fibres and Muskin is made from mushrooms. Also consider products made from recycled leather. Cork, usually grown in Portugal, is becoming popular for accessories such as bags and belts. You might also have seen bags made from waxed cotton but be sure to check whether the cotton is organic and the wax plant-based. Unfortunately, many vegan leather products are made from or treated with plastics.
It’s important to consider how long the product will serve you. Often, faux leather fast fashion is not intended to last, so shop with longevity in mind, whatever material you choose. Most of an item of clothing’s wastewater, three quarters of its carbon and one third of its waste is produced during production, with the rest during its life cycle and disposal.* In the UK, most clothing is worn for just two years.
The message here is to reduce what you buy, repair what you have and rehome anything that you no longer use.
For green advice, follow @Ellen_tout on Instagram and Twitter and go to psychologies.co.uk/real-eco
Created to last
Got a sustainability question or worry? Email our Eco Living Editor ellen.tout@psychologies.co.uk with ‘Eco worrier’ in the subject line; traid.org.uk
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