What Is Wrong With Leather?
Many people believe that leather is a by product of the meat industry, and that leather is actually a good thing because the cow’s skins won’t go to waste. This is a myth, and myth that helps the leather industry thrive.
A myth that makes people think that there is nothing wrong with leather.
Leather is not a by product of the meat industry.
Leather is the skin of a once living, breathing, conscious animal.
Every single year, over one billion animals are slaughtered for the leather industry alone. Most leather doesn’t come form North America’s beef and dairy cows. Most of it actually comes from countries such as India and China where animal welfare laws are non existent.
People in China treat the animals with such cruelty because there are no rules there regarding their wellbeing or protecting those animals.
In India, workers break cows tails, rub chili peppers and tobacco into their eyes to force them to get up and walk after they collapse from exhaustion from lack of food and water. These cows have to walk long distances to get to the slaughterhouses, usually in West Bengal or Kerala.
There aren’t any slaughterhouses in India because the slaughter of cows is illegal in India. Therefore, they just make the cows walk in the thousands to other countries, or ship them without any food or water in trains or boats.
The authorities should be stopping this, but they are bribed to let it continue, and they do. Cows are actually suppose to be sacred animals in India, but the high demand for leather has caused people to lose their morals and focus on making money instead.
Leather is also terrible for the environment. It pollutes the earth due to all of the harmful toxins that are used in tanning.
There are chemicals added to the leather that makes it nearly impossible to biodegrade. Workers in the leather industry are exposed to harsh, harmful chemicals such as formaldehyde, cyanide, lead, and chromium. People that live near these leather tanneries are more likely to get leukemia, sinus and lung cancers, and other illnesses.
Still concerned with what’s wrong with leather?
Well every year, over 2 million cats and dogs are skinned alive for leather in China alone. Their skins are purposely mislabeled so people think that they are wearing cow leather or leather from another animal (which is just as terrible), when it could have easily came from a cat or dog.
Once again, leather is not a by product of the meat and dairy industry in any way. Leather is produced because it is highly profitable. A cow’s skin is worth around 10% of their total value, making it the most profitable part of their body.
Leather actually contributes to the meat industry, and in many cases, meat is the by product of leather. Goats, pigs, sheep, lambs, horses, deer, kangaroos, snakes, alligators, and many more animals are all victims of this terrible industry.
The leather industry is truly barbaric and disgustingly cruel. There is absolutely zero reason to be buying and wearing leather when there is a fake leather and vegan options for literally everything. There are so many companies that offer leather free footwear, leather free wallets, belts, purses, backpacks, and so much more.
It is just wrong to kill animals in the name of fashion.
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