This is a super interesting discussion!! I've generally been of the opinion that secondhand purchasing is a gray area for veganism, but I do think that buying luxury items for hundreds to thousands of dollars is much, much less of a gray area... Personally, I get nervous related to issues with fast fashion/labor issues/fair wages when purchasing new items 😢 it's pretty difficult to avoid those entirely if you purchase new fashion at all, which most people do, at least sometimes. Even well-known vegan brands, unfortunately, are sometimes involved in this :( Thus, because humans are animals, and can be exploited by horrible wages and working conditions, I can understand vegans, particularly those who don't have the budget to support smaller, slower, more ethical brands, who try to purchase as much as possible secondhand or at thrift stores, and don't necessarily remove products containing wool or leather from their carts. Again, I think people, particularly influencers, purchasing luxury items at a premium price, and creating demand for animal skins, is a very, very different position to be in than the above. Just my two cents. Love the channel! 💛💛💛
Actually countries like Japan and Korea were totally poor countries after ww2 (and Korean war) but people in both countries worked hard, starting buy producing cheap goods. At the time you might have said they were "exploited" but actually this type of situation is 100% different from animal exploitation where the animals have ZERO RIGHTS TO QUIT. the thing you have to remember is that for people in poor countries to have any HOPE of prosperity they NEED JOBS. did you know that when people shut down "sweat shops" the people who used to work there had to go back to rummaging garbage and walking the streets? Please don't be confused about what the word "exploitation" really means
@animalsarebeautifulpeople3094 I just completely disagree. If someone is "choosing" between poverty wages (in exchange for lengthy hours in factories with unsafe and unhealthy conditions) and potential starvation, just because they have a choice in a technical sense does not mean that individual is not exploited. Exploitation comes in many forms. Nonhuman animals are not the only ones humans exploit. Tens of millions of sweatshop workers are literal children. Are they not exploited because they could, technically, try to run away and not go to work? Veganism is intersectional, and it is part of my veganism to condemn ALL forms of exploitation, including child labor and sweatshops.
@@animalsarebeautifulpeople3094 the only reason sweatshop owners can get away with paying such low wages for horrible work conditions is because they know the people working for them have no other choice, so yes they are definitely exploited
I'm Michael Kors girl all the way. I love going to my local outlet store because they always have vegan bags. I was talking with one of the sales people a few months ago about more vegan items. They made a point to tell me that they got rid of fur and are moving towards vegan leather.
I wouldn’t but a vintage Chanel bag if it were at a boutique or online reseller or something. If I found it in a bargain bin or at a years sale with a small price tag? Sure. I’ll only buy second hand leather products if my purchase doesn’t tell the seller I’m in the market for those items.
You are right, vegan leather can be made out of all kinds of plants, even out of mangos and leaves. If I understand it correctly, vegan leather can be top-notch quality. The Scandanavian car manufacturer Volvo is going to switch to vegan leather within a few years. So, vegan leather can be high quality and cost-efficient as well.
There is no such thing as vegan leather. Leather is, by definition, animal skin. Vinyl is vinyl. Mango leaves are mango leaves. If Volvo sells mango leaves and claims they are "vegan leather", the lawsuits will abound, and rightfully so.
@@kender1412 It is an improvement on the primitive and cruel substance called "real leaher". We called it leather because it is a similar material with the same function and esthetics. It is just better. Don't play the rigid definition game.
One big reason I want a Polestar 2 (a company that have worked alot with Volvo and was kind of developed from Volvo) is because their vegan interior is the standard (no real leather or wool) and you have to pay alot extra if you want real leather. They said in a statement that they did this specifically because they want to push other car brands to do the same. They've also 3D printed alot of the interior using recycled pet bottles, fishing nets, cork etc. Sounds like I'm promoting them lol but I genuinely love the car and the company and what they stand for.
Yeah, it's just a bad look for a vegan activist/influencer to wear leather (particularly on their public forum). Just sends the wrong message. I mean, I had a "vintage" leather belt, left over from before I was vegan, that I just wore out and then discarded, so I sorta get that. Different thing, acquiring "new" old leather. Where's the line on that?
A further comment, non-vegan related - the sound on this episode wasn't great - Alessandra's mic was clear, others less so down the line, until Malina's voice was kind of hard to make out, at times. Too bad, 'cause I generally like hearing what Malina has to say. :) Just a little production note. Still love the show!
I love vintage clothes. I had a lot of vintage suede and leather before I was vegan. I don't care for it. I just can't. Once I made a connection that it was a dead animal's skin, I couldn't feel right ever wearing it. I also don't like fake leather or fake fur? I just don't like anything that glorifies the dead animal aesthetic. I see brands like Aritzia featuring "vegan leather" looks and I just think it looks trashy fashion-wise and also why would I want to imitate a look that exploits the deaths of animals?
How about fake meat? Do you also dislike vegan meats? I personally have no problem with imitation leather or fur. Especially animal leather is already treated so you forget that it was animal skin just like a steak or a burger is no longer shaped like an animal. Vegan fur actually doesn't look exactly like real fur but it's fun to wear. These imitations are great because that means we don't really have to give up anything to go vegan 😊
BTW, there are vintage designer high end brands that have zero animals on them and even newer pieces, like the Salvatore Ferragamo Earth Top Handle bag, or Stella McCartney bags, etc. Gucci has a few vegan sneakers, they have a written message stating that the piece is animal free.
I don't think any vegan should chase after leather material. If one doesn't have the money to change it I say let it go until you can. The materials are stated in everything.
I think an influencer should definitely not be promoting a Chanel bag. You know better. I am trying to get around my leather orthotic shoes which I need to walk. (Have a foot deformity and have shoes made to my foot.) I usually have to use a less leather option with still a bit of leather - but I try. No one needs a leather purse. I’m with you girls and would love all that too. But I won’t. Also, never heard of Matt and Natt so thanks for that info. I have my eye on one when I feel the need to treat myself!
Matt and Nat might be hit or miss so just make sure you can return it. I bought a weekender from them and the quality was really poor but it was final sale and I couldn't return.
My kiddo needs special shoes for their orthotics too, and it seems like every compatible brand of shoes is leather-based :( But they are needed to walk. I have to remind myself that veganism is about what you, as an individual, are able to do in a possible and practicable way. It would be unreasonable to ask people to forgo needed orthotics (or medications that might be tested on animals, for example). Purses, like you said, are another conversation.
First off…we are ALL hypocrites someplace in life. So now that that’s off the table…I’ve been vegan for 20 years, veg for 30. I had little to no alternatives to leather in shoes and still struggle. I have to wear a 2” lift on one shoe because of an accident at age 18. Cobblers cannot reliably add a lift to most shoes because they use plastics and they will not stick-especially in vegan shoes. 99% of the time I wear hiking boots because of limitations. It’s easy to sit in judgement…why not invite these “influencers” to have a legitimate civil discussion. Ask intelligent questions, be curious. Point the finger back at yourselves and call yourselves out! Do a closet shake down! Where can YOU do better. That would be a far more interesting discussion. I’m happy to see young people grasp and practice compassionate living but if your aim is to educate and ‘convert’ bitching about others has never worked…it turns people off. 💜
Hey! We are all hypocrites in life for sure and that is why we intro the video disclaiming that veganism is not about perfection. The definition of veganism is the exclusion of animals where practicable and possible. If that is your situation then it sounds like that is not being a hypocrite, you are doing what is practicable and possible for you and your specific situation. That is quite different than seeking out leather to sell and make a profit on. We would absolutely love to have the said influencers on to have a discussion! Hopefully we can have them on soon! I’m not sure if you watched the full video, but we address many of the things you point out. Thanks so much for the feedback!! 🤍
Vegans cannot and will not view animal skins as commodities, if you will not wear "vintage fur" you cannot wear vintage leather because it's hypocritical. Vintage and secondhand leather designer bags aren't vegan, I don't understand why that's so hard to understand.
This is a super interesting discussion!! I've generally been of the opinion that secondhand purchasing is a gray area for veganism, but I do think that buying luxury items for hundreds to thousands of dollars is much, much less of a gray area...
Personally, I get nervous related to issues with fast fashion/labor issues/fair wages when purchasing new items 😢 it's pretty difficult to avoid those entirely if you purchase new fashion at all, which most people do, at least sometimes. Even well-known vegan brands, unfortunately, are sometimes involved in this :(
Thus, because humans are animals, and can be exploited by horrible wages and working conditions, I can understand vegans, particularly those who don't have the budget to support smaller, slower, more ethical brands, who try to purchase as much as possible secondhand or at thrift stores, and don't necessarily remove products containing wool or leather from their carts.
Again, I think people, particularly influencers, purchasing luxury items at a premium price, and creating demand for animal skins, is a very, very different position to be in than the above.
Just my two cents. Love the channel! 💛💛💛
Lol sorry for so many run-on sentences. Hard to be on top of grammar from a phone.
So many great points!! Thank you for sharing 💚💚💚
Actually countries like Japan and Korea were totally poor countries after ww2 (and Korean war) but people in both countries worked hard, starting buy producing cheap goods. At the time you might have said they were "exploited" but actually this type of situation is 100% different from animal exploitation where the animals have ZERO RIGHTS TO QUIT. the thing you have to remember is that for people in poor countries to have any HOPE of prosperity they NEED JOBS. did you know that when people shut down "sweat shops" the people who used to work there had to go back to rummaging garbage and walking the streets? Please don't be confused about what the word "exploitation" really means
@animalsarebeautifulpeople3094 I just completely disagree. If someone is "choosing" between poverty wages (in exchange for lengthy hours in factories with unsafe and unhealthy conditions) and potential starvation, just because they have a choice in a technical sense does not mean that individual is not exploited.
Exploitation comes in many forms. Nonhuman animals are not the only ones humans exploit. Tens of millions of sweatshop workers are literal children. Are they not exploited because they could, technically, try to run away and not go to work?
Veganism is intersectional, and it is part of my veganism to condemn ALL forms of exploitation, including child labor and sweatshops.
@@animalsarebeautifulpeople3094 the only reason sweatshop owners can get away with paying such low wages for horrible work conditions is because they know the people working for them have no other choice, so yes they are definitely exploited
I'm Michael Kors girl all the way. I love going to my local outlet store because they always have vegan bags. I was talking with one of the sales people a few months ago about more vegan items. They made a point to tell me that they got rid of fur and are moving towards vegan leather.
I highly recommend CHALA BAGS they are soooo cute and well designed - I use them every day ! beautiful vegan leather
I wouldn’t but a vintage Chanel bag if it were at a boutique or online reseller or something. If I found it in a bargain bin or at a years sale with a small price tag? Sure. I’ll only buy second hand leather products if my purchase doesn’t tell the seller I’m in the market for those items.
You are right, vegan leather can be made out of all kinds of plants, even out of mangos and leaves. If I understand it correctly, vegan leather can be top-notch quality. The Scandanavian car manufacturer Volvo is going to switch to vegan leather within a few years. So, vegan leather can be high quality and cost-efficient as well.
There is no such thing as vegan leather. Leather is, by definition, animal skin. Vinyl is vinyl. Mango leaves are mango leaves. If Volvo sells mango leaves and claims they are "vegan leather", the lawsuits will abound, and rightfully so.
@@kender1412 It is an improvement on the primitive and cruel substance called "real leaher". We called it leather because it is a similar material with the same function and esthetics. It is just better. Don't play the rigid definition game.
One big reason I want a Polestar 2 (a company that have worked alot with Volvo and was kind of developed from Volvo) is because their vegan interior is the standard (no real leather or wool) and you have to pay alot extra if you want real leather. They said in a statement that they did this specifically because they want to push other car brands to do the same. They've also 3D printed alot of the interior using recycled pet bottles, fishing nets, cork etc. Sounds like I'm promoting them lol but I genuinely love the car and the company and what they stand for.
Buy a Stella McCartney bag! They are amazing!
Yeah, it's just a bad look for a vegan activist/influencer to wear leather (particularly on their public forum). Just sends the wrong message. I mean, I had a "vintage" leather belt, left over from before I was vegan, that I just wore out and then discarded, so I sorta get that. Different thing, acquiring "new" old leather. Where's the line on that?
Loved this conversation! Speaking of vegan leather...Can I ask what brand Malina's jacket is? I love it!
A further comment, non-vegan related - the sound on this episode wasn't great - Alessandra's mic was clear, others less so down the line, until Malina's voice was kind of hard to make out, at times. Too bad, 'cause I generally like hearing what Malina has to say. :) Just a little production note. Still love the show!
I love vintage clothes. I had a lot of vintage suede and leather before I was vegan. I don't care for it. I just can't. Once I made a connection that it was a dead animal's skin, I couldn't feel right ever wearing it. I also don't like fake leather or fake fur? I just don't like anything that glorifies the dead animal aesthetic. I see brands like Aritzia featuring "vegan leather" looks and I just think it looks trashy fashion-wise and also why would I want to imitate a look that exploits the deaths of animals?
How about fake meat? Do you also dislike vegan meats? I personally have no problem with imitation leather or fur. Especially animal leather is already treated so you forget that it was animal skin just like a steak or a burger is no longer shaped like an animal. Vegan fur actually doesn't look exactly like real fur but it's fun to wear. These imitations are great because that means we don't really have to give up anything to go vegan 😊
@@animalsarebeautifulpeople3094 Nah I have no problem with that. I get it. It's just not for me.
Which influencers are they referring to?
Yay! I’m so happy you guys posted. I’ve missed you ladies 🥰
Yay! Thank you!
BTW, there are vintage designer high end brands that have zero animals on them and even newer pieces, like the Salvatore Ferragamo Earth Top Handle bag, or Stella McCartney bags, etc. Gucci has a few vegan sneakers, they have a written message stating that the piece is animal free.
Also Bao Bao Issey Miyake
That’s awesome!! Thanks for sharing! 💚
I just remembered there's a couple of vegan Dolce & Gabana bags, they're crochet, and have no leather tags, the branding is metal
I agree that purchasing vintage leather fuels demand. What is the threshold for vintage, anyway? Can you buy last season’s bag used, and justify that?
I don't think any vegan should chase after leather material.
If one doesn't have the money to change it I say let it go until you can.
The materials are stated in everything.
Vegan for the animals 💚 vintage vinyl is the way to go early 60's 70's cars came with vinyl interior instead of leather so you can get vintage feel
you guys always make my day with your videos💗
Thank you!! That makes our day to hear! 💚
I think an influencer should definitely not be promoting a Chanel bag. You know better. I am trying to get around my leather orthotic shoes which I need to walk. (Have a foot deformity and have shoes made to my foot.) I usually have to use a less leather option with still a bit of leather - but I try. No one needs a leather purse. I’m with you girls and would love all that too. But I won’t. Also, never heard of Matt and Natt so thanks for that info. I have my eye on one when I feel the need to treat myself!
Matt and Nat might be hit or miss so just make sure you can return it. I bought a weekender from them and the quality was really poor but it was final sale and I couldn't return.
The shoe conundrum is real😩
My kiddo needs special shoes for their orthotics too, and it seems like every compatible brand of shoes is leather-based :(
But they are needed to walk. I have to remind myself that veganism is about what you, as an individual, are able to do in a possible and practicable way. It would be unreasonable to ask people to forgo needed orthotics (or medications that might be tested on animals, for example). Purses, like you said, are another conversation.
Love my Matt & Nat bag sm 🥺
🫐🫒🫘
Rachel ramples is no longer Vegan
It's like eating aged cheese, justifying it by calling it "vintage"
First off…we are ALL hypocrites someplace in life. So now that that’s off the table…I’ve been vegan for 20 years, veg for 30. I had little to no alternatives to leather in shoes and still struggle. I have to wear a 2” lift on one shoe because of an accident at age 18. Cobblers cannot reliably add a lift to most shoes because they use plastics and they will not stick-especially in vegan shoes. 99% of the time I wear hiking boots because of limitations. It’s easy to sit in judgement…why not invite these “influencers” to have a legitimate civil discussion. Ask intelligent questions, be curious. Point the finger back at yourselves and call yourselves out! Do a closet shake down! Where can YOU do better. That would be a far more interesting discussion. I’m happy to see young people grasp and practice compassionate living but if your aim is to educate and ‘convert’ bitching about others has never worked…it turns people off. 💜
Hey! We are all hypocrites in life for sure and that is why we intro the video disclaiming that veganism is not about perfection. The definition of veganism is the exclusion of animals where practicable and possible. If that is your situation then it sounds like that is not being a hypocrite, you are doing what is practicable and possible for you and your specific situation. That is quite different than seeking out leather to sell and make a profit on. We would absolutely love to have the said influencers on to have a discussion! Hopefully we can have them on soon! I’m not sure if you watched the full video, but we address many of the things you point out. Thanks so much for the feedback!! 🤍
I think it's fair to point out that vegans -- especially if they are influencers - shouldn't buy animal skin leather, vintage or not.
Vegans cannot and will not view animal skins as commodities, if you will not wear "vintage fur" you cannot wear vintage leather because it's hypocritical. Vintage and secondhand leather designer bags aren't vegan, I don't understand why that's so hard to understand.
I wear/use leather I’ve had before I went vegan. I’d never wear new leather.
Does the intro HAVE to be that long? One photo/host is enough.
Thanks for your feedback 💚🙃