Post #1323165

2026-04-08 21:00 UTC

What&#39;s the latest on the impact of #leather vs. no leather? I&#39;m a #vegetarian and I tend to avoid leather shoes because I want to minimise animal deaths and suffering. But non-leather clothes still have an environmental impact and are much less durable, and a lot of leather is a byproduct of the meat industry. So I&#39;ve always wondered if in a life-cycle analysis, using leather was overall better. #LazyWeb

Replies (3)

@ojala@mastodon.nz 2026-04-08 21:55

@eliocamp Unless you buy snake or crocodile leather shoes, you are talking of a byproduct of meat & milk production. You are not having an effect on animal lives or deaths. There are other effects on the environment for both leather and alternative products. In my experience, leather is way more durable than alternatives (my leather shoes are over ten year old and repairable).

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@gedankenstuecke@scholar.social 2026-04-09 02:06

@eliocamp not a proper scientific analysis, but my own anecdata (+I'm vegetarian too). I've found that leather shoes (and bags) are just so much more durable and repairable than any plastic-based alternatives. Recently got a pair fixed with new soles after those gave up after something like 8000+ km walked in it. All leather-alternatives I've ever had didn't make it that long and can't be fixed as it's the upper non-leather parts that break.

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@utrenkner@mastodon.green 2026-04-09 06:35

@eliocamp I asked myself the same question, recently, when I had to replace my vegan Birkenstock sandals. Eventually, I went with real leather, because they seem to last much longer. Thus, I am interested in the answers in this thread, too.

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