Leather is More than a “Byproduct” of the Meat Industry
Full transparency, prior to going vegan in 2019, I was not aware of any of the production practices of industries that rely upon animals. Yes, I knew that in order for me to eat that hamburger, chicken sandwich or fish fillet an animal would lose its life, in exchange for my perceived sustenance to survive. AND THEN... I went vegan! My world suddenly expanded with information that initially made me uncomfortable, but as I became more aware the focus became to be conscious and aim to do less harm. While on this journey I've learned of many misconceptions within the animal farming industry.
One of the most alarming misconceptions was with regards to the animal hide industry. Although I had never really put a lot of thought into this particular industry, I later came to learn that leather (hide) is not a by-product of the meat industry. Cows are bred specifically to harvest their hide, completly separate from the meat and dairy industry. More specifically, it has been reported that new born calves are highly sought after for their thin supple hide. I personally can't help to think about the terror these sentients experience during the harvesting process.
In addition to the violence of the harvesting process, the amount of water consumption used to hydrate skins of the animals while alive is alarming. Post harvesting the hide goes through an extensive chemical treatment process of toxic chemicals to prevent decay, which along with the release of methane gas into the atmosphere highly impacts the environment. Unfortunately, the practice of hide harvesting contaminates the air we breath, ground and water supplies.
Jenée
"The more we know, the more we grow"
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