"fair trade" leather?

[TofuRobot]

Hi all -

Newbie here. I was "pescatarian" for 27 years when one day, at the age of 25, and having been raised on the traditional American diet full of animal products of all kinds, I stopped eating all animals that walk on land. Then August of last 2017 - I finally decided to be vegan. To be specific - If I gave myself an acronym it would be WFPBAFV - whole food plant based alcohol-free vegan - but that's kind of a mouthful. Best decision(s) I've ever made in my life, albeit it does leave me feeling a little out of place in most social situations. That said, I've been a lone wolf for most of my life anyway so I've grown fairly comfortable with that. ...I'm also 53 years old, so I'm a living example that 'old dogs can learn new tricks!'

So - this is my pondering of the day... I was shopping online at a retailer who boasts all things 'fair trade.' Much to my surprise I stumbled upon an organic cotton tank top with leather straps. If someone can please explain to me how this falls under the category of 'fair trade,' please do. I don't personally see how it's at all fair - not for the animal anyway, and it quite frankly made me sad to think that people are OK with that. *sigh*

I am also feeling a little out-put by pretty much every group I attempt to join that has anything to do with health - even the sober groups - as no one seems to understand how cutting out animal products - and following a whole food diet, specifically - is directly linked to one's health - not only physical health, but mental health as well.

I guess I'm hoping to find a tribe here. I hardly know anyone who is vegan, let alone WFPB *and* alcohol-free. I really set myself up for being alone, didn't I? I even struggle on dating sites such as 'Meet Mindful' ...Where I would expect more people to be vegan, or *at least* vegetarian, but rather most people put their diet as "Healthy" - and you know that means they're eating animal products. Hello - that's neither mindful nor healthy. *sigh*

Anyway --- Old forum soul, but new here at VF. Thanks for listening!

xoxo

 

[Lou]

Welcome aboard. I think you will find this group to your liking.

As far as leather Fair Trade goes. Shoot. I need a whiteboard. Ok, remember Venn Diagrams from 8th grade.
You have all the products in one big circle. and then inside that is a vegan or animal free circle. And Fair Trade is a smaller circle. it would intersect the vegan circle. but the common part is small. the Fairtrade circle just includes a small part of the vegan circle.

Cotton might be the best example. All cotton is vegan. but just a little bit is Fair Trade. Oh. shoot. I need another circle. The organic circle. I'm not sure if all fair trade products are organic. but not all vegan products are organic.

Anyway, Fair Trade is all about Human suffering. The three big products that are Fair Trade, are cotton, chocolate, and coffee. You could also have some fun diagraming Chocolate. It used to surprise me that some vegans don't make a big deal out of Fair Trade. but it doesn't surprise me that people who support fair trade are not all vegan. Oh good. another venn diagram.

 

[TofuRobot]

@Lou - Crazy world we live in.

 

[Emma JC]

TofuRobot

Again welcome, if I haven't welcomed you already.

You will definitely find a group here that eats WFPB and some call themselves vegan, some starchivores, some vegan plus.

It is good to surround yourself with like-minded people as it does make the journey easier. I do that by watching YouTubers who are of the same philosophy and there are lots of them out there.

Congrats on sticking to it for over a year now - I have just passed the two year mark and it gets easier and easier and tastier and tastier.

Emma JC

 

[veganDreama]

Hello and Welcome! Fair trade is about human right's to an ethnical price for the products they make. Veganism is about Animal rights. The right not to be eaten and free from Exploitation as in Dairy, eggs and Honey.

So leather can be 'fair trade' but it's definitely NOT vegan.

 

[TofuRobot]

Hello and Welcome! Fair trade is about human right's to an ethnical price for the products they make. Veganism is about Animal rights. The right not to be eaten and free from Exploitation as in Dairy, eggs and Honey.

So leather can be 'fair trade' but it's definitely NOT vegan.

Yeah - I do get that. The label itself just seems misleading to me. Kind of the same as believing that "milk" should specifically labeled *cow's* milk, not just "milk."