Originally Posted by
SinVoz
wrong...wrong...wrong
Think about it from a supply and demand stand point. If you purchase any part of a cow, you are perpetuating the killing of more cows by supporting the industry. The higher the value of a cow goes, the more cows will be slaughtered until the supply and demand hit equilibrium. That being said, we aren't discussing cheap leather here, we are talking about high-quality high-priced leather. Sorry to break it to you, but this doesn't come from everyday beef cattle. The simple fact is, just like in humans, a younger cow has softer, more supple leather with less chance for scars or imperfection. Depending on how high end the leather is, it may have come from veal cows, or may have come from cows "farmed" solely for their hide.
As far as pollution goes, don't think for one second that they skin a cow and it goes directly to your shoes, jacket, or saddle in this case. The list of chemicals used to tan and treat leather includes: lime, sodium sulfate solution, emulsifiers, non-solvent de-greasing agents, salt, formic acid, sulfuric acid, chromium sulfate salts, lead, zinc, formaldehyde, fats, alcohol, sodium bicarbonate, dyes, resin binders, waxes, coal tar derivatives and cyanide-based finishes. Some estimates put the amount of environmentally harmful waste at up to 30% of the output (this doesn't include unused skin and hair).
Since most of you wont even read this, I'm sorry for killing this thread.
You sir/madame are a jack ass , there is no such large scale commercial operations that raise cattle specifically for the hides. Trust me on that one, I grew up raising beef cattle, the amount of meat on a cow far out weights the value of it's hide. AND if you were looking to get a specific type of leather you would do it by picking the breed. You have any idea how much beef comes from a 1400lb cow??
And since you are already on your "lynch the omnivores/leather/fur" streak these are 100% organic, pasture grazing cows, that literally frolic through the meadows and fields full of clover, alfalfa and hay. So take you uninformed know it all ass and go home.
On your mention leather perpetuating the murder of cows, you yourself also perpetuate the murder of cows, chickens, even in some instances dogs. You obviously buy goods, you have a computer that is on the internet also, well that computer you are using right now and or even parts of it were probably made in China, Taiwan, etc and good old Shing sitting in the factory might of just got off lunch and enjoyed a nice dog on a stick. The bike you ride, yeah i can guarantee some part of it was made by someone eating an animal. YOU yourself by your logic perpetuate the killing of animals by buying and using products and services that are brought to you by fine people that eat meat.