Originally Posted by Thylacine
Synthetics are a petroleum based fiber, whereas wool is a natural, renewable resource.
Isn't it a little bit unreasonable to assume that someone who farms wool for a living would care so little for his animals that he would treat them inhumanely? The type of Merinos used for production of modern Ultrafine Merino wool products are very expensive, very 'specific', specialised animals that need to be cared for. They're in no way a commerical consumable. These factors are reflected in the high sticker price of these products.
It's ludacrous to assume that all animals whose byproducts we utilise are 'bad' simply because they are animal based - especially considering the alternatives such as oil based synthetics, or water and pesticide sucking commercial cotton.
Also, Deaflamb, can you explain to us how you're 20, but have been a vegetarian since you were 4? Did you just have an aversion to animal products from birth, or was it more of a 'parental indoctrination' thing?
On-topic now - I use Sidi shoes with the Lorica stuff. They fit well and don't look like clown shoes, which is why I bought them. Many cycling shoes are not leather these days. If you're an ideologist, you could see this as a good thing. If you're a pragmatist, you could see this as almost irrelevant depending on your view of our current dependance on oil, and the human cost of that. ( see Iraq et al ).
Anyway, it's cool that you're at least thinking about these things, Deaflamb. Many people don't.
Wow, checked an old email account (the one that gets bikeforums updates) and was suprised to see this thread reserected. As to your question about how I became a Veg at age 4... the best i can figure is that I didn't like the taste of meat since birth really. The rest of my family all eat meat. Especially my parents. It's funny cause at family gatherings sometimes the conversation turns to how when my grandparents would feed me in my highchair I would spit out the meat in my food. Of course I don't remember any of this, I was only four.
After re-reading the thread I see I have changed my beliefs a bit since the original posting. I am vegan now, with only a few peaces of leather products still in my wardrobe. As far as the synthetics using petrollium products I don't really like that either. One of the reasons I ride my bike so much is to not use as much petrolium as possible. As far as clothing I now use as many plant based products as possible (cotton, hemp etc...). When I do need the use for synthetics I try to use recycled fibers like some of the fleeces you can buy made from post-consumer recycled plastics. Patagonia has quite a few nice ones. I also wear a lot of second hand clothing. When I do have to buy something new, that is not post-consumer recycled I will, but I feel better about knowing that I have explored almost every other option.
To me its not about proving something to anyone else.... the chocies I make and how I live make me feel better. If some ultra militristic vegan comes up to me saying...."those bike gloves use leather, you animal killer" he can honestly go F*%$ himself. I know I bought them second hand and I'm happy enough with that.
Well I have rambled on too long.
Thanks for the interest in this post.