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Original poster

Vegan Shoes!

84 replies

PlatesofMeatFeet · 02/02/2023 21:18

A friend has just posted this on FB:

"Keep seeing signs for “vegan shoes”. Is it a way of just selling cheaper non leather shoes at an inflated price"?

I think I agree that it's just a marketing ploy to charge more for uncomfortable plastic shoes?

Or are we both being unreasonable? (Oh and her family are vegan)!

OP posts:
User17649787 · 03/02/2023 08:40

Wiennetta · 03/02/2023 08:04

Wow! Another thread that turns into vegan-bashing!

Where to start?

-It’s useful for vegans to have shoes clearly labelled vegan, as just because something isn’t leather doesn’t mean it’s vegan (often glues are made from animal products)
-Not all vegan leather is plastic. There’s loads of much more environmentally friendly alternatives now, pinatex, apple leather, cactus leather etc etc.
-Not all vegan leather is cheap. Have a look at Immaculate Vegan and you’ll find plenty of high end, really well crafted vegan shoes, boots, bags etc. Like this cactus leather bag from Frida Rome.
-There are pretty significant concerns about the environmental impact of leather so all those that think vegan leather = naughty plastic and animal leather = fine, I’d highly recommend reading up on the subject. It’s really not that simple.
-Plenty of official guidance to support that the vegan diet can be healthy for all ages (like this from the BDA).
-It’s not as simple as vegan food = processed, = not processed. Plenty of vegans eat a whole food diet, lots of meat eaters don’t. There’s processed vegan food just as there are processed animal based food.
-It’s not as simple as vegan = healthy/unhealthy, omni = healthy/unhealthy. You can be healthy on either diet. Both require a fair amount of planning and understanding to be optimal.

Isn't the thread about the cheap end of the market bumping the price up rather than specialised vegan shops which have probably always been there.

ThisWOMANWontWheesht · 03/02/2023 08:44

And no you do not absorb calcium from non-diary sources in the same way

"Dairy" is literally for babies. Baby cows. How can it possibly be essential to humans? Many people, especially in parts of Asia and Africa have dairy or lactose intolerance yet can live long healthy lives.

Milk is full of growth hormones and saturated fat. It's thought to increase the risk of various cancers. The environmental impact of dairy farming is significant.

User17649787 · 03/02/2023 08:47

The thread is about shoes...

Wiennetta · 03/02/2023 09:02

User17649787 · 03/02/2023 08:40

Isn't the thread about the cheap end of the market bumping the price up rather than specialised vegan shops which have probably always been there.

Show quote history

@User17649787 Yes and agree that there’s definitely an interesting discussion about the greenwashing of cheap, faux leather shoes as ‘vegan’. I was responding to the random comments and generalisations by other posters including abo it vegan diets etc.

User17649787 · 03/02/2023 09:03

I bought a pair of shoes in Next clearance, the original price was £42, I don't know how they had been marketed originally but £42 is a bit of a stretch for cheap plastic shoes, which they were.

MrsMikeDrop · 03/02/2023 09:03

ThisWOMANWontWheesht · 03/02/2023 08:44

And no you do not absorb calcium from non-diary sources in the same way

"Dairy" is literally for babies. Baby cows. How can it possibly be essential to humans? Many people, especially in parts of Asia and Africa have dairy or lactose intolerance yet can live long healthy lives.

Milk is full of growth hormones and saturated fat. It's thought to increase the risk of various cancers. The environmental impact of dairy farming is significant.

Heard of osteoporosis??

User17649787 · 03/02/2023 09:06

Unfortunately I hadn't noticed they were plastic so they had to go back as plastic makes my feet sweat and doesn't give.

Ginisatonic · 03/02/2023 09:16

underneaththeash · 02/02/2023 22:50

We don’t eat processed animal food. If you’re vegan just flip the packet and you’ll see what you’re eating!

Show quote history

But why do you think vegan food comes from a packet? Some people may eat the fake meat products - not everyone does.

xogossipgirlxo · 03/02/2023 09:19

I would only buy vegan shoes that are breathable. If you buy fake leather shoes, calling them vegan is just a con. They've been in shops since always.

TwoLeftSocksWithHoles · 03/02/2023 09:19

Do they do Gluten Free shoes yet?

Whammyyammy · 03/02/2023 09:20

I thought vegan shoes were just cheap shoe zone type synthetic material., bit now triple in price as currently fashionable to be vegan

LetTheLiquorTalk · 03/02/2023 09:45

MrsMikeDrop · 03/02/2023 05:02

Comments like this are so dumb. There's also plenty of farmers who don't abuse animals 🙄 You do know google gives you want to see based on algorithms right?? I despair for humanity when I read things like this 😒

Show quote history

It’s not dumb at all. It’s an example of cruelty in farming and one of the reasons vegans don’t want wool. Many farmers aren’t deliberately cruel but all farming exploits animals. It’s all abuse imo.

And just because some farmers aren’t deliberately cruel doesn’t mean the footage of animals being kicked and punched and worse, isn’t real I’m afraid. It happens.

shinynewapple22 · 03/02/2023 10:05

Someone told me on here a while back that a lot of cheap plastic shoes can have materials such as glue with animal origins so those marketed as vegan are being clear that this isn't the case.

whostolemycheeseagain · 03/02/2023 10:11

underneaththeash · 02/02/2023 21:24

*they lack essential amino acids (so kids don't grow), calcium, B12, iron.
Vegan substitutes are really over processed and full of shite.
It's a really good thing to just eat non processed fruit and veg a few times a week - but not full time as we are omnivores and need a balanced diet

And no you do not absorb calcium from non-diary sources in the same way.

This

Pluse plastic trainers that are so ubiquitous now are so uncomfortable, and impossible to break in.

whostolemycheeseagain · 03/02/2023 10:15

LetTheLiquorTalk · 03/02/2023 09:45

It’s not dumb at all. It’s an example of cruelty in farming and one of the reasons vegans don’t want wool. Many farmers aren’t deliberately cruel but all farming exploits animals. It’s all abuse imo.

And just because some farmers aren’t deliberately cruel doesn’t mean the footage of animals being kicked and punched and worse, isn’t real I’m afraid. It happens.

Show quote history

I would be exploited as a human if I was denied the essential nutrition that animal sources provide. But that doesn't worry you, right? It's only animals and 'climate' you are concerned about

SomeCommonThing · 03/02/2023 10:16

User17649787 · 03/02/2023 08:47

The thread is about shoes...

They seem to have all missed that in their arguing.

kikisparks · 03/02/2023 10:21

underneaththeash · 02/02/2023 21:24

*they lack essential amino acids (so kids don't grow), calcium, B12, iron.
Vegan substitutes are really over processed and full of shite.
It's a really good thing to just eat non processed fruit and veg a few times a week - but not full time as we are omnivores and need a balanced diet

And no you do not absorb calcium from non-diary sources in the same way.

Calcium from plant sources is actually more bioavailable than from dairy, there are no essential amino acids that you can’t get from plant foods, children raised vegan do grow, b12 can be supplemented and plenty of plants contain iron (although at a population level iron is low so it is added to most cereals and bread so that most non-vegan people are actually supplementing with iron even if they are unaware. All flour other than wholemeal must also have calcium, niacin and thiamine added to it).

MrsMikeDrop · 03/02/2023 10:26

LetTheLiquorTalk · 03/02/2023 09:45

It’s not dumb at all. It’s an example of cruelty in farming and one of the reasons vegans don’t want wool. Many farmers aren’t deliberately cruel but all farming exploits animals. It’s all abuse imo.

And just because some farmers aren’t deliberately cruel doesn’t mean the footage of animals being kicked and punched and worse, isn’t real I’m afraid. It happens.

Show quote history

I'm sure it happens, just like exploitation happens in anything. Who made the phone that you're reading this on now? How about the chair you're sitting on. I'm sure many worse things happen in the supply chain of most of the products you use everyday. Do you drive a car? Do you have children? What is dumb is basing conclusions about an industry on your Google search that is heavily biased based on other things you search on. It's called critical thinking 🤔

AdventFridgeOfShame · 03/02/2023 11:33

whostolemycheeseagain · 03/02/2023 10:15

I would be exploited as a human if I was denied the essential nutrition that animal sources provide. But that doesn't worry you, right? It's only animals and 'climate' you are concerned about

Show quote history

Which essential nutrient is that? Please include peer reviewed citations. Also WTF does your limited scientific knowledge have to do with shoes?

Vegan shoes can be plant based or oil based. They are certainly going to be highly processed, unless we all start wearing espadrilles, UK is a bit damp for that.
Yes companies have jumped on the bandwagon and often charge a premium, but on the other hand it also raises awareness of how things are produced. So really, the usual swings and roundabouts.

ThisWOMANWontWheesht · 03/02/2023 13:20

MrsMikeDrop · 03/02/2023 09:03

Heard of osteoporosis??

Show quote history

Yes. Are you aware that milk is the not the only way to get calcium?

whostolemycheeseagain · 03/02/2023 13:24

MrsMikeDrop · 03/02/2023 10:26

I'm sure it happens, just like exploitation happens in anything. Who made the phone that you're reading this on now? How about the chair you're sitting on. I'm sure many worse things happen in the supply chain of most of the products you use everyday. Do you drive a car? Do you have children? What is dumb is basing conclusions about an industry on your Google search that is heavily biased based on other things you search on. It's called critical thinking 🤔

Show quote history

Critical thinking is not allowed

2Old2BABPpresenter · 03/02/2023 13:40

Who says vegan kids don’t grow? 🤣🤣🤣🤣 I’ll tell my almost 6’ 13 year old
with size 10 feet shall I? What a load of rubbish. Plus we balance a couple of ready made items with fresh sides alongside cooking from scratch every day of the week. I quite often make my own seitan from vital wheat gluten and mostly it’s just fruit, veg, grains and pulses.

oh and I have a great pair of vegan DM’s and just got a bargain pair of vegan super dry trainers for £17.99 delivered in their sale.

ICantFoolMyself · 03/02/2023 14:21

Wow. This post has gone off at a tangent.

Should we get back to the original question?!

uncomfortablydumb53 · 03/02/2023 14:23

I always smile at " Vegan leather"
It's plastic then?!

RampantIvy · 03/02/2023 14:33

uncomfortablydumb53 · 03/02/2023 14:23

I always smile at " Vegan leather"
It's plastic then?!

No, not always.

Vegan leather is often made from polyurethane, a polymer that can be made to order for any designer’s whim. It can also be made from innovative and sustainable materials such as pineapple leaves, cork, apple peels, other fruit waste

And for those saying that it is environmentally unsound, a lot of vegan "leather" is made from recycled plastic.