I think it really depends. I have been a faithful vegetarian for quite some time now. I don't wear lether, but do I own items of leather? Yes, I do. Why? I owned it before I became vegetarian. I gave most of my leather things to my sister as we have the same size feet and torso, but some things she cannot fit into, like my old belts. So, I guess the answer is that most of us don't. I wear quality faux leather, and if I own something leather, I don't wear it. But I see why somebody would wear leather if they were a vegetarian. I agree that it is wasteful for the skin to be thrown into a landfill when somebody could wear it, but if you are against killing animals, then wearing leather is almost the same thing as eating it. The animal is being killed, just in a different way.

Ok all you meat-eating "saints" out there: What a truly asinine question! NO, it's NOT hypocritical for vegetarians to wear leather. We do so for same reason meat eaters do: Why waste it? Also, vegetarians are generally more environmentally conscious than meat eaters; leather's worn as the "green" choice for at least two reasons: As a by-product of slaughter that'd otherwise go to waste (imagine billions of pounds of cow skins ending up in a landfill EVERY year). 2: The alternative materials for such products are plastic, or OIL-based synthetics which are not a reasonable choice given our unhealthy (in more ways then one) dependence on oil, among other things. These synthetic products don't hold-up as well as leather products, their production releases toxic chemicals into the air and water, and, at the end of their useful life, they're thrown in land fills, where they never decay. And yes, even products made with so-called "natural" fibers like cotton, jute, and hemp require chemical intervention in the production process; so even these would seem the bad environmental choice over naturally-tanned leather goods. Leather is the truly natural choice, and it's not like the animal will miss the skin (thanks to you cadaver hoars). Vegetarianism does not make a fashion statement; vegetarianism is about what one puts in their mouth, and the humane/ethical consequence to the animal. It has nothing to do with leather-wearing after-the-fact, because by then, the damage has already been done.

I must admit I do not know a single one that does, specially here in the UK we have vegetarian shoes which are great cruelty free synthetics.

There are many reasons for being vegetarian. You might think it's the best thing for your body, for the planet or you don't believe animals should be killed for human practice. Only the last can be called hypocritical for wearing leather. Even these people deserve a chance for their clothing habits to evolve to align with their eating habits. You seem to think that all vegetarians have an agenda and sense of moral superiority. In my experience those vegetarians are a minority. Chill out. Vegetarians aren't judging you.

First, you can't wear tofu and second, since they don't eat their shoes and jackets, they feel that they have beaten the rap.

Oh, c'mon, people! Vegetarians arn't ethical...they're just f***ing lazy. Let's see how ethical they are when they have to chase down the only exiting tofu burger on the planet while it's hanging out an antelope's ass....Poor bugger wouldn't stand a chance.

Stick to the snow peas, tiny people. Your daddy has the real meal covered.  

I think a lot of them choose hemp sandals with recycled rubber as soles, actually.

Well. Funny you should ask this. I have just been stressing over this whole topic. If a vegan is so pro-animal safety and all that jaz, it's ridiculous that they use leather. True vegans don't consume or use animal products OR by products. This includes WOOL, LEATHER, SILK. All three of those things come from animals. So, rethink your literal standpoint if you claim to be Vegan. Do some research on your beliefs and the statements you make. Go to any vegan website (try www.vrg.com) and it will share that information. It's like christians, catholics and mormons, well any religious organization. People claim all kinds of stuff, but yet they don't even truly know what their belief or religion stands for in entirety. So many claim something but pick and choose what they want to adhere by within their little group and "rules."

Anyway. A vegan is also ecological, with a concern for their environment. If you don't use animal by products, like fibers for fabrics and stuff, you end up using petrochemicals, synthetics. Only God knows how much of that crap is lying in landfills all over the earth, harming NATURE and in the end ANIMALS and MORE IMPORTANTLY PEOPLE with smog and what not from factories that produce the chemicals and stuff. That's my two cents. Sure you can't find a car that has cloth seats in a hybrid. RIDE A BIKE if you're that hard core. I mean we might as well really live off the land. Turn off your lights, stop using technology if you wanna get even deeper.

Wow. I have stepped off my soap box.
by the way. Meat and animal products are renewable resources. Synthetics ARE NOT. Who's saving the earth now ;)

I am a vegetarian and do not wear or buy leather goods. I am in the market for a new car and am having a terrible time finding the car I want with non-leather seats. I am not a hypocrite and am willing to put my money where my mouth is. Part of the problem that vegetarians and vegans have is that as consumers their demands aren't met. Do you want a moonroof or navigation system in your hybrid? Well guess what, you can't get those options in cloth, only in leather. The industry is discriminating against us. Many vegans are very ecologically minded and want to reduce their carbon footprint, but car manufactures still don't get the fact that we don't want to sit in leather seats. It is the equivalent of fur seats in my mind, simply not acceptable. I would love for all vegans and vegetarians to start writing and asking car manufacturers to provide all vehicle options along with cloth seats.

as a vegetarian/vegan myself, i know very few vegetarians who do wear leather. someone wearing leather can't really call themselves a vegetarian, it's as simple as that.
i dont think you should assume all us vegies are hypocritical or attention seeking though.

For the same reason all hypocrites go against the things they teach - they feel as if they're better somehow, as if they don't have to live by those standards.

Because they're hypocritical and are doing it just for the attention.

Good one. How indeed can these people scoff at my steak while they wear the skin of the poor animal that died to feed my vicious appetite for red meat cooked to a glorious medium rare?

I don't know any who do!

Most people are thoughtless constantly. If someone chooses to make an effort to not consume animals they are at least contributing on one level to the lessening of animal cruelty even if they choose to wear leather shoes. By not consuming meat they are reducing the intake of pounds and pounds of animal. By buying a few pairs of leather shoes in a year.
I would also like to know if religious people get this much slack for overlooking certain things in their religions. Like premarital sex, lying, cheating etc?

Hypocrites, anyone?

Good point, they aren't wearing leather from animals, they are wearing a soy based product! It is amazing how soy can be made into anything!

I suspect here you are critiquing one of two things, either (1) The value of an ethic which permits wearing leather in spite of not eating meat or (2) How closely people live up an ethic of cruelty-free living, to which they claim to subscribe.. Re (1), I think that an ethical approach to reducing animal cruelty that prohibits eating meat, but allows wearing leather is incomplete, in so far as you continue to buy leather and contribute to the ongoing use of animals for that purpose. If your intent is to reduce animal suffering, then it is doing something, but arguably not aiming high enough. The same applies to vegetarians who eat dairy produce Re (2) If someone is not living up to their ethical standards, then it can be for a variety of worldly reason, such as lack of resourcefulness, lack of time, plain old laziness, whatever. Perhaps, also, they are taking a staged approach to a change that is challenging in an environment so saturated with animal products.If that is your concern, then you may as well ask why Christians sometimes lie or whatever, although it violates one of the ten commandments... human nature, I guess.

well the vegetarians that are obsessed with anti-meat-leather-milk-eggs- and anything else from an animal is called vegan and they are 100x worse than a vegetarian. Here's another question: why do vegetarians eat fake meat???

they dont. usually its the ill-informed and trendy vegetarians that dont have a clue. most real and true vegetarians wear non-leather shoes and have non-leather belts.

Because they're not that ethical. Surely you must know that. Like those hard core vegetarians in Hollywood, how dare them wear anything but the finest Italian leathers and furs!!!

Well, obviously, they aren't supposed to. The only leather I wear is fake. I would put those vegetarians on par with devoted Catholics who sleep around. And CastleBee, usually the vegetarians you're talking about are the ones who only recently became one. They're really fired up about it, even though most will probably ditch it in a month's time. After a couple years of being a vegetarian, you generally only bring it up when you have to, and then it's the non-vegetarians that talk about it and ask you questions nonstop.

Im sure this doesnt apply to all, but I find that most people who say they dont eat meat are about as obnoxious as a televangelist on speed. Its their cause, their obsession and their religion. Too often it seems apparent that this cathartic, life changing decision was made out of a need to fill some unrelated gap in their lives. And, of course, if your goal is to appear enlightened and above the crowd, what good is it unless you manage to work the subject into every conversation youre ever involved in? What they never seem to get is that it takes most people very little time to mentally relegate these folks to the deluded but harmless category. So, the fact that so many forget that theyre standing around pontificating in their Birkies and leather watchbands never comes as much of a surprise.

Vegetarians, I presume, are not meat eaters and would prefer the animal not to be killed for that purpose. Many believe the meat may in fact do us harm over the long term (cancers, dietary fats, etc.) However, if the hide of a dead animal is going to be discarded anyway, it may as well be used to create leather shoes, making use of all the animal which died and not wasting it. That's not the same as eating its meat, so that shouldn't be a problem. If the animal died just in order to make a sofa, that raises different ethical concerns, I suppose.

Thats a good question and a tough one to answer. I myself do not eat meat of any kind or feel that I have the right to use animals at my will. The problem is that it is extremely hard to find certain products such as vegan shoes that work as well as the products made with animal parts. For example, you can easily find fabric sofas in a great variety of styles that are very durable and reasonable in price. This makes leather sofas obsolete and un-needed. With shoes, it is a bit more difficult. Many stores only offer a few vegan shoes at best and are often lacking in things like wide widths and variety. Quality is also a problem and many of these shoes do not hold up well. Ordering personal items like clothing by mail order or internet is also dicey as sizes can vary from one manufacturer to another. My hope is that someday enough people will demand vegan shoes so that they will become more widely available and with better choices. For now, it seems like leather or at least shoes with leather parts is the only way to go unless you are buying tennis shoes.

This is not an inconsistency. No one wants to eat an animal that dies of natural causes, so the animal is slaughtered in order to be eaten. But shoes and belts and wallets can be made from a gator which lived out its life and passed on to that great swamp in the sky. The poor creature achieves a kind of immortality by having its skin serve as a receptacle for my money.

Updated: 120044 - Nowhere in my comment did I mention that I hunt just for the thrill of it. I'm not an avid hunter but I go out from time to time and on the rare occasion that I have actually killed something I have eaten it. It's more humane than raising animals in cages just to kill them for lunchmeat. You're as bad as the little girls who cry that I've killed Bambie. Old comment: As a hunter I have taken criticism from many people, the majority of which have been women. If they start throwing a temper tantrum I ask the following questions: do you ever eat meat, do you eat dairy, do you use beauty products that are tested on animals, do you wear any leather shoes or clothing - all of which involve the mistreatment of animals. The majority say yes to one or more of these questions.

First of all minkeydude, you still deserve criticism because you hunt just for the thrill of it, it doesn't have any practical benefit whatsoever. A general point that you all seem to have missed is that there are many vegetarians who are simply trying to cut down on their consumption of animal products, and do not believe in the RIDICULOUS all or nothing principle you guys assume must be in place. You have to realize that vegetarianism can simply be the easiest way to keep a disciplined check on the consuming activity that is still by far the most responsible for animal slaughter, eating. The effects of one pair of shoes in two years, is minimal, compared with cutting out meat from your diet. Many vegetarians are simply trying to reduce their contribution to the numbers of animals that are slaughtered each year. Thinking from an ecological perspective a vegetarian diet uses up at the most 10% of the land a meat eating diet uses up, and for all you McDonalds customers out there, that isn't just brownfield land, we are talking the most biodiverse rich land on the planet, the Amazon which is deforested to create cattle ranches. But then again many of you are american, so it is your 'constitutional right' to consume as much as you want, regardless of the consequences for the rest of the planet. Thankyou, Jim Stephenson

A) they don't want the skins of the animals that the rest of us carnivors slautered to go to waste so they are wearing the skins of their dead brethern as a sign of mourning and solidarity. B) they're just freaking hypocrates looking for attention through being a vegitarian.

Because they're hypocrites; try to live the ideals you preach, otherwise get off our backs.

Because they are really Vegans so they can be ...rebellious in a conformist sort of way.(Lisa Simpson) IF you really want to piss them off, tell them you did the humane thing and killed the cow first but their eating that apple alive.

People who are obsessive about their causes tend to lose their understanding of hypocisy. Some people don't feel alive unless they are adamant about their causes. I never took a vegan seriously who wore a leather jacket and then start to lecture me. . .

Because vegetable leather wilts in wet weather, vinylester resins are toxic and vegans are morons.

Because coats made out of apple peels don't work out.

I have actually seen this so many times with vegetarians, even though most of the time I think they don't realize they are wearing the leather in their shoes or whatever, I still silently laugh to myself..ha ha !

I really like it when you see someone in Doc Martens and a leather coat with a PETA or Meat is Murder button on. I wonder if they figure the cow donated the leather, or someone walked around behind it waiting for it to die of old age.

I don't know. Why do cops commit crimes? Why do doctors smoke? Why do priests have sex with boys? Why do actors think they are important? Why do professional wrestlers walk around and act tough while wearing pink speedos?