Secondhand Leather? It Still Came From Someone Who Paid the Price

Buying secondhand is a great way to shop sustainably and stay budget-friendly—but when it comes to animal-based leather, even vintage pieces come at a cost.

Second-Hand Animal Skins Are Not Vegan (or Sustainable)

Worldwide, the leather and meat industries slaughter more than a billion cows and other animals for their flesh and skins each year. These sensitive, social animals often spend their entire lives in filthy, feces-filled pens, where they can’t roam, graze in the grass, or even breathe fresh air. On farms, workers cut off cows’ tails and brand them with hot irons—all without painkillers. At slaughterhouses, animals routinely have their throats cut while they are still conscious. Workers have even skinned and dismembered live animals.

And it’s not just other animals who suffer—animal skin production harms the environment, too. As a coproduct of the meat industry, animal-based leather contributes more to water pollution, water depletion, and greenhouse gas emissions than any vegan leathers. The numerous chemicals used to turn animals’ skin into leather—such as chromium and formaldehyde—also effectively prevent it from biodegrading.

Animal skin items sold at thrift shops are no different than the ones on retail store racks—they all came from a feeling animal, and they’re all a product of extreme suffering.

Wearing Second-Hand Leather Sends a Cruel Message

Secondhand or not, animal skins are stolen from individuals who felt fear, pain, and wanted to live. Buying used skins doesn’t cancel out the cruelty of exploitation and slaughter. 

Wearing any animal-based leather reinforces the speciesist message that it’s OK to steal someone else’s skin. No one can tell if your animal-based leather boots or jacket are thrifted. All they see is someone wearing animal skin—and that normalizes it.

Buying secondhand animal skins also drives the demand for these items, so even if you aren’t paying the industry up front, you are still indirectly supporting it.

Is Recycled Leather Vegan?

Recycled leather is made with leftover animal skins from the leather production process—so no, it is not vegan. The word “recycled” can be misleading, making it sound sustainable or animal-friendly—but this is just another humane-washing marketing scheme that brands use to peddle cruelty. Recycled animal skins are still animal skins.

What to Do With Your Old Leather Products

We all want to end the use of animal-based leather, but we can’t give slaughtered animals their skins back. If you’ve already bought an item made from animal skins, donate it to help humans in need. You can take your animal skin items, like jackets or shoes, to homeless shelters, refugee organizations, or mutual aid groups. These items can still provide warmth and protection to someone who doesn’t have the option to choose cruelty-free materials.

Pledge to Go Animal Skins-Free!

No matter where you’re popping tags, vegan leather is the way to go. Today’s vegan leathers are stylish, durable, and most importantly, animal-friendly. From mushroom- and cactus-based leathers to high-quality synthetics, there are tons of compassionate options that are better for our fellow animals and the environment. Check out PETA’s guide to vegan leather to see what’s out there!

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