I want some feedback from vegans here. I bought some etnies a few months ago, not realizing they were leather. And for christmas, I recieved some bongos with animal skin heads. I'm a committed vegan and I don't like the idea of using these products, but I'm also trying to conserve and not waste. I couldn't waste a new pair of shoes by throwing them away. The drum heads are not such a big issue, I'm purchasing synthetic heads for them. What would you do in this situation? Do you throw away or give away the shoes or wear them? Replace the drumheads immediately, or play them until they get old and then replace them?
depends on where the drums were made, for me. I have a skin headed drum, and I have played it for a few years. It's skin was dinner to a family that made the drum. My purchase of it helped the family. I can live with that. I am looking into the posibility of synth heads on replacement, though. I can live with it, but I am not complete ease. I hand along leather that is bought for me, and I have bought second hand in a pinch (and re-donated the shoes when I had replacements. So I guess I rented them? lol) I kept a very valuable gift of custom made buffalo and elk shoes, and I take diligent care of them, and rarely wear them. I do have a seven year old down coat. I expect it to last another decade or so. It will not be replaced with down. I bought it on extreme sale (original price >$300 my cost, <$50) and just flaked the thought that it could be down. I'd never bought that level of quality. Heck, I'd never been the first owner of a coat! how feasible are replacements for the shoes right now, and what is their expected life span? (I know people who wear out Birks in a year) what does your heart say? do remember this, every time someone gets vocal about veg*anism, someone will point oout the hypocrisy or a wool coat, silk shirt or (usually) leather shoes.
yea i know how you feel man. there really is no right answer, you have to do what you feel is right, i have a lot of wool things that i owned before going vegan that i kept, and plan to wear out, but i dont really feel comfortable wearing leather anymore, just doesnt feel good. but really no one can make the decision for you.
Personally i don't think i could wear the shoes. It would feel too weird. I'd probably give them to a charity or sell them to buy non leather shoes. I wouldn't have too much of a problem with the drum though. I'd play it until it wore out. It seems kind of contradictory though..it's strange how i feel comfortable doing one thing and not the other. Like what has been said before...do what feels right!
personally... i would sell the shoes on ebay and get some vegan/hemp Ipaths! they look alot like etnies. i have animal skin drum heads on my bongos. ive had the same heads for many years now and they still have some beat left in them, when they need replacement i will get synths.
yea, i've had my eye on some hemp ipaths. Tite shit there. can you recommend a cheap website? lol.. cheap hemp skate shoes? do they even exist? I think I'll purchase some synthetic heads for now but keep playing on the skins I already have. And I'll continue to wear the shoes until they wear out. Then I'll stick to hemp from then out.
