action request!

[keryx]

Lane Bryant, which is one of few widely available fat grrrl clothing stores, has taken to selling fox fur. I am really, really not down with the production & sale of new fur, and I sent a message to say so.


Dear (person),

Thank you for your recent email.

Our fur items were introduced in direct response to customer requests for these fashion-forward items. As with any fashion item, they may not appeal to all of our customers. We hope that those who do not wear fur will continue to choose Lane Bryant for other great fashion options.

We appreciate your concern about the products we offer and hope that you will continue to shop with www.lanebryant.com.

Sincerely,

Melinda
lanebryant.com Customer Service
www.lanebryant.com

Wait, I thought fur was a fashion disaster from the eighties? Since when is cruelty "fashion forward"? I mean, I realize I wear some leather shoes, and I certainly eat a share of meat, but wearing fur isn't simply being too lazy to respect animal life - it's going out of your way to be mean. Unless you kill your animal, eat it and then wear its skin.

Even if your gender, size or taste keeps you from shopping there no matter what, would you consider contacting them? I'd really really really like it for Lane Bryant to be inundated with anti-fur letters.

Comments

[crafting-change.livejournal.com]

not to be the obnoxious vegan,
but you do know that the cows they use for leather are different than the cows you eat, right?
I'll definitely be sending them a 'please don't sell fur' email though.

[keryx.livejournal.com]

Yes, of course I know that. Leather and meat are about the same in my estimation of animal maltreatment - in that I think most of us are aware they're cruel, and when we use those products, it's because we think the inconvenience to ourselves outweighs the meanness. The exception to killing/eating/wearing an animal in my mind is for the rare, non-industrial animal killer. The average leather & meat user doesn't even remotely fall in that category.

But fur is still vastly worse, IMO.

[crafting-change.livejournal.com]

I can totally understand that perspective, I was just making sure you knew the deal since you added in:
Unless you kill your animal, eat it and then wear its skin.

[keryx.livejournal.com]

Yeah, there I meant basically "if you're Grizzly Adams or something". :)

[crafting-change.livejournal.com]

gotcha ;)

[peregrin8.livejournal.com]

you do know that the cows they use for leather are different than the cows you eat, right?

not that I eat cows, but... I actually didn't know this. Do they throw away the skins of the cows they slaughter for meat?

[keryx.livejournal.com]

I'm sure someone else can answer more clearly - but as I understand it, the hides from slaughter are used for rough leather (i.e. heavy boots, sometimes furniture). The leather we generally use in our shoes and bags and stuff is typically calf leather, and I think is "farmed" entirely for leather.

[peregrin8.livejournal.com]

Oh. Yuck. Thanks!

[keryx.livejournal.com]

Yeah. Good reason to go for the "manmade upper" shoes, ain't it? I mean, I know I wouldn't kill baby cows for veal (EWWWW), so why should I do it for shoes?

I'm still working on this, of course. I have loads of leather shoes. :(

[peregrin8.livejournal.com]

oh yeah, I have leather shoes too. But I don't think i'll be adding to the collection...

[cyprinella]

Hm. didn't know that. Of course, I don't see the logic in spending as much money as leather bags cost for the care that they need. However, for things like horse tack or heavy boots and the like, I jsut find that it's a better material than manmade stuff. To me it's a fine balance between an object of quality that's going to last for a while that's not the most ethical thing in the world or a bunch of cheaper, plastic objects that aren't goign to last and create as much or more pollution. Neither is great, but in this case I go for my Docs.

[chubbyninja.livejournal.com]

oh dammit...
that means my leather jacket is probably multiple calfs(calves?) worth...

no good.

[keryx.livejournal.com]

Yep. You're wearing baby cows.

Today my shoes are leather, too - so I'm also wearing baby cow, but not a whole bunch of them.

[chubbyninja.livejournal.com]

well unlike most leather wearers... i can say that ive worked with baby cows, and they are assholes, so its a personal vendetta rather than pure and simple animal cruelty.

[keryx.livejournal.com]

Good point. By that reasoning, I would be perfectly justified in wearing your skin.

Uh, not that I'd want to.

[crafting-change.livejournal.com]

The way that the skin is cut makes for bad leather, so I think it is often used to make glue, and other weird things.

[keryx.livejournal.com]

PS - they also sell the occasional leather jacket, so if you wanted to include that in your protest, by all means, do so.

[crafting-change.livejournal.com]

heheh, I'll use that broad 'animal product' approach!
thanks again for the heads up!