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Doll Clothes and Accessories made from Fur and Leather

Nov 18, 2010

    1. Would you be insulted or shocked to see a doll wearing clothes made from animal byproduct (furs and leathers and such)? No, I'd be kinda sad because I'm a MASSIVE animal lover. But it's up to each person to make their own choice. I'd never buy something like this for myself or my dolls, but to each their own.

      Does it make a difference if the byproducts came from animals we eat (cows, rabbits, pigs, sheep, etc.)? No

      Would it make a difference if you bought the leather/fur from a crafts store (like Hobby Lobby or Michael's)? Not really. Though if it's fake then I'm totally 100% okay with.

      Would it make a difference if you bought the byproduct straight from the distributor, whom you knew to use all parts of the animal? No

      Or is it all the same to you?
      No. I'm okay with fake fur/leather etc (I even have fake fur wigs for my dolls xD) but when it's real I feel uncomfortable around it. To know it was once a living breathing creature would turn me off. But again, it's up to each individual.
       
    2. I am an animal lover, but I am also a lover of historic authenticity. If I am creating a medieval costume which requires leather and fur, I will not use synthetic materials. I own several quality vintage fur collars from thrift shops, and have absolutely no qualms using them for my dolls.
       
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    3. I have no problem using real animal bits and pieces and oftentimes will go out of my way to use the real stuff. No, I don't care if there's a social stigma. I have the skeleton of a deer, the skull of a cat and the spine of something I can't identify (a dog?) in my backyard sunbleaching right now. Why? Because I like to have them. I use them for projects or just to decorate.

      I love animals and do not tolerate animal cruelty, but I don't see a difference between eating a steak and using the rest of the animal for my other purposes.
       
    4. ^This for me. It doesn't bother me to see other peoples' dolls in real fur, but I won't be using it on my own.
       
    5. Would you be insulted or shocked to see a doll wearing clothes made from animal byproduct (furs and leathers and such)?
      No, I own several items made from cow leather and rabbit fur. My grandfather was a hunter (for food, not sport) and kept chickens and rabbits at home for food so I don't see anything wrong in using what is left after they have been used for meat.

      Does it make a difference if the byproducts came from animals we eat (cows, rabbits, pigs, sheep, etc.)?
      I think it makes even more sense to use parts of an animal that would otherwise be discarded anyway. My country has a huge beef industry and as such, leather is cheap and readily available from manufacurers and leather artisans are quite common. Using fur or leather from animals that will me killed and not used for any other purpose is cruel and unnecesary.

      Would it make a difference if you bought the leather/fur from a crafts store (like Hobby Lobby or Michael's)?
      Not really, though I prefer to buy them from a direct source instead.

      Would it make a difference if you bought the byproduct straight from the distributor, whom you knew to use all parts of the animal?
      Or is it all the same to you?
      I would very much rather get it from the distributor, it is cheaper, of better quality and I know they are doing it not just to make a buck out of it but out of a real interest to use all of the parts of the animal. They don't deal in "rare" or "exotic" furs, they are just interested in using all of the parts of the animal.
       
    6. Doesn't really bother me. I really like animals. But like leather comes from cows. We eat cows. If we're going to eat the meat, what else are you going to do with the hide? And fur, well I'm a little on the fence about that. I mean I don't support the overhunting of any animal or poaching. But if the fur is gotten through legit channels then I'm ok with it.
       
    7. I don't have a problem with using leather for myself or my dolls. The beef industry is huge and heavily regulated (at least where I live) to ensure the humane farming practices. I'm not a huge fan of the look of leather in clothing though, so it's pretty much only around in the form of shoes or boots for me.

      As for real fur, I never had a problem with it until I saw a 60 Minutes story on dogs and cats being farmed in China for fur tail accessories for handbags. The video footage of the animals was extremely disturbing and really changed my perspective. Now every time I see someone with one of those tails on their bag it makes me feel ill. I know that not all real fur trim comes from cats or dogs (actually it's probably a tiny proportion) but knowing how some of these animals are "farmed" is enough to turn me off real fur altogether. Maybe if the animals were farmed locally where I know the industry is regulated I'd feel more ok about it, but as is, I feel like a lot of these animals, whatever they are, are not put to death in a humane manner at all. So yeah, a big "No" from me on the fur issue.
       
    8. I dont see a problem with either. I know alot of people who do and I think its silly. If your a vegitarian/vegan then I respect that completly and understand you wouldnt want anything to do with animal biproducts. But I feel that if you eat the meat of an animal it makes sence to use EVERY part of it. For that reason I am willing to eat even the less appealing parts of an animal. I DONT however agree with the use of fur that is taken from an animal in a cruel way while the animal is still "wearing" it.
       
    9. I have no problem with leather and fur accessories as long as it comes from a legit/legal source it should be okay. Thus, having said that, I don't mind doll-sized accessories made of materials like that either; it would just make them seem all the more authentic which is just amazing to me.
       
    10. I have family that hunts and have live stock. We have a simple code. If you're gonna kill something only kill as much as you need and no more, and you best be sure to use as much as the animal as you can. So I'm all for fur and leather as long as the animals lived and died in a humane setting.
       
    11. I'd use real fur for homemade clothes, but only on the condition that it was an animal that I slaughtered myself. That way I could guarantee that it was done humanely and that the meat wouldn't go to waste (hey, may as well eat what you kill). I have no reservations about leather.
       
    12. Would you be insulted or shocked to see a doll wearing clothes made from animal byproduct (furs and leathers and such)?
      Yes.

      Does it make a difference if the byproducts came from animals we eat (cows, rabbits, pigs, sheep, etc.)?
      To me, it is wrong no matter what creature it comes from and/or how it was obtained. I do not eat or use any animal products.

      Would it make a difference if you bought the leather/fur from a crafts store (like Hobby Lobby or Michael's)?
      I would never buy it from anywhere but in the case of someone else buying it, no it doesn't make a difference to me where you buy it, it's still wrong.

      Would it make a difference if you bought the byproduct straight from the distributor, whom you knew to use all parts of the animal?
      Or is it all the same to you?

      It's all the same to me, in this modern society that we live in there is no valid reason to kill animals, there is a huge variety of options that do not harm anyone.
       
    13. Would you be insulted or shocked to see a doll wearing clothes made from animal byproduct (furs and leathers and such)?
      Not at all. I use leathers extensively in my cosplay construction, and don't mind seeing it in doll clothing. I may even make some pieces from leather in the future, since I have quite an assortment of scraps around, and don't believe in wasting it whenever I have another option.


      Does it make a difference if the byproducts came from animals we eat (cows, rabbits, pigs, sheep, etc.)?
      I would of course prefer that the fur and leather goods come from those types of animals, yes. I am no fan of fur from domesticated animals (dogs, cats), or from atypical sources (tanuki). That said, I'm okay with sources like fox, mink, etc that are typically raised for their fur, as in the experience I've seen in locations where they're raised, they've been well-tended. But my own preference for use is leather (cow, pig) and rabbit fur (sheepskin's a bit too fluffy for doll stuff, but lovely as a throw or rug).


      Would it make a difference if you bought the leather/fur from a crafts store (like Hobby Lobby or Michael's)?
      I don't really see how it makes a difference? It has to come from somewhere. And the leather at Hobby Lobby is typically sourced from the exact same distributor where I normally go for leather goods (Tandy Leather), anyway.


      Would it make a difference if you bought the byproduct straight from the distributor, whom you knew to use all parts of the animal?
      I would appreciate that the whole animal was being used in some way, but generally with animals raised for meat, what's usable is used, and I tend to focus mainly on products from those types of animals. (As a side note, the sheepskin rug we had when I was growing up came from a close family friend, who raised the sheep, used the sheep, and cured his own skins; he gave it to us as a gift many, many years ago. It gives it more meaning, but doesn't make any difference beyond that.)


      Or is it all the same to you?
      Pretty much. I honestly don't know how often the skins of these animals are actually being used, and just as many people would hate to see an animal used only for its skin, I think it's equally as tragic if the skins are discarded and never used. There's a lot that fur and leather can be used for that, frequently, can't be sufficiently replicated in synthetics, so why not make use of something that might have gone to waste?
       
    14. I have no problem seeing dolls or people dressed in leather and fur, including me. If you wish to eschew these products, fine with me, but I am not interested in a lecture from you, or a statement of how righteous you are for holding those views. And please remember that you would need to practice your belief fully, starting with not owning, wearing anything made with animal by-products, including leather running shoes, bicycle seats, leather in your car, home, etc. you would have to go with one of two choices: plant based clothing and possessions, or synthetics.

      That being said, I don't hold with cruelty, including with the method of slaughter. There are rules about that, as it is not only cruel, but you are 'punished' for it by the toughness of the meat, which can also have an off flavor. Hunter's also prefer to have clean kill, even though that always does not happen in nature. Prey and predator are part of the law of nature. Some animals are off limits, as having a long history of being partners with us, dogs and horses are top on that list.

      I also like faux fur, it can be fun, but it never has the look or feel as the real thing. And synthetics just never wear or last or feel like real leather, though they can be fun as well.
       
    15. Not particularly. I mean, we use leather all the time for shoes and bags so why not doll clothing? heck, it's a good use for those teeny scraps you can't use for anything else. I think it's better morally to use the whole animal, so would prefer to use stuff from something i'd also eat, but at the same time, i know there's places like NZ where pest species like Possums are trapped and sold for fur. You can't eat them, but it's a way to recycle I guess. they have to be culled to protect the native species, but it kinda eases the guilt of that if you then use the pelt.

      I don't much like the fur industry, but i'm fine with things like pest species because it just feels... I dunno, better to put it to some use rather than just killing it and chucking it away.

      I like animals, but I also fully accept that as an animal ourselves there's a natural order to things and i'm not about to stop eating meat so why should I not wear leather? Heck, I have a piece of cow bone strung around my neck for goodness sake, and honestly i'd have no qualms about stringing a bit of human bone around my neck. I'm just.. not really squicked out by this kind of thing. In fact I actually quite like bones, I think they're beautiful but of course, that may be my inner archaeologist. I feel like using the skin or the fur or the bones is in a way more respectful than putting it in the ground to rot.

      I dunno. I think as humans we have a responsibility to be ethnical and humane, but it's unrealistic to think we will all give up meat, go vegan and magically everything will be wonderful. nature just doesn't work that way.

      Only reason I wouldn't use real fur on a doll is because it's harder to sew than synthetic fur and the potential allergens are there. Synthetics are a little easier to shape and sew with. I've found real fur in small chunks to be really prone to shedding and that sets off my allergies.

      Genuine leather however, can be wonderfully soft and actually in many cases will work better due to the softening up of the fibres etc when sewing together something like armor. Plether and other plastic based leather effect stuff doesn't have the same ability to curve and fit snugly, it just isn't quite as good at looking well.. natural hahah.

      Still, I don't have a problem with it. I mean, why not? It'll just go to waste otherwise.
       
    16. I have no problem with it as long as it is cultivated from by-product. (Possible tw) Like how UGG only uses sheep wool from sheep that have been put down for their meat.
       
    17. One of my other hobbies is Vulture Culture (collection of animal parts, usually direct from nature), so I have some specific views on the subject. I'm a-ok with the use of real animal parts in doll items- heck, I'd go further than just leather and fur, extending it to things like bones and teeth and claws. However, I do prefer when these items are sourced from natural deaths (from predation or disease) or exist as a by-product of other things (either from hunted animals or the food industry, scrap fur or leather, recycled, stuff like that).

      I won't go on a moral tirade and say you can't buy things directly from the fur industry, or you can't hunt things just to take their fur; I mean, I eat meat, so I have no room to judge. You can do what you want unless it's illegal, and it's not like I'm going to ask everyone where their doll's leather/fur clothing items came from. I just prefer, personally, to use by-product, recycled, and nature found items.
       
    18. It's an apt time for this to come to the top of the thread list, because just recently, my mom went to a junker's shop that was having a big sale. She threw some things into a bag for my dolls, including a bag of fur scraps. This thread reminded me of it, so I just went through it for the first time... I had my suspicious, but I got the bajezezus scared out of me by real, whole animal tail. So, yeah, the whole bag is definitely real fur!

      Now, this is a bag of stuff that's who-knows-how-old, of completely unknown origins. That said, I live in rural Pennsylvania, where Hunting Season is school holiday. I'm not a hunter, and I'm a big animal lover. I'd never kill anything... but I understand that people do. In fact, around here, hunters are actually a staple part of the natural ecosystem! They're necessary!

      Killing things has always been squicky to me, but... things are killed, the death of things is monetized, that's the way of the world. So, no, seeing animal products don't bother me, unless there's something inherently wrong with the product itself.

      On that note, I use what I have. Since I happen to have a bag of real fur, I'll use it. If I had a bag of fake fur, I'd use it. I have real skulls, real bones, real feathers, etc. since I live in a woodland area-- I'd have no reservations about using them as doll props. As BlackSheep said, however, it's not like i'd ever hound someone on where their resources come from, anyway!

      Would you be insulted or shocked to see a doll wearing clothes made from animal byproduct (furs and leathers and such)?
      No!
      Does it make a difference if the byproducts came from animals we eat (cows, rabbits, pigs, sheep, etc.)?
      Not to me!
      Would it make a difference if you bought the leather/fur from a crafts store (like Hobby Lobby or Michael's)?
      Not really!
      Would it make a difference if you bought the byproduct straight from the distributor, whom you knew to use all parts of the animal?
      Nope, but that would be nice!
      Or is it all the same to you?
      All the same!