Doll Clothes and Accessories made from Fur and Leather

In my opinion it's OK if in the dolls outfit production some pieces of fur, leather or feathers are used in case they were taken from an animal or bird grown for that purpose on a farm. This kind of production has either positive or negative sides and can be discussed infinitely.
I'm a breeder of chinchillas and different birds and I really love all of my animals but I'm not against farms where animals are grown for fur, meat or leather. I'm against killing wild animals just for fun or for furn and meat because this harms nature and can lead to the extinction of species.

Often in doll's outfit production fur trims remaining after tailoring can be used. And this leads to waste-free production. In my opinion it's even good.

 

I have no problem with it. I don't buy it just because it's leather though. If I see an article of clothing and it happens to catch my eye but also happens to have leather, it doesn't prevent me from buying it. I really love all animals even though I do legal hunting. I do think mindless slaughter and poaching are wrong. It's sad that those things happen, but I'm not against buying doll items that are made from fur and leather.

 

I have no problem with this at all. I will not support some fur industries - like fox, but leather and sheepskin and such are products of the food market. I love all animals too but, I am a carnivore and would rather the fur and leather go to a use than be tossed out! I would be careful not to make an outfit though for someone with these materials just in case they did not like it though. I have one doll outfit with a bit of rabbit fur on it. I think it is even better if you can make clothes reusing vintage furs, when the whole garment is in bad shape so no body would wear it, but doll clothes need so little that you can still make some use of it.

This is a personal choice in my mind and has nothing to do with the doll hobby specifically. If you do not like the way somethings are made, you just don't buy it! If you are shocked by such a thing, then you would be shocked and unhappy with much of advertising or fashion or photography, or even news or sports where they use leather.

 

I really prefer to use leather and fur that I find at, say, Goodwill or another thrift store. I really like the worn leather look. Also, I'm not really supporting the fur industry itself by buying secondhand. Plus, you can get some really nice leather jacket and make like, six smaller leather jackets out of it and they'll have the worn look that is pretty hard to get when a doll isn't going to cause any wear itself.

 

Great question!
Animals are not ours to wear, eat, or experiment on! They are living, thinking, feeling beings that deserve as much respect as anyone else. I don't mind if people eat/use roadkill, but killing is grossly unnecessary.

Would you be insulted or shocked to see a doll wearing clothes made from animal byproduct (furs and leathers and such)?
I wouldn't be insulted unless someone shoved it in my face knowing my personal beliefs against it. I wouldn't be shocked, because it's used all the time, it's not rare.
Does it make a difference if the byproducts came from animals we eat (cows, rabbits, pigs, sheep, etc.)?
No. Animals are animals, no matter what they're used for. For the record, I don't eat meat.
Would it make a difference if you bought the leather/fur from a crafts store (like Hobby Lobby or Michael's)?
No.
Would it make a difference if you bought the byproduct straight from the distributor, whom you knew to use all parts of the animal?
It woud be less wasteful, but just as wrong.
Or is it all the same to you?
An animal suffered...it's all the same.

 

I came to read this topic because I had been considering making leather items for dolls... I had to come see people's opinions on it.

I am not a fan of fur because the animals that tend to be used for fur... I do not know whether or not their entire body has gone to use. But on the other hand, animals that are used to make leather are generally used for many other things. I feel comfortable buying and wearing leather "in real life" because I feel like the entire animal's body was used, and it wasn't just killed to make leather. However, I do not have anything that has real fur because I am suspicious about what happens to the rest of the animal after they take its fur.

It seems that quite a few people agree that leather is okay, so I think that I might go on with my idea. This topic helped me make a difficult decision! It had been something that was bothering me quite a bit.

 

I wouldn't be insulted or shocked- it really is the same to me. I grew up where my mother, and grandmothers wore mink coats, and it didn't bother me. I think the mistreatment of animals while they are alive - dogfighting, etc. is more shocking and how blase people feel about it.

 

As an addition to this thread, for those who claim that leather is better than fur because the whole animal is used; Usually, the leather doesn't come from the same animals as the ones that you eat - Most slaughterhouses that process meat don't have the facility to process leather, so the skins are used to make gelatin or glue. Hides for leather need to be immediately dried or chemically treated, which takes a lot of space and costs a lot of money. Likewise, most slaughterhouses processing leather don't have the freezer facilities to deal with carcasses for meat (And often work at lower sanitary standards anyway).

And, of course, the amount of toxic runoff from conventional tanneries makes a right mess of whatever ecosytstem they're running into anyway.

 

Personally, i dont understand why we cant just use fake fur , fake leather?
Animals dont deserve death, most suffer terribly for our greed and it shouldnt be that way when there are ulterior options.
who's to say all the fur used on our bjd clothing , dont come from chinese fur farms? I dont want to support the fur or leather trade, they skin animals alive, and in no way, is this acceptable. Even rabbits who get electrocuted, which is ment to make them uncouncience or something like that, they say, is terribly wrong, as its proven they feel every bit of pain. Now , if the fur came from a place where fur would have just been chucked out, gone to waste, then 'perhaps', but not when the fur is sought after, because as soon as it is, then people use cheap & cruel inhumane way's about getting it. They dont tell you of course, because it bad for their image, but you can just bet, many fur trades are peoples missing cat's/dog's, or rabbits living in cramped cages with broken legs and god only knows what else. In short, if i knew the fur used, was real, i would not consider buying it, as i wouldnt drape dead animal on my beloved bjd. Not to mention, pulling the fur skin off a live breathing feeling animal, is sick unjust murder.

 

Would you be insulted or shocked to see a doll wearing clothes made from animal byproduct (furs and leathers and such)?

No but i wouldn't like it very much.I'm a vegetarian and also strongly against leather and fur, so I definitely wouldn't buy leather or fur for my dolls and would prefer if no one else did but in the end it's down to each person's opinion and preference.

Does it make a difference if the byproducts came from animals we eat (cows, rabbits, pigs, sheep, etc.)?

No, an animal's an animal and a living being so to me what type of animal doesn't make a difference, I will never buy leather. That being said obviously leather from snakes and such bothers me a lot more (being the snake lover I am) and poaching for tigers and other endangered species just angers me to the point of insanity.

Would it make a difference if you bought the leather/fur from a crafts store (like Hobby Lobby or Michael's)?

Nope, it still came from an animal.

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?

Once again no. An animals been killed to get there so it's all the same to me.

 

I personally don't see the need to wear fur at an animal's expense, they don't take our skins to make them look good. Very opposed to fur being worn by humans. I have never heard an argument that the fur got on the person's back with no cost to the animal.

 

Would you be insulted or shocked to see a doll wearing clothes made from animal byproduct (furs and leathers and such)?
No, in fact I like to see natural materials - as long as it is in proportion too the doll.
Does it make a difference if the byproducts came from animals we eat (cows, rabbits, pigs, sheep, etc.)?
Yes, but only in the sence that I do not approve of hunting on endangered animals. So anything bred in captivity or hunted to prevent an over population is alright with me.
Would it make a difference if you bought the leather/fur from a crafts store (like Hobby Lobby or Michael's)?
Depends if they can tell me where it comes from.
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 prefer that - but I do not know such people.
Or is it all the same to you?
I do not handle different ethics for fur/animal products as I do for other things. I do not want anything stolen or that would endanger the excistence of something. Be that an animal, a plant or something historic (archeological things).

 

Would you be insulted or shocked to see a doll wearing clothes made from animal byproduct (furs and leathers and such)?
For the most part no, see next question!
Does it make a difference if the byproducts came from animals we eat (cows, rabbits, pigs, sheep, etc.)?
Yes, I've always thought it was rather pointless to kill a bunch of mink/ermine for their fur. But if it's an animal people eat (I also include Inuit hunted seal in the list since they traditionally eat it) I'm fine with it. I was speaking about some bone beads at a bead store once with the staff and they told me they were made from camel bone, basically from ones which died as it's usually wasteful to slaughter a camel when their so useful, so I suppose I wouldn't have a problem with camel or horse products either...
Would it make a difference if you bought the leather/fur from a crafts store (like Hobby Lobby or Michael's)?
I've never seen fur at a craft store (not sure that I've looked), I have bought leather I'm not sure if they use all of the animal but it would be nice.
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?
For the most part it's all the same, though, as I said before with something like seal fur(assuming I bought some) I'd prefer to know it came from Inuit hunters.

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In general it doesn't bother me. I've recently been considering re-purposing an old mink stole that was my great-aunt's into some doll clothes. In this area I'd prefer vintage materials or the products of actual hunters as opposed to what comes from leather or fur "farms".

 

Would you be insulted or shocked to see a doll wearing clothes made from animal byproduct (furs and leathers and such)?
Nope. I actually have plans to make something for my doll using rabbit fur.

Does it make a difference if the byproducts came from animals we eat (cows, rabbits, pigs, sheep, etc.)?
I'd rather it be from something common. I don't like when endangered or rare animals are hunted for it.

Would it make a difference if you bought the leather/fur from a crafts store (like Hobby Lobby or Michael's)?
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 bought the rabbit fur at a fabric store. As far as a difference, I don't see why there would be. All I know about it is it came from Spain and was under $5, I knew I had a use for it, so I bought it.

 

Would you be insulted or shocked to see a doll wearing clothes made from animal byproduct (furs and leathers and such)?

I'm not big on it myself, but I most certainly wouldn't feel shocked.
Does it make a difference if the byproducts came from animals we eat (cows, rabbits, pigs, sheep, etc.)?

Only difference I see is if the rest of them was used or not. If not, I'm not ok with it.
Would it make a difference if you bought the leather/fur from a crafts store (like Hobby Lobby or Michael's)?

I think what company puts it out is the big difference, not where I got it from. I don't know much about these things as I don't use real animal products myself, but I'd feel way better if I knew it was a byproduct of a meat slaughter.
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'd be super ok with it then. I eat meat, other people eat meat, so the animal was going to be killed anyways.
Or is it all the same to you?

Not "all the same", really. I'm super ok with byproduct leather and fur, and really against it otherwise.

 

My doll is vegan like me and we don't see animal's and their body parts as consumer products. I wouldn't have a problem with other peeps reusing old fur, leather or even 100yo ivory, but buying it new is just too environmentally destructive and too cruel an industry. Killing feral/introduced animals to undo human damage to the environment and using their bodies is also okay in my books but still pretty sad and they should be killed humanely.

 

Unabashed carnivore over here, and I would find it most insulting to the spirit of the animal not to use every bit possible, including pelts and hides. In addition, there are some qualities natural leather has that a synthetic never could emulate. I tend to recycle furs however. I don't eat most fur bearing animals, so farming or trapping them just for their hides is repugnant in this modern age. Not impressed by folks draping themselves in high end furs.

I wouldn't be moved if other folks used animal by products, but I do get irritated by evangelistic types who try to push their beliefs on others. Everybody's got an opinion but I don't need and didn't ask to be beat over the head with it.

 

I mostly use synthetic fur or leather (for myself and my dolls), but sometimes products made of natural materials are much better, like natural mohair.
Then I prefer using byproducts that came from animals we eat, but in the case of mohair, I use that ones with no leather pieces, that don't need to kill the animal to extract the fur.

 

Would you be insulted or shocked to see a doll wearing clothes made from animal byproduct (furs and leathers and such)?

I'd be more bothered by fur than by leather, for convoluted reasons of my own.

Does it make a difference if the byproducts came from animals we eat (cows, rabbits, pigs, sheep, etc.)?

It would make a difference to me if it were rabbit fur, because I have had house rabbits since 1996 and see them as companion animals.

Would it make a difference if you bought the leather/fur from a crafts store (like Hobby Lobby or Michael's)?

In a negative sense it would. I would far rather buy meat from a local farmer (and do ... I buy my meat exclusively from two organic ranchers at my farmers' market). If I were to buy fur or leather that were byproducts of meat production, I would want them to be locally sourced, too. Anything at a big chain store like Hobby Lobby or Michael's is likely to be mass/factory-farm produced, which leaves so much room for animal cruelty.

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

As I said above, it would make a difference.

Or is it all the same to you?

Nope. Not all the same.