The KInd Life Community Forum

(I also posted this as a question to Alica)

I am vegan and admit I love the show Burn Notice the hip bag Fiona has is a Happy cow bag. Seems like the company is eco friendly and reduces suffering by only using leather left overs, but being vegan I'm torn. I mean they are reducing waste, right? The owners are vegetarian as well. Here is some info on the company? What do you think?

http://www.happycow.com.au/

The phenomenal success of Happy Cow since its establishment in 2004 is a testament to how customer's demands of fashion are changing. No longer can fashion be overpriced, harmful to the environment and completely impractical.

Happy Cow began almost by accident. We had always loved to use leather as a material. There is no better raw material in the world. Only leather is so strong, yet soft at the same time. Like a good wine, leather looks better as it ages and each crease tells the story of the adventures the customer has been on. However in our early 20's we became vegetarians and no longer felt comfortable with causing suffering to an animal in the name of fashion.

Then one day a friend of a friend told us about his family's furniture manufacturing business. He explained that it was a shame that they had to throw out so many off-cuts. The off-cuts were in perfect condition and of a high-quality, yet too small to use in the manufacturing of furniture.

Okay, here's my personal opinion on this. While we buy bags from the "good guy", we're actually handing the people that do kill these beautiful creatures a way to make even more money. Now they have a place to sell even the smallest scrap of what they used to consider waste. Saying "the damage is already done so we may as well make the best of it" doesn't cut it in this case. In this case we're actually encouraging them to increase production because we've created a new market and a new way for them to profit from their product.

Nah, leather is skin. To each their own, but I can't do it. I have to agree with April too.

I am so extreamly flattered that you would honor my request!!!! Thank you Susan Nichole, you have such a wonderful product, and I love your handbags. So far I have two, and everyone who see's them loves them. You are making the world a greener, animal friendly place everyday. Thanks so much!