Ethical?

[Farhad19620]

Interesting.

so taken to the extreme would you feel comfortable wearing a strap made from human skin? Sounds ridiculous I know but where does the line get drawn?

Of course I would not! The problem in this world at this time i feel is that humans are sometimes treated worst than animal.

The alligator or crocodile was not killed just to make a strap for a watch, neither is a cow or an elephant.

I am sorry but I feel that with this anti meat, anti this and that diet we are really moving away from nature. One of my own daughter in law is an extreme , no carbs, no meat , no fish, no dairy , no poultry, no wheat, no gluten, no sugar, no flour, no starch, a half apple and one almond for lunch, this is her diet. Now all of this is fine but she is fortunate that she lives in this country where all alternatives are a available but a poor farmer in my country has a glass of milk and a slice of bread for his breakfast as he cannot afford to buy anything else, what choice does he have?

Whenever too much money is injected into society, humans want to try different things !

I would say, everything in moderation is fine, we should all do what we think is best for ourselves and not try and force it on everyone, not forgetting that many in this world do not have a choice!

[theancientmariner]

Because it wasn't just killed to go on her watch I suppose.
The strap looks perfect for the watch but we'll have to look for an alternative when it wears out.

That's fine. I agree that the alligator strap does suit the smaller Solo watches. I was just curious, not being a veggie myself, as to how a veggie might feel about animal skin straps.

[theancientmariner]

As for snake wouldn't want to wear it, but likewise I don't think it is managed and licensed in the same way as Louisiana alligator, is highly likely the production is cruel in countries which don't have the UK's same laws and culture. There's a reason the big brands will sell alligator leather, but not other exotic leathers.

You might be surprised as to how many of the big brands are using snake skin, apparently it's very 'now' in the fashion world. Those big brands using it claim that it's farmed ethically but it doesn't take long searching o the web to discover that it's very difficult to back that up and in a lot of cases the snakes are brutalised. That's what I found off putting as I liked the look of the snake skin watch straps.

[theancientmariner]

Of course I would not! The problem in this world at this time i feel is that humans are sometimes treated worst than animal.

The alligator or crocodile was not killed just to make a strap for a watch, neither is a cow or an elephant.

I think that you are slightly missing my point. I don't have issues with the use of cow, alligator or crocodile skin as the animals are mostly used for food and the by product is the skin which is then used for luxury items such as straps. What I was getting at with my ludicrous human skin comment is where exactly does someone draw the line. I can't imagine that shark, manta ray or snake are killed for food (although don't get me started on shark fins, how anyone can cut the fins off a shark, leave them for dead without consuming any other part of them and for a soup that has chicken stock added to make it taste of something, I really can't fathom) and so if we're using those three creatures purely for watch straps and luxury goods, what makes them any less valuable to this planet than humans?

For the record, I am an omnivore and have nothing whatsoever against people who consume meat.

[Farhad19620]

I think that you are slightly missing my point. I don't have issues with the use of cow, alligator or crocodile skin as the animals are mostly used for food and the by product is the skin which is then used for luxury items such as straps. What I was getting at with my ludicrous human skin comment is where exactly does someone draw the line. I can't imagine that shark, manta ray or snake are killed for food (although don't get me started on shark fins, how anyone can cut the fins off a shark, leave them for dead without consuming any other part of them and for a soup that has chicken stock added to make it taste of something, I really can't fathom) and so if we're using those three creatures purely for watch straps and luxury goods, what makes them any less valuable to this planet than humans?

For the record, I am an omnivore and have nothing whatsoever against people who consume meat.

Agree it is wrong to kill animals purely for making luxury items but we will never know the real reason why they were killed. I do not want to mention names of countries but you do know that snakes, rats , bats , monkey brains and sharks are consumed as food delicacy in some parts of the world!

[Andyg156]

I'm all for a good watch strap. Got quite a few, I lie far too many, be it OEM , heritageleather and toshi to name my go to options.
I doubt there are many animals killed solely to keep my watch on my wrist. If that was the case yes I would look differently at it.
But I have leather sofas, shoes, belts, bags which have far more leather in use.



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[theancientmariner]

I do not want to mention names of countries but you do know that snakes, rats , bats , monkey brains and sharks are consumed as food delicacy in some parts of the world!

I'll happily name at least one of those countries as China. They're well known for consuming exotic and endangered species to show their status and wealth in society. In many cases the practice is outlawed by international society and yet they still choose to do it and ignore any kind of morality. A case in point being shark fin soup which does show how low human morality can go. The word 'delicacy' tends to apply where common sense doesn't. Fois gras being a case in point.

While I agree with your sentiment that we may not know why the animals were killed, my personal reasoning is simply the phrase, 'ignorance is no excuse'. If I'm not certain why an animal was killed, I won't be buying a watch strap made from its skin.

[theancientmariner]

But I have leather sofas, shoes, belts, bags which have far more leather in use.

I think most of us do. I have no problem at all with the use of leather as a by product, I simply have reservations about the use of exotic leather if my aim of looking good causes the death of an animal. I wonder how many of us would still wear leather goods if we had to kill the animals ourselves to obtain them?