GreenChoices

Clothing and animal rights issues

Exploitation of individual animals often goes hand in hand with intensive farming practises that also damage the environment as a whole.

• Given the choice, it's best to buy organic, as organic standards tend to mean better treatment for animals. See our list of clothing suppliers.

Beyond this, many people feel that being 'green' includes a wish to avoid any form of animal exploitation - whilst others would argue vehemently that this is a luxury that cannot be supported in a sustainable world. Animal products used in clothing include fur, leather, silk (obtained by boiling or gassing to death many tens of thousands of silkworms), and wool.

• Leather-free shoes are available from Vegetarian Shoes Online Store and Green Shoes.
• Vegetarian credentials do not guarantee green credentials! - leather substitutes can include problematic materials such as polyurethane, nylon and even PVC.