No More Kangaroo Leather Shoes?
@JamesHxstatic (29411)
Eugene, Oregon
March 21, 2023 7:13pm CST
Nike and Puma have announced that they will no longer use kangaroo leather to make shoes. Did you know that kangaroo leather was even used in shoes? I didn't.
There may be many other companies that use kangaroo leather though.
Now, I'm pretty sure that there is no shortage of kangaroos in Australia, so I suppose that there were objections being made about cruelty to the animals used in the shoes. I suppose that the leather would be of pretty high quality since these brands are sold all over the world (nearly).
I suppose that @JudyEv can tell us more about kangaroos and what people in her country think of them being used for leather.
20 people like this
20 responses
@JudyEv (352842)
• Rockingham, Australia
22 Mar 23
I guess about 50% of people (pastoralists, farmers, graziers) would love to see more kangaroos used for anything! The other half think they're cute and don't want them killed at all. I wonder where/from what such companies will get their leather from now. Did it say what they'll use instead?
4 people like this
@JamesHxstatic (29411)
• Eugene, Oregon
22 Mar 23
I guess they'll go back to cattle mostly. We slaughter tons of that daily in the US.
4 people like this
@JamesHxstatic (29411)
• Eugene, Oregon
22 Mar 23
@JudyEv I'm not surprised. You can still buy hats made of beaver fur blends here.
3 people like this
@JudyEv (352842)
• Rockingham, Australia
22 Mar 23
@JamesHxstatic There used to be a factory in Fremantle that did a roaring trade in hats made from rabbit skins. The hides were tanned there and made into hats.
2 people like this
@JamesHxstatic (29411)
• Eugene, Oregon
22 Mar 23
I think about that too, but then there are shoes.
3 people like this
@RubyHawk (99397)
• Atlanta, Georgia
23 Mar 23
@JamesHxstatic Yes, many other materials to make shoes.
2 people like this
@FourWalls (74468)
• United States
22 Mar 23
Gee, I’d think more people would be upset over Nike’s use of slave labor. But that’s me.
4 people like this
@JamesHxstatic (29411)
• Eugene, Oregon
22 Mar 23
Right, I would hope they would put a stop to that or leave China altogether..
4 people like this
@LadyDuck (473933)
• Switzerland
22 Mar 23
I knew that kangaroo leather was used to make football boots by those companies, not the other shoes. Australians have criticized the decision. Kangaroo leather is very strong but lightweight and flexible compared to other leathers. I am sure they will regret using synthetic leather.
3 people like this
@LadyDuck (473933)
• Switzerland
23 Mar 23
@JamesHxstatic And they do not last. My husband bought a fake leather belt last year and it is already falling apart. Those he bought 40 years ago in real leather are all still good.
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (473933)
• Switzerland
24 Mar 23
@JamesHxstatic And it even smells bad, they want to give an extra touch with the scent and it's horrible.
1 person likes this
@JamesHxstatic (29411)
• Eugene, Oregon
22 Mar 23
Maybe so, synthetic materials don't "breathe" and are very hot.
3 people like this
@porwest (99668)
• United States
22 Mar 23
I saw that story the other day too and was like WHAT?? I had no idea. I have not bought Nike in years, having an issue with their labor practices. But I am glad to hear no kangaroos will be harmed in the making of their shoes. I mean, leather makes more sense since we eat the cattle. But kangaroos? Do the Aussies eat them regularly?
3 people like this
@Fleura (31632)
• United Kingdom
22 Mar 23
I have eaten kangaroo in the past. I ate it at restaurants in Australia, but I have also bought it from supermarkets here - a few years ago there was more interest in 'exotic' meats, I have had kangaroo, ostrich, bison and alligator. They seem to be more difficult to find again now.
2 people like this
@JamesHxstatic (29411)
• Eugene, Oregon
22 Mar 23
I don't think that they are in the menu, but who knows?
3 people like this
@porwest (99668)
• United States
22 Mar 23
@JamesHxstatic I don't think so either. At least I have not heard of it. Maybe deep in the bush of the Outback? I am sure it's not a regular supermarket item. lol
3 people like this
@leighnyork (1880)
•
22 Mar 23
Wow, i am trying to imagine how many kangaroos had to die for a company to make us all shoes.
4 people like this
@JamesHxstatic (29411)
• Eugene, Oregon
22 Mar 23
A lot of somethings must die to supply all the leather we need.
3 people like this
@snowy22315 (189079)
• United States
22 Mar 23
Well, I agree wholeheartedly, but I didn't know they were being used in the first place.
3 people like this
@allen0187 (58574)
• Philippines
22 Mar 23
First time I've heard about kangaroo leather.
3 people like this
@allen0187 (58574)
• Philippines
22 Mar 23
@JamesHxstatic will have to look it up further. Bits of information like this are interesting to me.
3 people like this
@JamesHxstatic (29411)
• Eugene, Oregon
22 Mar 23
Apparently, that is true for most of the readers here.
3 people like this
@allknowing (145274)
• India
22 Mar 23
I would not want to give credit to them about them wanting to be kind to animals. Where were they all these years?
3 people like this
@JamesHxstatic (29411)
• Eugene, Oregon
22 Mar 23
I guess they will get all leather from cattle then?
3 people like this
@sjvg1976 (41966)
• Delhi, India
22 Mar 23
@JamesHxstatic Yes, we. I never can imagine that crocodile skin also is used.
4 people like this
@JamesHxstatic (29411)
• Eugene, Oregon
22 Mar 23
But so many things are killed for their skin and meat as well. We live in a kind of cruel world.
4 people like this
@JamesHxstatic (29411)
• Eugene, Oregon
22 Mar 23
@sjvg1976 Alligator skin was very popular for shoes, purses & belts here until it was made illegal. There qre quite a few alligator attacks in Florida on pets and even on people.
3 people like this
@JamesHxstatic (29411)
• Eugene, Oregon
22 Mar 23
True, but is it cruel to use cattle too?
2 people like this
@JamesHxstatic (29411)
• Eugene, Oregon
22 Mar 23
Australia is about the only place.
3 people like this
@Beestring (15331)
• Hong Kong
22 Mar 23
I don't know that there are kangaroo leather shoes.
3 people like this
@popciclecold (39943)
• United States
23 Mar 23
Gee, that is new to me. Thanks for sharing.
1 person likes this
@JamesHxstatic (29411)
• Eugene, Oregon
23 Mar 23
Welcome, it was an odd little thing.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (174082)
• Boise, Idaho
23 Mar 23
I didn't know this either. Had read this too. I wonder what took them so long.
2 people like this
@RebeccasFarm (94527)
• Arvada, Colorado
22 Mar 23
Glad I do not patronize those shoe makers. I mean slave drivers.
2 people like this
@RasmaSandra (84712)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
23 Mar 23
I never knew kangaroo leather was used. I wonder why sport shoes need to be leather anything, Cannot they make imitation leather shoes?
1 person likes this
@JamesHxstatic (29411)
• Eugene, Oregon
23 Mar 23
It is good for all kinds of shoes to breathe and artificial leather does not.
1 person likes this
@Fleura (31632)
• United Kingdom
22 Mar 23
I didn't know kangaroo leather was used until the broo-ha-ha started a few years ago. I don't quite understand what's so terrible about using kangaroo leather and why it's OK to use other species - I mean if animal cruelty is the issue, then that would apply to any, surely? I don't think kangaroos are endangered, and I have even eaten kangaroo before.
2 people like this
