Too Precious To Wear: my policy on animal-derived materials

Mentioning in a blog post last month that there are certain animal-derived materials that I don't use in my jewellery reminded me that I have never fully explained which materials I don't use and why. Herewith, I explain.

I love the look of freshwater pearls. They are absolutely stunning. Their irregular, organic beauty makes me drool.
I also love the look of coral, for the same reason. The shapes are incredible; like underwater trees.
I love fur, and leather, and silk.
But I don't love where those materials come from.
In order for pearls, leather, fur, silk, and coral to be obtained, living creatures have to die. Occasionally, those materials can be gained from animals that died of natural causes, but far more often than not the animals are killed for their bodies so that we can make beautiful things out of them. Every animal-derived product was once a living creature with a personality of its own.

Fur is beautiful, but even more so when it is lived in and maintained by its original owner.

Photo-Tiger 5x7 by ttlensphotography on Etsy

Whiteleaf Jewellery and Silverlight Jewellery use no coral, horn, shell, bone, pearls, new silk, or new leather. All leather and silk is either synthetic imitation stuff, recycled or 'upcycled' material from old clothes, vintage old stock that has been sitting around idle for years (and will simply continue to sit around idle if it is not used), or off-cuts that would be thrown away if they were not made into something beautiful. All pearls are imitations – usually glass or crystal based. All feathers are from a cruelty-free source – that is, they are either naturally moulted and collected, or taken from birds that died of natural causes.
This decision was made when the Whiteleaf Jewellery brand was being planned, but the below article – from The Storque, the blog of Etsy.com – made me realise that I had never actually explained this decision in detail to my customers.

Declaring Coral 'Too Precious To Wear'

My earlier comparison of coral to 'underwater trees' is actually quite accurate, as it turns out.

This is the twenty-first century. We have the means, now, to make synthetic versions of all the natural materials that we love so much.
Please note that I am not condemning or criticising artists who do use new leather, or coral or pearls, etc., in their work. As said above, I love those materials. I'm merely explaining why I don't use them.

Often the imitations of animal-derived products are more durable than the real thing. Swarovski pearls are of particularly high quality, having a crystal core that simulates the weight and feel of a real pearl. They have a flawless surface that is fade- and perfume-resistant – unlike that of a real pearl. The faux suede thonging that I use is actually synthetic microfibre, which – unlike genuine leather – will not crack, smell, or peel.

While I am not a vegan, I do think that the idea of a vegan world has some very attractive qualities.
Coral, pearls, silk, fur, and all other 'animal materials' are beautiful in themselves ... but the creatures themselves are more beautiful still.
Let's use the synthetics, and let the animals grace the earth alive.

Red Fox Winter Profile - 4x6 Photograph by ADelicateWorld on Etsy

(Special thanks to ADelicateWorld and ttlensphotography for giving me permission to use their magnificent animal photographs. Now that's the way to shoot a tiger!)

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