Living It!

[wiccedfae23]

Ok so i have made the transition quite smoothly into a vegan diet. It has been 2 months(or more i think!) and i am doing and feeling great.Losing weight, eating healthy, exercising.....
So my question is... How do i start to phase my products and accessories (i.e. belts, scarfs, shoes blankets etc.) in a vegan direction? I feel terrible throwing this stuff out, and i would love to donate all of it but i can't really afford to replace too much right now, so that brings me here;)
Also i have found some good natural (green) brands sold locally (i live in Fairhaven MA) for toothpaste, soap etc. but i was wondering if anyone had any suggestions on some less expensive options. Alot of my product costs have doubled! So i look forward to any suggestions or comments or any info anyone may have! Thanks! ~Jodi:D

[kjmckenzie]

congrats! that is fantastic.

I couldn't afford to replace everything either and buying more stuff and donating isn't as good for the environment than wearing things out in my opinion, so I kept my stuff.

I do feel the need for the "I already owned these leather shoes" explanation to people though. It does get harder though to wear leather if you think about where it came from, it feels kind of wierd to have dead cows skin on. But that feeling didn't come to me until I had been vegan for a while (kind of like I now think of eating meat more akin to eating road kill, I don't know how anyone finds it appetizing!)

I too spend a lot on vegan products, but I figure it is my donation to my causes, I spend more to support my causes and deduct it from money I might otherwise donate to a cause.

You can probably make alot of your own stuff too, I know How it all Vegan has recipes for tons of stuff like shampoo and everything. Someone else on here probably knows more about making stuff than I do though!

Good luck!

[PikkuMyy]

Hi Jodi!

Congrats on making a smooth transition!

As for your pre-vegan stuff, I have to say that I have not gotten rid of anything unless it was too old. I also buy leather shoes at the thrift store as they last longer and are better for food breathing than pleather ones. I have bought a few vegan shoes but frankly, buying used is better for the environment than buying new petroleum-based products. (I do buy used vegan shoes whenever I can.)

With the body care products, one thing I discovered is that I don't need nearly all the things I used to use. I only use soap in a few key places and my skin is so much better than with all of the facial washes, etc. I don't use shampoo any more. I do what's known as "no poo" - I use baking soda to wash my hair, and then a rinse of diluted apple cider vinegar to restore the pH and condition. My hair is shiny, fluffy, and soft every day and feels great. Obviously I can buy both products in bulk and they are VERy cheap.

You should also check out any dollar stores or liquidation places in your area - I often find still=good really cheap bath and body products there that I would normally buy at the health food store. For example, I got a whole gallon of Alba Botanicals lavendar body wash for $6.99. We use it as hand soap or my husband likes it as body wash and we still are using it after a year. I've also gotten tons of other similar brands for really cheap. It comes and goes - sometimes I find nothing, other times, I spend a bunch on a longtime supply of something. 99 cent natural toothpaste, for example.

And it's true that if you make the stuff yourself, it's almost free. Really.

[wiccedfae23]

Well good, i feel a little better now! Thanks guys! i think i will plan to use up and wear out what i currently have and just choose to buy smarter in the future. i know my heart is in the right place so if it ( a pair of leather sandals or a belt) gets called into question, which i am quite certain it will! then i will just tell that person that i am trying to do what is right on an enviromental level as well as a vegan one! Waste is such a huge problem in this country, i don't need to contribute anymore than necessary! I guess that for now, i can take comfort in!;)