I'm vegetarian but I wear leather...

After looking at hundreds of forums, I can see there are many people that struggle with this issue. I stopped eating meat of any sort when I was 18, for sixteen years I have not eaten meat. But I've really struggled with wearing leather. Constantly trying to justify that it's an end product, not killed for their leather, but is this really fair? Ultimately it's a by product of the meat industry, I would like to stop wearing leather but what are my alternatives? Is it more better for animals & the environment if I wear synthetic? Or Cotton/Canvas that might break down faster which means I would need to buy more?

Leather
Pros: It's a durable and flexible material made from the skin of cattle hide. Longevity of products bought, less likely to repurchase in short period.
Cons: By product of meat industry, demand increase for exotic animal leather (must check leather before purchase), negative environmental impact (animals, chemicals used in tanning process, air pollution), in addition to the animal suffering the tanning process alone has massive environmental impact

Synthetic Leather (Pleather, Koskin, Leatherette)
Pros: Non-animal, no animal cruelty issues, these days many options for vegan leather
Cons: Slow breakdown process, toxic additives, water and air pollution

Organic Leather
Pros: Have come from organic humane farms where slaughter practice is humane and leather tanning has minimal environmental impact
Cons: Very difficult to find

Canvas
Pros: Woven fabric, organic versions easily found, flexible for shoes and clothing
Cons: Low durability, canvas products seperate and fall apart quickly requiring re-purchase

DECISION?
For me personally, after reading all the information available I have decided to no longer support leather products (furniture, bags, shoes, accessories). I will not throw away my current leather products as that is a waste both for the animal that died and the environmental impact. But I will from now on only purchase non leather products as there are many vegan online stores and many non-leather options available in store. Ultimately if I can't eat the animal I certainly shouldn't be supporting wearing it.

THE POSSIBILITY OF UNPERCEIVED EXISTENCE

I'm concerned about the world we live in. We are all devastated with the news of the oil spill in the gulf, one of the biggest environmental disasters of our generation, but yet we are all to blame aren't we? We all drive cars, we create the demand for companies to find and process oil. I thought of myself as somewhat of a greenie. I don't eat meat, I rescue and rehabilitate native animals, I spend most of my spare time helping raise funds for animal and children charities around the world. But yet I've realised I support the meat industry with the shoes and bags I wear. The rescue work requires me to drive a car, to a scene where an animal has most likely been hit by a car, of which this car uses petrol that has directly come from oil companies that have caused America's worst environmental disaster. Am I really making a difference or am I balancing out the scales? Good vs bad vs good? I want to know more, I wish everyone would want to know more about what they eat, what they wear, how things come to be as they are.