Today’s question: How do you feel about the fairly prevalent use of fur in Mori Kei?

I don’t own anything made with fur, but I own a taxidermy bat so I really shouldn’t judge. I was a vegetarian for 11 years and I still think a lot about animal welfare. I also live in a state with a lot of hunting, taxidermy, leatherworking, and a weirdly high number of mink farms. My opinions have changed a lot over the years, and now on most issues I argue for moderation more than elimination. This seems like a practical way to help the environment and save animals.

In my experience, very few cowboys or hunters will go vegan, but a whole lot of them will agree to hunting limits and meatless Mondays, and that will save a lot of animals and wild spaces. Most people I know who farm and hunt and work with animal products feel that doing so connects them to nature and their heritage in really deep ways, and they tend to feel that animal rights activists don’t get that at all. If you’re willing to understand that, most of them are very interested in ideas for more sustainable and humane ways to do what they love. I’ve come to really appreciate hunters who support conservation and only eat meat they’ve hunted themselves. If everyone did that, we’d all eat a lot fewer animals and have a lot more natural wilderness.

But back to fur, specifically. Industrial animal farming is not very sustainable or humane, and I try to support better things when I can. I don’t see myself ever buying fur from a mink farm or anything like that. But I could see myself buying a pelt from a responsible hunter someday, or something from a thrift store or estate sale. I just wouldn’t wear it around my vegan sister-in-law.