The term eco-friendly leather makes some vegans gnash their teeth, but for anti-cruelty carnivores, Romp‘s a fashion haven of sorts. This UK-based leather fashion company prides itself as being one of the greenest — and most transparent — companies out there.
“We are not one of the 100% organic fibre brigades who are in fact still using conventional dyes and finishes and uncertified factories,” announces Romp on its website. Not only is Romp’s leather certified organic, the manufacturing, dying, and fabrification process are all certified organic too. “We are the only traceable certified organic couture fashion house on earth.”
Romp has a Los Angeles boutique, which threw a sake-and-organic-raw-snacks party last Friday to show off its spring and beach collections. The high end couture fashions were, as always, gorgeous to look at — but what I actually noticed most were the economy-affected prices! The Biarca Jacket to the left, for example, was originally (and on the web, still is) priced at about $1130. At the L.A. boutique, you can get it for just $600.
Romp’s L.A. boutique also offers leather shoes, belts, and some organic cotton shirts — and also features some clothes and jewelry from other designers.
Romp. 7928 W. Third St., Los Angeles.
Earlier: Tuesday questions: Eco leather and suede
Update: Organic leather fashion store Romp’s closing up on Sept. 30, 2009 and moving to NYC!
Top photo via Romp
Ok I know I am not the first to be total shocked and taken back by this posting. First of all they are playing a lets change the subject we us organic dyes and others don’t so that makes it organic come on! Organic being tied to leather is a oxymoron. It just hype and the writer is taking it hook line and sinker. O yes there is something new and green and eco its organic leather. NO SUCH THING leather is the skin of a living animal and to make it organic is like saying polluting is organic TOO.
Comment by Perry Peck — October 23, 2009 @ 4:03 am
Actually I think leather’s the skin of a dead animal….
Comment by Siel — November 2, 2009 @ 6:54 pm
Not that it matters so much today and probably nobody is watching or cares however it is worth noting the following.
Romp, was the only leather brand ever Nominated for an award by the RSPCA for its work improving animal husbandry in the leather trade. So I ask what has the typical Vegan commentator actually ever done to improve animal welfare?? Answer NOTHING but rant and chat.
Romp was the only brand allowing the consumer to check its “ORGANIC” claims for themselves. They were true. Mixed arable organic farms have 27% more biodiversity than the equivalent single crop vegetable farms. So don’t preach about animal rights unless you care about all animals. Its a straight fact unless you have free range meat on the farm you have less wildlife.
I agree most Organic Leather Claims are complete Bull, not considering the animal, or any of the processes except tanning, and not considering the effect of the waste.
However ROMP did, and its waste was an approved Fertilizer high in Nitrogen and not full of all the other stuff people like to ignore.
But perhaps our vegan friends think we should stop all farming and starve. Or perhaps they don’t realise that when you simply grow vegetables there is literally no room for many of our indigenous species that need the same type of grassland as the herd.
Sure the animals need to be treated properly, but on all the organic farms I visited they were treated better than we are. Okay they have one bad day, but how many do you have.
And why is it always skinning alive, that is claimmed against meat producers. Nobody does than in the meat trade. Quiet simply the stress would ruin the quality of the meat. People spent years working out the best way to avoid stressing the animal. Even USDA require this, but ofcourse it needs to be checked and enforced. With Organic farms it is.
And thinking that Organic Herd farmers don’t care about the quality of life for wild and tame animals, is insulting and wrong. Yes its a different opinion to the Vegan point of view, but having a different opinion is still a Human right just about.
The type of comment above is ignorant and political and was a costant part of what stopped ROMP acheiving its goals. Now it is gone I congratulate all those Vegans who brought their politics to the table. Well done!!
The result, there is no brand actually highlighting bad practice and finding solutions that actually promote rather than destroy freedom of choice, biodiversity, good animal husbandry, transparency and environmental impact in the leather trade. There is no company allowing its customers to individually check its green wash right back to the animal and how it was treated, and no leather brand actually CERTIFIED ORGANIC cradle to cradle in ALL processes by an IFOAM accredited certifier in the market.
Result. Business as usual and no urgent requirement for other leather brands to actually do something to improve.
Result. Worse animal husbandry, less biodiversity, less nitrogen in the cycle, and increased water and energy use.
Well done. And whilst you are using your money to buy non animal products in the same stores that are supporting all the practices you pretend to actually care about, and you are not attacking them, why not consider that great Animal rights campaigner and Vegan designer Stella McCartney. Funded and developed by one of the biggest leather users around. Sad but true.
Truth is I never met a Vegan who doesn’t use animal tested, or developed products, or indeed doesn’t continue to use animal based products. Or one that does not support animal using companies with their money. The fact that they don’t know, or forget there is a food section to that store, or a shoe section, is no excuse, but the simple truth is there is no alternative.
You cannot live on this planet and avoid this. All medical companies, All supermarkets, All clothing companies and All cosmetic companies, either do use, or take research and testing requirements from companies which make money from rearing animals.
For example the big lie, Not tested on Animals, simply means the test on a particular ingredient was done before by someone else.
The clear need is for all areas of animal use, and their consequent affect on wildlife, to be improved, and for clear labelling and information to be made available to the consumer, so people can atleast try to make choices according to their conscience. Simply attacking anyone who tries to do that is totally counter productive and allows the problems to be concealled for longer.
So can I humbly suggest that instead of politicing, and instead of attacking, that we all try to learn the real fate of the animals we use and the one’s we destroy because we cannot use them, and instead of fighting eachother’s point of view, we agree the immediate need for improvement and we all get busy doing rather than talking.
PS Plastic shoes made from OIL, from? The Gulf of Mexico, China, Alaska, Canada Tar fields, Iraq, Iran etc etc, better for animals and people??? I think not.
Comment by greg — July 28, 2010 @ 6:27 am