But many of the leather alternatives are man-made, perhaps polymer based and also incorporating animal derived elements. Anything machine made is potentially from a machine that uses animal derived lubrication or component release substances so that's out too. Bottom line is vegans are a tiny minority. Obsessive vegans even fewer and if we pander to the misguided perceptions of every tiny minority group human progress would cease. We live in a democracy and your route to change is through the ballot box not twitter.
Vegans: normal people don't give a s**t about your views, if you prefer to live in the stone-age, fine but you have no right to impose your lunacy on the rest of us. We are prepared to tolerate you but you are intolerant of our different views and intolerance is an evil.
As for "unnecessary cruelty should be avoided" my stance is a bit different: cruelty should be eliminated not just avoided and there's no space for the "necessary cruelty" you speak of. There are undoubtedly examples of bad practice, which I condemn, but I don't consider livestock farming and human use of animal derived materials to be intrinsically cruel.
As for "...what that needs is some dripping". No that's not how the decision is made. The plastic pellet manufacturer needs an additive to improve on the usability of his pellets, he searches for substances that deliver the required performance. He finds tallow. As it happens that ticks more boxes than just servicing his need, it's biodegradeable, it's essentially a waste product (so making better of animals cattle killed for food and saving it going to landfill), it's non-toxic, alternatives may be from polluting petrochemical industries or complex man-made organic chemicals with unknown toxicity. OK I doubt if those issues made any influence of his choice but they're valid issues. Next decision, the guys looking for materials to make the new notes. They identify a polymer that fits the bill (pun unintended). It's supplied as pellets. They will no doubt have required COSHH certification but do you really think every manufacturer of any non-foodstuff is going to enquire about (or care about) all the obsessions of a variety of lunatic fringe obsessives?
All that aside: who NEEDS cash these days? If you don't like plastic fivers pay by credit/debit card: don't ask too many questions about the plastic pellets used to make your plastic cards or you'll have to fall back on barter (and living in a world without plastic).
Biting the hand that feeds IT
