Seven Surprising Ways Animals Contribute to Our Lives

1. Clothing
Leather, wool, and other animal-based fabrics are commonly used in fashion.

2. Cosmetics & Beauty Products
Ingredients like collagen, lanolin, keratin, and hyaluronic acid come from animals. They help improve skin, hair, and nails. Most cosmetics—including toothpaste, shampoo, lotion, lipstick, and perfumes—contain animal products and are often tested on animals using harsh methods like the LD/50, Draize, and Acute Dermal Toxicity tests.

Animal fats like tallow, glycerin, fish liver oil, placenta collagen, and animal proteins are also used in personal care items. Musk from male civet cats is used in some perfumes, often obtained through painful procedures.

3. Sports Equipment
Materials like leather and rubber, often from animals, are used in footballs, baseball gloves, and other sporting goods.

4. Candy & Medicines
Gelatin, made from animal collagen, gives gummy candies and jellies their texture. It’s also used in medicine capsules.

5. Adhesives
Collagen and casein (a milk protein) are used in glues, paints, sandpaper, and dental materials.

6. Plastic
Stearic acid, found in animal fats, is used in PVC products and plastic bags.

7. Wool Industry
Factory-farmed sheep are bred to produce excessive wool and are frequently shorn, often leading to injuries and deaths in cold weather. Elderly sheep are eventually slaughtered in poor conditions. Even without meat consumption, buying wool supports this cruelty.

Animal Testing & Tool Use
The majority of cosmetics are made with animal ingredients and undergo laboratory testing on animals. In the Draize test, rabbits are restrained while increasing volumes of cosmetics and other goods are applied directly to their corneas to gauge how irritating they are to the eyes.

Cruelty-Free Alternatives

Clothing

• Wool: Use acrylic, rayon, or orlon.
• Leather: Choose non-leather shoes, belts, bags, etc.
• Silk: Opt for acetate, nylon, or satin.
• Fur: Use fake fur made from acrylic.

Toiletries
Avoid products with lanolin, glycerin, tallow, or other animal ingredients. If unclear, contact the manufacturer.

Household Goods

• Pillows/Blankets/Rugs: Use acrylic, nylon, or cotton.
• Mattresses/Furniture: Avoid horsehair or animal hairs.
• Brushes: Choose nylon over “natural” bristles.
• Polishes/Greases: Always check labels or contact manufacturers.

Choose cruelty-free products. Read labels carefully and make informed choices.