Catherine, I'm not sure I would do it now, but..... in the late 1980s, early 1990s, my husband and I ran a second-hand book business in the nearby town. We started out on an open-air stall in a lovely courtyard. We did a good trade. But in the winter it was the coldest place. We had a cold snap one winter (think probably 1989?) One day it was minus 10 degrees Celsius in the morning. Yet we were determined to be there every day.
We paid people half what we would sell the book for. People would come to sell us their books for umpteen different reasons, but usually a sudden financial need. Sometimes it was to take their dog to the vet! Or to pay their electricity bill. So we HAD to be there every day.
I was so cold and went to the charity shop to find something warmer to wear. I chose a vintage fur coat, for which I paid £10. That coat was made about 1950-something. There was nothing I could do about what had happened to the poor animals it was made from. They were gone thirty years. I felt that yet still bought it. It kept me warmer than anything else, even three layers. I wore it every winter.
It has fallen apart now, and I am not inclined to buy any more fur coats except genuine "faux fur"! But what I am saying is, I don't believe it is supporting the current fur industry to buy something second hand which has been around for many years. Although some people are highly sensitive and could not do what I did; wear the suffering of animals, even if that suffering was historical and I did not commission it.
So I feel to buy something from a second hand store which is made of silk is the same thing.
But I don't think one can wear anything like that without being reminded of its origin.
You are right I suppose....if there is no need for silk, then would silk worms still be around? Are there silk worms in the wild?
I haven't disturbed the caterpillar's pupa at all. But it seems to be attached via webs to a dried up cabbage leaf, the very tip of an angled tiny stick, and the floor of the container. Let's hope it will get by okay.
We paid people half what we would sell the book for. People would come to sell us their books for umpteen different reasons, but usually a sudden financial need. Sometimes it was to take their dog to the vet! Or to pay their electricity bill. So we HAD to be there every day.
I was so cold and went to the charity shop to find something warmer to wear. I chose a vintage fur coat, for which I paid £10. That coat was made about 1950-something. There was nothing I could do about what had happened to the poor animals it was made from. They were gone thirty years. I felt that yet still bought it. It kept me warmer than anything else, even three layers. I wore it every winter.
It has fallen apart now, and I am not inclined to buy any more fur coats except genuine "faux fur"! But what I am saying is, I don't believe it is supporting the current fur industry to buy something second hand which has been around for many years. Although some people are highly sensitive and could not do what I did; wear the suffering of animals, even if that suffering was historical and I did not commission it.
So I feel to buy something from a second hand store which is made of silk is the same thing.
But I don't think one can wear anything like that without being reminded of its origin.
You are right I suppose....if there is no need for silk, then would silk worms still be around? Are there silk worms in the wild?
I haven't disturbed the caterpillar's pupa at all. But it seems to be attached via webs to a dried up cabbage leaf, the very tip of an angled tiny stick, and the floor of the container. Let's hope it will get by okay.
