Like it or not, some people will second-guess your skin-free style. Some don’t know how animals suffer—others just can’t deal with their own guilt. Set ’em straight. No need to be wimpy or snippy—just tell ’em how it is!

They say, “What’s wrong with wool? They don’t kill sheep.”

You say, “merino sheep are bred to have very wrinkled skin, which means that they produce unnaturally large amounts of wool. Their thick wool means that millions die from summer’s heat, and their wrinkled skin attracts maggots. Farmers try to stop maggot infestation by cutting away chunks of the sheep’s skin around their tails, causing them agonizing pain. After a few years, sheep are slaughtered.”

They say, “Those look like leather shoes!”

If they are leather, you say, “I’m saving my allowance so I can replace them with nonleather. I used to like leather—then I learned how cows are killed for their skins. I can’t wait to put these shoes out to pasture!”

If they aren’t leather, you say, “Ha! fooled you! It’s easier than ever to go with the faux. Visit PETAKids.com for a guide to skin-free shopping.”

They say, “Sure, it’s fur, but it’s only on the collar.”

You say, “That’s like ignoring child abuse because the victim ‘only’ got a black eye. By wearing even ‘a little’ fur, you’re sending the message that it’s OK to hurt animals for fashion. It’s not—and it’s so easy to be hip without being hurtful. Animals need fur—people don’t.”

They say, “I wouldn’t buy a new, real fur, but who cares if I wear second-hand fur? Those animals are long dead.”

You say, “It’s great that you would never buy fur, but by wearing any fur, whether your fur is new or old, you’re sending people the wrong message.”

Photos by Tal Ronnen