A vegan lifestyle would exclude wool, leather, silk and fur. But what do you do with the wool sweaters and leather shoes that you already own? This will depend on your own personal preferences. From an environmental perspective, disposing of these items and replacing them with new items is a waste of resources, even if the new items are vegan. You could donate them to charity, but there is a chance that they may not be used and may end up in a landfill. For these reasons, many vegans choose to continue using these items for as long as they are useful.
For some vegans, these items are repulsive because they serve as a constant reminder of the cruelty involved in their production. If that is the case, it is better to donate them to charity or give them away than to let them gather dust at the bottom of your closet. There is also a chance that receiving your leather shoes may prevent someone else from purchasing an additional pair of leather shoes.
