Two things I can think of: first, that the harvesting process will unavoidably involve killing a lot of lac bugs, even if they’re filtered out later, and secondly, that some vegans include insect-produced substances (notably honey) in the things they avoid.
If it was that they like just scraped bug shit off trees maybe, but shellac industry is ultimately a farming industry that kills millions of insects. Many vegans don’t eat honey either.
Some vegans do eat shellac and honey, of course. It’s not there’s official rules aside from “no animal products”. Do insects count? That’s up to you. Some people are vegan for health reasons, some for moral reasons.
Insects absolutely do count. The only shellac products I have (that I know of) are some old records from the '40s. Lac bugs are kind of cute so that makes me sad.
Edit: I’m not vegan but I’d like to be once I figure out some personal issues, both financial and dietary.
*real vegans dont eat honey, it’s an animal product. Insects are part of the animal kingdom. Same could be said about shellac as it is the animal product of the lac bug. I know a few “vegans” that are vegan EXCEPT they eat honey. These are exceptions outside of being vegan, by definition. Not trying to be a prick and demean anybody that identifies as vegan yet consumes honey just stating the facts here … The lac bugs that produce shellac are very odd creatures! But all insects are part of the animal kingdom no matter how u dice it
There’s more than one way to define veganism. Primary distinction: is it about avoiding animal products whenever possible or is it about minimizing animal suffering/exploitation whenever possible? (Sub-argument, what counts as “exploitation”?)
Ultimately I agree with you but semantically there are absolutely people who call themselves vegan that do not closely read labels for things like shellac. They just concern themselves for dairy, meat, etc either because it is a health concern or they don’t consider insects animals.
Similarly there are people who consider themselves vegetarian and eat tons of gelatin based candy despite the fact that gelatin cannot be made without killing an animal.
Doesn’t even get into refined/white sugar and the whole bone char thing!
Why isn’t shellac vegan? Isn’t it just bug shit?
Two things I can think of: first, that the harvesting process will unavoidably involve killing a lot of lac bugs, even if they’re filtered out later, and secondly, that some vegans include insect-produced substances (notably honey) in the things they avoid.
Such weird reasoning to me, given it’s impossible to produce/harvest vegetables without killing bugs.
If it was that they like just scraped bug shit off trees maybe, but shellac industry is ultimately a farming industry that kills millions of insects. Many vegans don’t eat honey either.
Some vegans do eat shellac and honey, of course. It’s not there’s official rules aside from “no animal products”. Do insects count? That’s up to you. Some people are vegan for health reasons, some for moral reasons.
Insects absolutely do count. The only shellac products I have (that I know of) are some old records from the '40s. Lac bugs are kind of cute so that makes me sad.
Edit: I’m not vegan but I’d like to be once I figure out some personal issues, both financial and dietary.
*real vegans dont eat honey, it’s an animal product. Insects are part of the animal kingdom. Same could be said about shellac as it is the animal product of the lac bug. I know a few “vegans” that are vegan EXCEPT they eat honey. These are exceptions outside of being vegan, by definition. Not trying to be a prick and demean anybody that identifies as vegan yet consumes honey just stating the facts here … The lac bugs that produce shellac are very odd creatures! But all insects are part of the animal kingdom no matter how u dice it
re: “real vegans”
There’s more than one way to define veganism. Primary distinction: is it about avoiding animal products whenever possible or is it about minimizing animal suffering/exploitation whenever possible? (Sub-argument, what counts as “exploitation”?)
Ultimately I agree with you but semantically there are absolutely people who call themselves vegan that do not closely read labels for things like shellac. They just concern themselves for dairy, meat, etc either because it is a health concern or they don’t consider insects animals.
Similarly there are people who consider themselves vegetarian and eat tons of gelatin based candy despite the fact that gelatin cannot be made without killing an animal.
Doesn’t even get into refined/white sugar and the whole bone char thing!