# Vegetarians - do you use lanolin?



## Rachel_C

To any veggies out there, do you avoid lanolin?

I'm not a vegan so I do eat/use animal products like milk and eggs, but I've always avoided lanolin. I think I read a Vegetarian Society book of 'stumbling blocks' when I was about 10 and have avoided it since. I've just looked it up though and it seems that lanolin is extracted from sheep's wool without killing the sheep. If that's true, I think I can use it... am I right? I'd love it to be veggie cos I really want to try wool soakers at some point, but have not done up to now cos of the need to lanolise.


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## New2Bumps

I yhink the V society class it as animal derived as it's a product of the oil glands of the sheep that is passed into the wool. Obv getting the wool off the sheep is painless. I guess it depends how strict u wanna be.


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## Kaites

I'm veggie too and use lanolin for Emma's longies. I figure the sheep aren't being killed when they are sheared so I'm ok with it :shrug:


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## princessellie

i wouldve thought itd be alright babes, its up to you how you feel about it though, no one else can tell you if its ok or not

x


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## Rachel_C

Thanks. For some reason, I always thought it was melted lamb fat that they had to kill the sheep for so I've been avoiding it for the last 15 years :dohh:


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## anothersquish

Id have thought it was fine...as fine as using the wool itself....?


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## beancounter

lanolin or other animal products (like honey and wool) aren't such a problem for vegetarians, as they dont harm the animal per se. I think they are mostly avoided by vegans though. There are some ethical implications because wool is not worth very much, so the majority of it is coming from animals intended for meat production. But its no worse than drinking milk! It depends on where you personally draw the line but I'd think it was probably worth it.


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