Boycott

[Pogue]

Ok, so out of morality I boycott a number of companies. Most are of no inconvenience to me - I boycott Coca Cola, for example, and avoiding them is fine. I'm also vegeterian.
Big problem is football. Nearly every football kit manafacturer is rough on human rights, Nike being the most well known abuser, Adidas is a no-no for anyone thinking ethically/vegeterian, cos they kill alot of animals and have as bad a human rights record as Nike.
Football shirts are easier to get over. But the big problem is boots.
As a vegeterian it'd be against my beliefs to buy leather (although this is debatable, feedback please), and if I bought boots they'd have to come from a company I don't like. The best I could hope for is Puma, the 'lesser evil'. Any tips from comrades facing similar problems?

[Bilan]

I was a vegan for three years, and I can tell you, most things you're looking for - boots or jersey's - there will almost definitely be a vegetarian alternative.
The problem is:

A/ They're much more expensive
B/ They're not as good (Quality wise). Especially shoes.

I'm a vegetarian now, as well, and I don't really boycott any products, with the exception of fast food chains. Boycotting these companies wont actually achieve anything unless its coordinated, so you're kind of bowing without an arrow on that one. But if you feel you shouldn't, don't. But the piece of mind wont stop the exploitation - socialism will.

[bayano]

my analysis can be read here in a piece i wrote not long ago:

http://blogs.infoshop.org/UrbanGuerrilla.php?title=in_defense_of_consumer_ac tivism&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1 (http://blogs.infoshop.org/UrbanGuerrilla.php?title=in_defense_of_consumer_ac tivism&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1)

[gla22]

don't break your back trying to be consumer conscious.

[Plagueround]

don't break your back trying to be consumer conscious.

^^
While this is also my take on the situation, if you've really got your heart set on some vegan shoes:

http://www.mooshoes.com/products.cgi?rm=list&category_id=4286

They're going to rape you on the prices though.

[Scourge]

I don't boycott anything because I know boycotting doesn't solve the problem (at least not in numbers we usually see). Even though I don't agree with these corporations and their ways, I like to eat McDonalds and drink Coca-Cola so I'm not going to stop something I enjoy when I wouldn't make a difference by avoiding it anyway.

[KrazyRabidSheep]

I used to boycott things a bunch.

As I get older, though, it's harder. . .

I still manage to boycott WalMart, but that's about it (I don't care for pop, so CocaCola is a no-factor; I don't care for McD, so that's a no factor, too.)