14 DAY TRIAL // Although when deciding to go and get a tattoo for the first time in their lives the majority of people first and foremost think about the pain they will be inflicting upon themselves, it seems that some animals might have also suffered so that one can have artworks on their skin.
Apparently, most of the tattoo inks presently available on the market contain significant amounts of compounds derived from animals, which are added to the concoction in order to make the tattoo remain well-defined and pleasantly colored for longer periods of time.
EcoRazzi recently shared an interview with a tattoo artist working at a vegan shop, in which the latter explains how traditional inks contain glycerin extracted from animal fat in order to stabilize them, and how bone char is also sometimes added to make sure the tattoo comes out looking blacker than black.
Moreover, other ink types require the use of gelatin, which comes from hooves, and shellac, which is basically a resin secreted by the female lac bug.
Those who already have tattoos are well aware of the fact that this process is not all just about needles and inks. Quite the contrary: once you get one, you need to constantly apply tattoo-care lotions, at least until the swelling subsides and the area heals.
Thus, one needs also make sure that the products used in this stage of the process are also natural and deal with softening the region without negatively impacting on the environment.
All in all, if one is sincerely committed to respecting animal rights, and if one has already opted for a vegetarian diet as a result of these life principles, perhaps it might not be such a bad idea to investigate whether a tattoo shop is vegan or not prior to having anything inked in.
Given the fact that vegan tattoo shops are now popping like daisies in various parts of the world, it may very well be the case that finding the perfect cruelty-free place where you can carve your skin is not going to be all that big of a headache.