'Compassion Avenue' Non Leather Shoes and Accessories Company

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For more non leather/cruelty-free leather/synthetic leather/alternative leather/faux leather/non-animal leather/vegetarian/vegan shoes and accessories in India reviewed in this blog, you can click the story, "Who Pays For Your Leather Shoes?".

Some people are fortunate to experience their moment of epiphany. Such moments change their lives altogether and positively influence those of the others around them. Pradeep Taneja had his epiphany in 2004 when he, the former proprietor of a leather footwear and accessories business in Pune, listened to a divine calling and gave up animal-derived leather. He embraced cruelty-free, imported micro leather as the raw material for his venture. He christened his newly oriented business, ‘Compassion Avenue–A brand with a cause’.

As somebody who has seen the dark truths of the “genuine” leather industry, Mr.Taneja reveals:

“There are many animals, especially cows, slaughtered for leather. Meat is secondary. This ‘profitable’ industry runs on the large-scale ignorance of consumers. When we use “genuine” leather, we contribute to the killing of cows and other animals. If we stop using cruelty leather, the demand for it will decrease and so will the killing.”

According to one PETA estimation, most of the animal-derived leather is procured from developing countries such as China and India where animal protection laws are non-existent. You can read the exposé here. We have also pulled up a list of articles that have appeared in popular media carrying reports on the deadly leather industry in India. You can find the list at the bottom of this story.

Mr. Taneja envisions Compassion Avenue to grow into a popular brand with a chain of retail outlets selling cruelty-free products related to fashion and style. He elaborates:

“Compassion Avenue is just not another brand for making profit, it is an institution creating awareness against animal killing. I wish to offer cruelty-free counterparts for everything related to fashion without compromising on quality, style, and durability. I want to show that it is absolutely unnecessary to kill and torture animals for fashion. Along with making cruelty-free products available, Compassion Avenue will also create awareness amongst people to convert from a cruelty lifestyle to compassion towards all living beings.”

Compassion Avenue products

For men, Compassion Avenue offers footwear (costing Rs.550/- to Rs.650/-), belts (costing Rs.150/- to Rs.200/-), and wallets (costing Rs.150/-).

For women, Compassion Avenue offers footwear costing Rs.200/- to Rs.400/-. The women's footwear range will include more designs very soon. The forthcoming months will also see purses in the offering for women.

All the photographs in this story are of products from Compassion Avenue.


Compassion avenue business model, availability, and business opportunities

Mr. Pradeep Taneja’s business model is based on the manufacture and wholesale as well as direct retail of cruelty-free leather footwear and accessories. As a wholesaler, Mr. Taneja supplies the goods he manufacturers to different outlets in and around Pune at wholesale rates. As a direct retailer, Mr. Taneja runs an exclusive Compassion Avenue shop in Pune where retail customers can purchase the goods at a wholesale price. 

If you are in Pune, you can visit Compassion Avenue at the following address: Shop No. 9, Ground Floor, Kumar Place, Near Corporation Bank, East Street, Camp.

If you are looking for business opportunities with Compassion Avenue anywhere in India, you can contact Mr. Taneja at his email compassionavenue@gmail.com or cellphone 09822604582 to carry it forward.


Media reports on the leather industry in India

Here are some reports on the cruel leather industry in India.You can click the titles for the respective articles.

A campaign to protect animals, Frontline

A feeling for native skins, Outlook

Compassion in fashion, NDTV Good Times

Global animal rights group pulls up India for barbaric cow slaughter, Indian Express

Action for our Planet

Retailers boycott Indian leather goods, CNN

There is no holy cow, Deccan Chronicle

“All beings are fond of life, like pleasure, hate pain, shun destruction, like life, long to live. To all life is dear.” ~Jain Acharanga Sutra at 1.2.3.~