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The question may sound weird, but I wouldn't be amazed if this is the case. I've just been surprised by learning that some beers and wines are even not vegetarian.

So, my question(s) is (are):

  • Can a technological object contain animal-related products?
    • If yes, is it listed on the product wrapping or elsewhere?
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2 Answers 2

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Animal parts are used in lots of different products...

  • buttons can be made from cow's horns
  • cow's intestines can be used to be to make tennis racquet strings although these days most tennis racquet strings are synthetic
  • bone china does contain bone ash
  • one of the ingredients of fire fighting foam is cow's hooves

See this BBC article for more details

additionally

  • cow's blood is used to make some plywood, glue, dye, ink and fertiliser
  • glycerine is extracted from fat and used in roads, explosives and medicines
  • hair is used as bristles for all kinds of brushes, including paintbrushes
  • chitin from shellfish is a constituent of some hair products
  • ambergris from whales is used in some perfumes
  • heparin, a medicine for preventing blood clotting comes from salmon sperm
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  • These are not really technological. Maybe fire fighting foam, but I really don't think that counts. Definitely not china ware, buttons, or tennis raquets.
    – Riker
    Commented Feb 1, 2017 at 15:31
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    What exactly is technological? the OP thinks beer is technological so all of the items I mentioned are as good as that.
    – Robert Longson ♦
    Commented Feb 1, 2017 at 15:34
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    He's not saying beer is technological. He's saying that in light of beer being non-vegan, what other substances are non-vegan? And specifically asking for tech non-vegan stuff.
    – Riker
    Commented Feb 1, 2017 at 15:38
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    and you're taking him to mean electrical rather than things made through technological processes such as bone china (kilns), explosives, fertiliser and heparin (complex chemical reactions),
    – Robert Longson ♦
    Commented Feb 1, 2017 at 15:41
  • Information you provided in your answer are very interesting, thanks. I talked about beer and wine subject because it surprised me to learn it could be not vegan. As this fact was really surprising for me, I implied that I would be less amazed if, for example, a computer or a TV contain non-vegan products. But again, thanks for this useful info. :)
    – Niitaku
    Commented Feb 1, 2017 at 15:51
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Yes, plastic is most often non-vegan.

Stearic acid is a kind of fatty acid used to stabilize plastic and rubber against heat. It's common in tires, computer hardware, and almost any other plastic material that needs to stand up in heat.

However, Steve Jobs was vegan, and as such strived to make Apple computers vegan. So they don't contain stearic acid.

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    Would be nice to have some sources on plastic production, I had no idea.
    – ymoreau
    Commented Aug 3, 2018 at 11:51
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    Can you add some source to back the Apple computers being vegan? Is this still current?
    – curious
    Commented Sep 22, 2019 at 1:40

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