It’s a shopper’s most wonderful time of the year when stores dedicate a weekend or more to unbeatable deals. A weekend where you could spend hours browsing through catalogs and shops for the perfect array of gifts to give your loved ones. However, heavy shopping is not the most wonderful way to acknowledge a more sustainable push for a clean environment. With 50 million tons of electronics and 10,000 clothing items every five minutes going to waste due to fast fashion, Black Friday does not encourage sustainable shopping habits. Getting the best deal may not be the most eco-friendly.
Black Friday has made a shift in the past years due to the craze of online shopping. What once used to be packed stores and rushing to grab the last item from the stack is now a simplified scroll through your designated stores and adding wanted items to a virtual cart. Now that Black Friday provides an efficient shopping experience, it is easier to buy from brands that depend on fast fashion and production processes that demote the idea of sustainable shopping.
Encouraging going sustainable on Black Friday can impact the environment by decreasing the number of harmful substances and practices that are given off through the weekend. Shopping locally, for instance, is one way to support the push for a more sustainable Black Friday. By supporting small shops, you reduce supporting pollution-producing brands and can even make the shopping process more personable by finding unique gifts.
What brands are good to purchase from when shopping this Black Friday? There are many shops that have been endorsing the sustainable idea and want you to support them by supporting the environment. Just be aware of brands that fall into the greenwashing category. (To learn more about greenwashing read my article, “Is Sustainable the Right Word to Describe Kortney Kardashian’s Partnership with Boohoo?”). Patagonia is a brand that has dedicated its commercial appearance to supporting eco-friendly shopping. From using renewable sources to encouraging less spending on Black Friday, this label recognizes its consumers by dedicating its nature-based brand to nature. Reformation is one among many brands that have started the switch to focus on creating an environment-based shopping experience. For those living in the city, you can find many of these name brands within walking distance, making your shopping experience even more sustainable.
As you begin the shopping process this holiday season, I encourage you to try to research sustainable brands to support and find ways to reduce your carbon footprint while still collecting gifts. While it may be easier to buy from the most available brand that seems to have it all, supporting stores that encourage sustainability will impact the environmental stress Black Friday causes.
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