how to be a conscious consumer this holiday season

As we have become more and more aware of our impact on the earth, and as the years go by, we see just how incredibly wasteful the holiday season can be. From Prime days, Black Friday and Cyber Monday to Christmas and Boxing Day, we are  bombared with sales and discounts. 

The pressure to spend and consume is not only harmful to our planet but it also comes with increasing levels of anxiety and stress which leaves us feeling completely overwhelmed and almost never satisfied.

This holiday season we want to encourage everyone to be mindful of their mental and financial wellbeing and try to be intentional with where time and money is spent. It's up to us as consumers to make choices that align with our personal values, to do what we can to reduce our environmental impact and to reject the pressures ...

We know that it's not practical to assume this message will inspire everyone to log-off and get down to their local boutiques and shopfronts but perhaps we can ask ourselves: 

As a consumer, what can I do on an individual level to help minimize the enormous impact of online shopping without compromising on convenience?

First, we should understand how online shopping (from giant corporations that will remain unamed) works and what's so problematic about it. 

Beyond overzealous, non-recyclable packaging (which is obviously an issue in itself), we know the actual process of online shopping can be hugely unsustainable. If an item is not locally-made, the chances are it’s already traveled quite a distance before it gets to you. As easy as it is so get something from the other side of the world we should try to think of it's lifecycle and impact. An example:

• An Item is made in India in a factory that emits high emissions in an already overly polluted city like New Delhi (where we have no idea what they do with their excess, runoffs and toxic waste?)
• The Item is sent from the manufacturer to the wholesaler in the US (item is shipped in plastic to ensure it doesn’t get damaged)
• Wholesaler in the US ships it out to their retailer in another part of the country (unpackages the parcel and repackages it with their own branding, causing more emissions as it is sent from place to place)
• Retailer receives package, unpacks it and re-packs it in their own branded packaging, and ships it out to the consumer who might have ordered it on a rush delivery, meaning more emissions are emitted as it likely is traveling by air.

We know that we all play our part in this convenience culture and that no-one is perfect but we long to live in a world where more people are outraged by how wasteful this chain of events is. 

So, how can we move forward with mindful intention as we shop online?

1 | Look for brands that offer sustainable shipping methods: Any brand that is doing good, will be transparent about the details. Look for things like:

• recycled plastic packaging
• packaging made from plant-based materials
• biodegradable or compostable peanuts / bags 
• reused boxes
• ground versus air shipping for less emissions
• plastic alternatives like kraft paper, tissue, shredded cardboard, newspaper, or muslin/cotton/linen cloth

2 | If you do find yourself needing to buy from the big corporations, be sure to select their “Frustration-Free Packaging” option at checkout. This means that the items won’t come delivered separately or in giant boxes for tiny things. 

3 | Refrain from using rush services if you can, especially if you don’t need it within 24 hours. When things are rush delivered, they often come by air instead of ground, meaning that single item is emitting a LOT more emissions than necessary. We know this is tough as we've grown accustomed to instant gratification but when you wait that little bit longer, you can rest easy knowing you've made a choice for the good of the planet. 

4 | Relax on returns. Lax return policies have made things so easy for us. We can buy a number of things, keep what we want and send the rest back. The reality of this is that product returns generate an ENORMOUS amount of waste. This isn’t just from the shipping efforts but also because giant retailers don’t usually keep their returns. It can be cheaper and easier for them to just burn or trash the returns they get, especially when items are on sale and will not be carried on to the next season. Use size charts, search up picture of the item you want to purchase, read reviews and email the brand to ask lingering questions before you purchase. Putting in that little bit of effort ahead of purchasing can save so much waste, hassle and time at the other end. This also forces us to be engaged and mindful of the purchases we make. 

5 | Choose Sustainable Brands 

There are so many incredible earth-conscious brands out there that it's no longer a question of compromising quality for ethicality. Supporting mission-led brands shows them that what they are doing is valuable and that there is a community that resonates and stand with the cause. 

5 | Buy Local Even if you do prefer to shop online, buying from local retailers is a huge way to lower your impact. Not only is there a higher chance of locally produced goods but they’re almost always guaranteed to ship their products mindfully. This means little to no plastic, recycled or biodegradable materials, and usually reusable materials instead of disposable (cloth bags instead of plastic). By buying local, you’re also contributing to the local economy, putting money back into your community and lessening your environmental impact – this is probably the most sustainable and socially-conscious way to shop and as a small brand, we couldn't be bigger advocates of supporting local retailers.