The holiday season has become synonymous with shopping and sales. Since beginning my conscious consumerism journey a few years ago I’ve gone back and forth on my approach to this wasteful shopping season. In a perfect world I’d join the #BoycottBlackFriday movement and encourage you all to join as well, but now I know that it isn’t that simple. I am privileged in many ways (and have reflected on that before) and recognize that while I may have the financial means to invest in sustainable clothing or household items at full price, I cannot expect everyone to have that same ability. For many, the holiday sale season is a great time to buy sustainable alternatives at a lower price. In this post I’m sharing my tips for being a conscious consumer during the holiday season as well as sales from sustainable companies I trust. Regardless of how you decide to shop this year, remember that the goal is progress, not perfection.
Holiday Conscious Consumerism Tips
Don’t need anything? Don’t buy anything. Don’t buy stuff just because it’s on sale, and don’t buy stuff because you feel like you have to! Advertising is especially persuasive around this time of year. Know what you need and differentiate that from what you want.
If you shop, buy something sustainable. If cost is a barrier preventing you from shopping sustainably all the time, take advantage of the sales around the holiday season. Invest in high quality, sustainably made items. See some of my favorite sustainable brands with sales below.
If you shop, support give back programs. Support companies who are donating a percentage of their proceeds to a cause that is meaningful to you. See some companies who are doing this below.
Reflect BEFORE you purchase. Ask yourself lots of questions before you buy something. Will I wear this / use this one time? One week? One season? One year? Don’t automatically choose the cheapest option – choose something that will last instead of something that’s one-and-done. For more tips on reflecting on your purchases read this post.
Minimize your need for returns. Reverse logistics can lead to unnecessary waste and additional carbon emissions from transporting returned items back to the company. Follow sizing charts and read reviews/information about items before buying to reduce the need for returns. Want to learn more about this? Read this article about the environmental impact of Amazon returns.
Open up the conversation. Take this time with your friends & family to talk about conscious consumerism. You are never too small to make a difference, so don’t discount your ability to make a difference as an individual, but multiply the good you do by influencing the people around you to make more conscious purchasing decisions as well.
Sustainable Black Friday / Cyber Monday Sales
This post contains affiliate links.
Clothing
- Boody – loungewear, activewear, & underwear – up to 40% off coming soon
- CHNGE – graphic tees & loungewear – 30% off sitewide, up to 80% off select styles
- Girlfriend Collective – activewear and loungewear – 35% off sitewide, up to 70% off select styles
- Knickey – underwear, socks, bras – 25% off coming soon
- Mate The Label – sustainable basics and loungewear – 30% off everything
- Pact – basics for men, women, & children – 20%-50% off everything
- Tentree – mens, womens, + kids clothing – up to 50% off everything
Shoes & Accessories
Beauty / Skincare / Wellness
- modibodi – menstrual underwear – 50% off sale coming soon
Home
- Buffy – sustainable bedding – 20%-40% off
- Caraway Home – cookware – up to 20% off
- Dropps – cleaning products – get 30% off with code CLEANGIFTS
- Grouphug – solar window chargers – $40 off
- Package Free Shop – package-free products – 40% off with code HOLIDAY
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