Part I of this series was all about finding your consumer values, and in Part II I’m zeroing in on what it means to shop your values. Make sure to check out Part I here first.

The cornerstone of conscious consumerism is seeing your purchases as a vote. By choosing to buy something you are monetarily supporting the systems in place that made that something possible – whether it be food, a piece of clothing, or a service. Thinking this way about your purchases allows you to think more deeply about what you’re buying instead of just unconsciously buying things. In an economy and retail environment that is built to encourage impulse purchases, thinking consciously about each purchase you make is a rebellious act.

In the first part of this series I broke down how to zero in on your consumer values, but the next step in becoming a conscious consumer is putting those values where your money is. One of the ways I do this is by asking myself questions before I buy something. Some of these questions are specifically related to my values (like reducing waste, choosing items that have a lower impact on the environment and are ethically made), but they should give you a good start in brainstorming some questions you can ask yourself:

• Why am I buying this? (Is it trendy? Do I need it? Is this just retail therapy?) These questions can help you figure out what’s inspiring your wish to consume, and will force you to become more conscious about your shopping habits. Over time this can help you purchase less and buy only what you need.
• Does this purchase support my values? Or does my money go toward a system that does not align with my values? These questions can help you stick to supporting what’s important to you. This is also one of the trickiest questions to reflect on when making a purchase. It may require some research on the company or some research about the ingredients or materials used in the product. Answering this question will get easier over time.
• What is this made of? (Is it organically grown? Is it genetically modified? Is it natural or synthetic?) And where does this come from? (Is it made locally? Is it shipped from far away? Is it made where the raw materials are located?) These questions will make you more conscious of everything that is required to create the products you purchase. Thinking about what it’s made of and where it came from can also help connect you back to your values, especially if they have to do with shopping local, shopping small, or buying/consuming products that are grown naturally.
• Do I know how to care for this? (Is it dry clean only? Do I need to worry about releasing microplastics when it’s washed in a washing machine? Does it need to be hang-dried?) Knowing how to care for your items will make them last longer, which is a cornerstone for consuming and using products sustainably. This is something I’ve paid much more attention to since shifting away from purchasing fast fashion.
• Do I know what to do with it once I don’t want it anymore? (Can it be reused? Can it be repaired? Can it be recycled? Will it contaminate groundwater or soil if it is disposed of improperly in a landfill? Ask these same questions about the packaging, too.) It’s important to reflect on the product’s end-of-life and what will happen to it after it is used, especially if sustainability is something you value.
• Does this need to be bought new? This is a big one for me. As I’m trying to buy fewer new items, this question gets me to stop and think and get creative with alternative places to look when I want or need to buy something.

I don’t ask myself all of these questions before I purchase something, and sometimes I still make mindless impulse purchases that don’t support my values, but even thinking about one of these questions before making a purchase will make you a more conscious consumer.

I also want to point out that you likely can’t support all of your values at the same time with every purchase.

One of you asked me on Instagram what I thought about purchasing something from Aerie. The brand is not sustainable, but that person loved what they’re doing in terms of changing the industry and supporting the body-positive and inclusivity movements. My response was that you can’t be a perfect conscious consumer and that you shouldn’t feel guilty for supporting something you believe in, even if conflicts with another one of your values. There will be tradeoffs, and that’s why it’s important to really think about what values are most important to you.

A perfect example of these tradeoffs is the leather jacket I’m wearing in these photos. Leather production is one of the first dirty fashion processes I ever learned about. The chemicals used to dye leather can impact the health of workers in the tanneries and is toxic when it’s released as wastewater without treatment. For a while I thought vegan leather was the better option. This year, though, I learned that most vegan leather is petroleum-based. It never fully breaks down. And while it would seem the best option as a conscious consumer who wants to reduce her impact on the environment through fashion to just not buy leather at all, it’s pretty darn difficult to avoid both real and vegan leather – especially with certain products like shoes or bags. So if I think more deeply about the other things I value, I remember that it’s more important for me to buy secondhand items than new items, and it’s more important for me to buy items made of natural biodegradable materials rather than synthetic materials. These questions helped me come to the conclusion that for me, it’s best to buy real leather secondhand, then faux leather secondhand, then real leather new. I do everything I can do avoid purchasing new vegan leather products.

People will come to different conclusions about this purchasing decision (and every purchasing decision) based on their own values and what is most important to them. I follow vegan influencers who refuse to purchase real leather because animal rights are of utmost importance to them. I also know some vegan influencers who only purchase real leather secondhand because reducing waste is more important to them. None of these decisions are wrong. They are just personal decisions.

If you take away anything from this post, it’s to think critically, but not too critically.

As I mentioned in the first post of this series, it’s impossible to be a perfect conscious consumer with the way this world currently operates. Prioritize progress, not perfection. Don’t think so critically of your purchases to the point where you are unable to make a purchase or feel guilty for buying one thing over another. Think through your purchases and become more conscious, but know when to make compromises and when to prioritize certain values over others. Also know when to give yourself a break and eat a non-fair trade, dairy-filled, unnecessarily plastic-wrapped chocolate bar like I did while writing this post.

Stay tuned for the last part of this series where I’ll be talking all about how to hold brands accountable. It will include email templates with questions to ask companies about their manufacturing practices or sourcing decisions, as well as tips for recognizing greenwashing in advertising or responses to questions. To make sure you don’t miss it, sign up for my bi-weekly newsletter at the bottom of this page or follow me on Instagram.