Eco friendly products are a must for conscious shoppers. Whether it’s a new pair of shoes made with recycled plastic or a fabulous umbrella that’s ethically produced and uses plant-based fibres.
Also known as ethical consumerism, green consumerism or voting with your dollars, conscious shopping goes beyond a product’s immediate features and considers its wider social impact.
1. Recycled Plastic
In addition to being healthier for the planet, eco-friendly products are often less expensive in the long run. For example, reusable cloth bags that are safe for fruits and veggies can be used for years to replace paper or plastic grocery bags. The lower cost also helps to reduce the demand for non-eco friendly items that are usually made with toxic chemicals and will only harm people and the environment in the short term.
It is important to be a conscious consumer and learn about the companies that you are supporting. You can do this by requesting information from companies before making a purchase, as well as being vocal about your concerns. This will help to hold companies accountable and encourage them to make positive changes.
Another way to be a conscious consumer is to support local business. This will support the economy of your community and can lead to a more sustainable future. Buying locally produced products is better for the environment as well, since they are likely to be made with organic or recycled materials.
Using recycled packaging is also beneficial to the environment. This reduces the need for new materials, reduces greenhouse gasses and saves energy in production. You can buy products with recycled packaging at local stores or online.
One of the most important things that you can do to be a conscious consumer is to choose clothing made from sustainable fibers. This will help to reduce waste and pollution from the fast fashion industry, which is responsible for about ten percent of global carbon emissions. The fast fashion industry also generates 92 million tons of waste each year and consumes 79 trillion liters of water.
2. Organic
A big part of conscious shopping involves choosing brands and products that don’t cause harm to people, animals, or the planet. This includes eating a diet rich in organic foods, using eco-friendly beauty and household products, and supporting companies that are ethically and sustainably sourced.
As a result, brands are taking notice. One survey found that 65% of consumers want to buy purpose-driven brands that advocate for sustainability. In addition, they’re willing to pay a premium for products made with environmentally friendly materials.
The demand for greener products has spurred a number of eco-friendly product innovations and sustainable supply chains. Some manufacturers use recycled materials, while others go the extra mile by utilizing innovative zero-waste or closed-loop processes.
Many consumers also look for products that are certified as organic, fair trade, and sustainably sourced. While these labels may not be the only determining factor, they are important to consider. Additionally, conscious shoppers try to reduce their overall waste by avoiding single-use plastics and going to refill stores when possible.
Ethical shopping isn’t always easy, especially with the prevalence of greenwashing. The problem is that polluting corporations often slap an “eco-friendly” label on their products to get consumers’ attention, but that doesn’t mean they actually adhere to strict environmental and social standards.
Conscious shoppers scour the internet for transparent information about company practices and supply chains and expect transparency from the brands they support. They understand that if brands don’t meet expectations for sustainability, they’ll lose consumer trust. In turn, they may switch to a competitor that is more committed to sustainable practices. The most dedicated conscious consumers seek out brands that not only support sustainability goals, but also have a solid track record of doing so.
3. Fair Trade
Buying fair trade products means supporting producers who treat workers well and minimize their environmental impact. These companies also operate within a sustainable supply chain and use ethically sourced materials, putting conscious consumers in the know about the product’s production.
This type of product is particularly appealing to millennials, who are willing to pay extra for sustainability over products made in less environmentally-friendly ways. By 2021, they’re expected to spend $150 billion on organic, sustainable products. The more that consumers demand this kind of product, the more they’ll push for these products to become the norm.
Many conscious consumers research brands before making a purchase. They use resources like Ethical Consumer, Good On You and B Corporation’s directory to find out what a brand stands for. If a company doesn’t disclose its ESG (environmental, social and governance) information, consumers may have to do the work themselves.
As a result, it’s no surprise that only 20% of S&P 500 companies chose to publish their ESG information in 2013. Now, however, 90% do. This shows that conscious consumers are listening to their purchasing power, and it can have a big impact on the way companies do business.
Choosing products with the least amount of packaging and opting for recycled or biodegradable materials is another key part of being a conscious consumer. It’s also important to think about how often you’re buying something and consider the item’s cost-per-use. For example, if you buy products in bulk, they tend to be cheaper per-use than smaller quantities.
In the past, shopping for US-made goods was seen as a patriotic act to help prop up the economy. Today, the sense of civic duty has evolved into a more global concern. As such, it’s up to everyone to be a conscious consumer by voting with their wallet.
4. Biodegradable
For the environmentally conscious consumer, choosing to shop sustainable is all about limiting the impact of wasteful consumption on our planet. This can be accomplished in many ways. By shopping locally, avoiding plastic packaging, purchasing second-hand items and going to refill stores, you can greatly reduce your footprint.
There are also a growing number of eco-friendly brands and retailers to choose from that make sustainability a priority for their business practices. These brands are often known as ethical or sustainable, and they are often able to provide a wide range of products. Regardless of what type of product you are looking for, be sure to consider how it was sourced, manufactured and shipped before purchasing. This is where sustainability certifications can help.
A 2020 study found that consumers, especially Millennials, are increasingly seeking purpose-driven brands that advocate sustainability. This trend is expected to continue as consumers shift toward eco-friendly products. This will help curb the likes of waste and pollution, which are major causes of environmental degradation.
If you are ready to become a conscious consumer, start by reducing your waste with these easy tips:
Buy recycled paper, shop local, and bring reusable bags to the grocery store. You can also look for items that are organic, Fair Trade and made with a sustainable fabric, such as linen, bamboo, hemp or cotton. You can even find some handmade and locally-sourced gifts on online marketplaces, like Etsy. It is also a good idea to avoid purchasing any brand that uses child or forced labor. You can research this by browsing sustainable living blogs and directories, such as Good On You, to discover ethical brands. Changing your buying habits can feel overwhelming, so starting with one new item at a time is a reasonable and responsible approach to sustainability.
5. Vegan
As the world is increasingly aware of the impact humans are having on the environment, it’s only natural that consumers become more conscious of what they purchase and how they spend their money. Conscious consumers are committed to purchasing products that support human and environmental health, which often leads them to choose eco-friendly, vegan, and ethically sourced goods.
To be a conscious consumer, you should aim to avoid using plastic whenever possible and take reusable bags with you when shopping. It also helps to opt for brands that use recyclable or biodegradable packaging and shop at refill stores where you can reuse existing bottles. You should also avoid buying new plastic-based items and instead look for alternatives made from glass, metal or paper.
Another important consideration is animal-friendliness. You should look for certifications such as Leaping Bunny, Beauty Without Bunnies and Choose Cruelty Free to ensure that the products you buy are cruelty-free. You should also read the company’s policies to see how they treat their workers and the animals that they use for testing purposes.
While a growing number of consumers are choosing to be more conscious, it can still be difficult to decipher which products have the least impact on the planet, animals and people. This is what inspired Los Angeles-based vegan web and app creator Adriane Marie to develop a free tool called HEALabel, which ranks products on the basis of their impact and enables shoppers to find those that have the lowest ecological footprint. It’s a great way to help people find the best vegan and eco-friendly products for themselves and their families. The guide is available for download on Apple and Google stores now, and will be released in a physical book form later this year.
