10 Tools for Green Consumerism (In Style)
Green consumerism is what is going to save the world. Our planet is falling apart. Global warming, pollution, natural resource depletion, and countless other issues are threatening to overturn the world as we know it. In the face of these grand threats, what exactly can we do to make a change or move forward? Green consumerism is a state in which consumers DEMAND that products and services are making environmentally conscious decisions. Our pockets are controlling the decisions that businesses make. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 21% of greenhouse gases are coming from industry. 10% are coming from agriculture, 28% are coming from transportation, and 25% are coming from electrical. How many of those sources of Global Warming are things that we can influence with our purchasing decisions? Every single one of them.
It is not enough, however, for one to state that they support eco-conscious brands. For one to actually make a difference, you have to make a decision with your wallet. The Harvard Business Review conducted a survey that resulted in the following statistic. 65% of people say that they want to buy purpose driven brands, but 26% actually do so. The green consumer is, sadly, a rare individual. Hope is not lost. Making decisions to preserve the environment is something that you can start doing right now.
What does it take to become a green consumer? Here is a list of the top 10 websites that you can utilize for fashion and luxury while keeping the environment in mind.
Their tagline is “Because fashion CAN exist Responsibly. Like the other names on this list, SutainablyChic provides a blog that keeps up to date with fashion trends and newest solutions to environmental issues. Making environmentally conscious decisions is all about being informed, so keep up with the latest news!
On top of that, they have a sustainable brand directory. There, you can find a dozen different categories of life style essentials with hand-picked brands that are being mindful of the environment. This is an extremely valuable tool whether you want to go shopping, but don’t want to contribute to the bigger names that are not taking the care that is necessary to keep our planet healthy, or if you are looking for something specific. There are plenty of options on the website and they will point you to a sum of brands that can get you exactly what you need.
Cider is actually a brand in itself, not a library of brands to purchase from. However, they are a clothing brand created by two absolute artists. Not only are they operating on a “smart fashion” model, which is similar to our process as a custom, bespoke purchase, they are creating statement pieces for every day wear. Not only is the smart fashion model purposed for you, the customer, it is an intricate process that protects the world we live in.
This fashion brand is “committed to decreasing our environmental impact. Whether that’s using biodegradable packaging, or creating clothes with recycled fabrics, every small step creates a positive impact on the environment.”
Supporting a brand that is pouring into protecting the environment is a key way to make a difference. This brand is inclusive of all ages, but their unique and creative designs will definitely draw in a younger audience. Training the rising generation to start making green purchasing decisions is essential for the exponential decrease of negative impacts on a global scale— So spread the word!
Styling, as we know it, started in the late 18th century. It started in a throne room in France, evolved in the 70s where TIME Magazine’s Dress for Success for men and women were released, and Ray Petri in the 80s set out on his journey to democratize fashion. Eco-stylist is another on this list that hosts an eco-blog. Not only pointing you to make green decisions in regard to fashion, but also in lifestyle. Mattresses, mother’s day gifts, and more.
Here, you will find a mix of the last two entries. Not only do they have a space where you can search up sustainable brands, they also have an on website store. This store hosts products from multiple different businesses that have the same mission of protecting the environment. These stores, however, were chosen by the stylists that have had the same mission since the late 18th century.
Both of those goals wrapped up in their amazing tagline:
“Dress like you give a damn”
A digital stylist to fashion you to walk through your day to day errands, events, and endeavors with an environmentally conscious mindset.
The Good Trade has a blog that takes caring for the world even further. Not only do they analyze brands for you and point you to the best options for home decor, fashion, and even specific products, go in depth and inform you about a diverse library of topics on sustainability, but they provide tips for mindful living.
A holistic approach to keeping the world healthy means that we take of the world, but also ourselves. Take a look through the website for something specific like home decor options if you just moved into a new place, or fashion if you are trying to find something to wear, or their take on how to help with the sudden mood swings you’ve been dealing with. The Good Trade is an awesome resource for you to pursue green consumerism. Don’t know where to buy what you want to buy? Refer to people who spend their working hours finding the best brands to go after!
This library is a culmination of eco-positive brands that dives into clean beauty on top of the home and fashion topics covered by the other brands on this list. This website includes guides to finding the perfect brand that take a general take and point you to sustainable sweaters or boots or options for you to buy something as specific as a cottage-core dress.
An amazing tool for you to utilize, with blogs that will point you in the right direction if you are looking for a weekly read. If you have a long commute, they also have a podcast that talks about fashion in the frame of climate progress, as well as other fashion and environmental topics.
Ecothes is another amazing combination of sustainability and fashion. This website hosts thousands of researched brands, hundreds of articles, as well as industry leaders that are making a change in the world. You’ll find articles broken up into 7 categories: Fashion, footwear, beauty, homeware, vegan, lifestyle, and interviews.
This being the 5th on the list that is researching brands for you, let’s take a look at what they are actually researching. Ecothes rates brands with scores between 0 and 5 based on the brand’s material choice and production process, factory choice and transparency, how the brand treated their workers, whether the brand gives back to their community,and the sustainability certifications and qualifications that a brand has.
On top of providing a brand directory and articles to help you navigate the journey of green consumerism, The Honest Consumer also points you to small businesses that are owned by women, indigenous owned, black owned, or bipoc owned, allowing you to support positive societal change on top of positive environmental change.
Ecocult hosts a newsletter, just like the other tools on this list. The newsletter itself is a valuable tool. Taking in their weekly or monthly emails to improve your mindset and enhance the focus on making decisions for our planet’s wellbeing is an incredibly effective way for YOU to make green decisions more and more instinctively.
Ecocult is also an awesome option if you are looking for resources on putting on an environmentally friendly wedding. This brand also has a category called “Deep Dives”. These articles go into questions that fit less in other categories, but definitely host quite a few interesting reads!
We’re going to display an excerpt from their about us page:
“We are clothing women from head to toe with pieces that empower both the women who wear them and the women who make them all across the world.”
This is not a brand directory, but rather, a clothing brand that contrasts Cider with another side of fashion. Finding clothes to wear every day, or on special occasions, while being able to stay confident in knowing that you are purchasing from brands that are taking care of the ground we stand is of utmost importance. This is an amazing brand, who also provides articles from time to time to help you make eco-friendly decisions.
Finally, Good on You. I have talked about this before on blogs, because this is one of the most useful tools for me. They have an extremely easy to use interface that allows for me to find exactly what I need, when I need it. On top of that, they are also providing you with in depth analysis of the brand that they researched. Not only telling you the score, but talking about what materials they are using that makes them deserve this rating, whether they are giving back to their community, or if they are missing certification with certain organizations.
Again, green consumerism is going to change the world. If more people make decisions not only with their words, but with their wallets, we can start turning back the doomsday clock. The key to making that change and making those decisions is by informing oneself. We are also releasing blogs and articles every week, so subscribe to our newsletter to get the latest news on that once a month! We’re all in this together, so let’s make a change.
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