How To Be More Sustainable When Shopping

Despite what you would believe maybe 5-10 years ago, we have reached a point where we can no longer turn our heads to the environmental impact that we are creating. Lately, I have been trying to figure out how I could personally be more sustainable in my everyday life, and it really got me thinking about the most important and reoccurring habits. This could go from cooking to shopping and even to transportation. So welcome to the little series that I call how to be more sustainable while …. The first thing that we’re going to talk about is how to be more sustainable while shopping. And please let me know what other sustainable topics you want me to cover.

It’s no secret that shopping can be a very unethical hobby per se, with a huge amount of fast fashion stores that gained popularity. So, I want you to ask yourself when you shop if how you’re doing it is sustainable and environmentally ethical. Remember that very small steps can go a very long way. 

So here are a few tips and recommendations on how to be more sustainable while shopping.

Shop from local or small businesses

I think COVID-19 already helped a lot with this as we were forced to help small businesses in our local community, so why not just carry it out. Not only would you be doing better for the environment but you’re also supporting local and ethical businesses. These are business owners that love what they do, and do it for all the good reasons.

Of course, by shopping locally, you will decrease your carbon footprint as you have to travel less far. And also, you are purchasing locally sources and produced products.

Look for companies with positive environmental goals

These could be companies that would use recyclable packaging or whose goal is to just be overall more sustainable. There are some great companies, such as Patagonia, Levi’s, and Everlane. It’s very easy to research your favorite brands and see if they are doing something with a positive environmental impact.

Go thrift shopping

I think if you love shopping this is definitely something that you already do. It has grown a lot in popularity because of TikTok and just overall social media. It can take a lot of time to find pieces that you like, but you can also find some hidden gems including designer clothes.

Another aspect which could be added to thrift shopping is simply buying recycled clothing. Many companies are turning old clothes into new clothes. This is done with shirts and even denim, and they actually look really sick. This also includes recycled jewelry and shoes made out of recycled plastic which are even carried out by large brands. 

Quality over quantity

This falls more into the category with fast fashion stores and more high-end stores. Don’t forget there is a reason why fast fashion is very cheap. Not only is it environmentally unethical but there are a lot more unethical practices going on in the back. Buying pieces for their quality will lead them to last longer which means you don’t have to buy as frequently. If you buy low quality products, chances are it’s going to break within a few wears or even simply a few months. And let’s not lie about the fact that we all get drawn into the pitfall of continuously adding to our cart just because it’s so cheap.

Go plastic free

This can be when clothes shopping grocery shopping and even shipping and receiving products. If you see a company that individually packages individual products in plastic, then maybe you should think twice before buying a lot of products from them. Nowadays, many companies have switched to recycled or recyclable packaging when shipping their products. I also don’t think that I have to remind everybody how much plastic ends up in the ocean because of us and that plastic never fully decomposes.

There you have it, five simple ways you can be more sustainable and environmentally conscious when shopping.