buy quality
first ask yourself do you really need it?
if so see if you can borrow, rent or find it secondhand
if not then choose to shop sustainably
when spending your money, be wise and put it where your mouth is.
buy quality over quantity, you might spend more on one item,
but it will last longer, fit better and do less harm to the planet.
here is a guide to how i shop sustainably
and some of my favourite brands.
clothing
when buying clothes, take a moment to think about the brands you'll be supporting.
do they use sustainable fabrics? do they source their clothing ethically?
fast fashion has a huge impact of the environment and it's workers
clothing is made super fast and super cheap
cutting corners wherever possible
to keep the prices as low as possible
paying workers below minimum wage and making them put up with horrible conditions
using chemicals on crops and to dye garment, which seeps into the water supply
also the huge amount of waste sent to landfill once that top isn't trendy anymore
take the time to decide what you really need,
first see if you can find it in a thrift shop.
secondhand shopping is a great way to be eco-friendly as you are not supporting brands, not feeding money back into the system that supports slave labour and tacky polyester clothing. instead recycling clothing, and keeping it out of landfill. It is also super cheap, and you can find such quirky and unique clothing that nobody else will own, pieces that you will cherish.
if not choose wisely and pick brands with a great ethos and sustainable values.
brands that pay fair wages, use organic and recycled materials, have compostable packaging. support people and causes, help out young artists. and try to create a brighter future.
my favourite clothing company.
sustainable ethical affordable and fun.
everything you want from a brand.
their clothes are comfy, durable and funky.
made from organic and recycled materials.
and are ethically sourced from india.
they are pioneers in the field of sustainable fashion.
food
nowadays most food is processed
pumped with refined sugars, saturated fats, msg. gelatine,
a whole heap of crap we don't understand.
cooking from scratch is great way to reduce this
it lets you take control of exactly what goes into your food and into you
also choose quality products
products made from a few natural ingredients
that are sustainably sourced and ethically made
product that don't contain unsustainable palm oil, trans fats,
artificial colourings, sweeteners or flavourings,
or animal products.
also ones that are served in glass jars or cardboard boxes.
go vegan
give yourself, your body, animals and the environments
the respect it deserves.
the best peanut butter in the world.
independent locally produced and delicious.
simply just peanuts and sea salt, no added nasties.
they have a window front in wellington where they sell pb on toast
it's is divine, i popped in almost every week.
shops
when going shopping always make a list
this helps you to shop sensibly and only get what you need
reducing the incisive need to buy tat
make a meal plans for the week
see what you have in the cupboards and work around that
source local produce and eat seasonally
lowering import emissions, pesticide and preservative usage,
it's also much fresher and tastier.
food waste is a huge issue and plastic packaging too
bring tote bags and hessian sacks to package fresh produce in
pick unpackaged fruit and veg, food in cardboard.
to lower unnecessary single use plastics.
find local organic shops, health shops, grocers,
unpackaged shops. refillery's. bakers.
independent food suppliers.
an unpackaged general store.
plastic free independent and vegan.
the best kinda place to buy all your goods.
veg, homemade nut butters, spices, pulses, deodorant, soap bars.
just bring along your jars and fill up.
this one even has a vegan and gluten free cafe.