You Want To Buy Things That Are Good. How Can You Decide If It’s an Ethical Product? These 3 Tips Will Help!
This is a Guest Post from ethical.net
It’s never been easier to buy stuff, whether it’s online or in-store.
But gone are the days when we just pick something up, take it home, use it, and never think about the consequences of where it came from, what it’s made of, and how the people who made it are treated.
In short, responsible consumers are increasingly concerned with what they’re buying and where it comes from. If it isn’t immediately apparent on an item’s label or packaging, there are other ways to find out whether it’s an ethical product (or not).
As such, responsible and smart businesses take time to explain to their ethically, socially and politically conscious consumers what they’re actually buying.
By this we mean, businesses should make it clear where their products come from and detail how they’re made.
Over to the Consumer
It isn’t always easy to shop ethically, especially if it isn’t something you’ve actively embraced before.
Here are some common complaints you might have already heard – or thought
- It’s more expensive
- There’s conflicting info out there about what ‘shopping ethically’ actually means
- It’s difficult to find and access ‘ethical’ brands
Luckily for you, we have a few surefire tips on how to shop more ethically…
Ethical Product Tip #1 – Source
Is the item you’re thinking of buying ethically sourced? For example, you might see a clothing line that says “made in the USA’, but where’s the fabric from? Did it come from a sweatshop in a developing country where workers are treated appallingly?
What if you want to buy a t-shirt that supports a charity you love, or a social campaign that’s close to your heart? Where was that t-shirt made and by whom?
You might see a brand donating all sales of a particular bag or t-shirt to a children’s charity (which is great!), but if that item was produced by people who were treated terribly during the garment-making process, then think again.
If what you’re buying comes from overseas, does the company you’re buying from offset their air-mile footprint? Check out the brand’s website and see whether it tells you about its carbon emissions. Hopefully, they’ll describe how it uses and disposes of any chemicals they consume.
Or if you’re buying food that’s out of season and has to be imported, consider eating food that’s in season and can be sourced locally. This leads us perfectly to our next point… if you’re not already, try using your local veg store. Here you can ask where their produce comes from. Spoiler alert: there’s a way better chance their stock is sourced locally!
Similarly, farmers markets are a great way of finding and eating excellent quality food that’s sourced nearby. Plus, you’ll support a local business at the same time – what’s not to love about that?!
Ethical Product Tip #2 – Packaging
If it’s food, do you need to buy goods wrapped in non-biodegradable plastics? If it’s impossible not to, check what type of plastic it’s wrapped in. Pay careful attention to whether it’s a petro-plastic – these take at least 500 years to degrade! Shocking, right?
So, how do you find packaging that’s actually biodegradable?
Your best option is to look for brands using renewable materials such as trees and plants to make their packaging, or packaging that can be easily composted; for example, cardboard, cornstarch, and paper.
The same principle applies if you’re buying clothes. The obvious choice is to purchase items made either from wool or organic cotton. Garments crafted from human-made fibers such as polyester and rayon can take as long as 30-40 years to degrade in our landfills!
Top Tip: If you’re shopping in-store, don’t add to the plastic bag mountain by buying more bags! Always take your own.
Ethical Product Tip #3 – Staff
Don’t be fooled when a company tells you they operate “ethically” towards their workers. Remember, most companies don’t own the factories they buy from and don’t directly employ the people working in them.
The reality is, they may be buying from suppliers who:
- Use child labor
- Pay workers below minimum wage
- Employ dangerous work practices (for example, operating perilous machinery and working punishingly long hours).
You get the idea!
If you really want to dig deeper, examine the brand’s website and see what their mission statement is – if they say nothing about where their products are made and who by, question it. Why aren’t they doing that?
If there’s scant information on their website or instore, email them and ask. If they’ve nothing to hide, they’ll answer your question. It’s also worth checking to see if the company has a history of disputes concerning the unfair and/or illegal treatment of their workforce.
Look for brands who are vocal about supporting good working practices, better pay, training, and where workers have the right to a union to represent them and protect their human rights.
It’s also worth checking whether a company subscribes to and supports ILO rules (International Labor Organization), including abolishing child labor and eliminating forced labor.
You could also check if a brand’s website has any of the following logos on it: Fairtrade, fairtrade certified, world fairtrade organization and Certified B Corporations.
These organizations certify brands and companies who meet these organizations’ ethical criteria. If a company or brand is associated with these institutions, they can be randomly audited to ensure they’re operating within their ethical guidelines.
But, be careful, you may find that a brand only sells a few Fairtrade items. What about the other items?
Do You Have Any Other Tips for Us?
We hope the above advice has given you a better idea of how to start shopping more ethically! In this day and age, there’s no reason why consumers should be kept in the dark about the products they’re buying. Period.
Do you have any other tips on the ethical sourcing of products? If so, we’d love to hear from you in the comments box below. Speak soon!
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Warm regards,
P.S. Don’t forget to download your free green living handbook “Live Well, Live Green” here.
interesting