We all like to buy nice stuff for ourselves, but preferably without having a bad conscience about what we bought. It‘s pretty easy to ignore the fact that your new bag was made under terrible work conditions and has produced toxic waste during itsproduction. Yes, those facts rather dampen the mood, don‘t they?
But slowly society‘s approach to consumption is changing for the better. Millennials want to see facts and figures, and in particular a more transparent production process. They don‘t just want to own the product; they want to know its origin.
But let‘s be honest, a lot of the time we choose products by their looks. Unfortunately the common preconception that eco-friendly products are boring isn‘t budging. If you‘d have to associate matching colours it would be green and grey. Not reallyan inspiring combination…
It‘s surprising how many products are available that have nothing in common with that Green/Grey image but their production process. We just have to do the research, or even better: Offer the designers and producers a platform to present their work! If you were to take a closer look, you‘ll find out that, unlike their public perception, sustainablyproduced goods can be damn sexy!
Of course when it comes to shopping consciously, it‘s not really the looks that count, but more the production process. We have to ask ourselves: Can this item be produced sustainably? Will it destroy our natural resources? Can it be produced on demand instead of en masse? But how do we switch from mass production to a more conscious sustainable market? The jump isn‘t as difficult as it may seem. Retail has to keep an eye out for talented designers, innovative thinkers and small scale companies that all have something in common: To dedicate themselves to their craft and show the world that conscious products can be incredibly attractive and inspiring!
We should stop defining products by their monetary value. It‘s not what defines them. If you purchase a bag that is the result of a social project, you‘re not just supporting it financially; you‘re also representing their values in public and enabling a community to thrive. Next time you receive a compliment on that consciously chosen bag don‘t just mention where you bought it, but rather why it‘s so awesome. Everyone loves great stories, particularly if they‘re true! To survive, retail has to offer us these stories to adapt to their changing clientele. Do some research and don‘t let your preconceptions govern your choices; instead let yourself be inspired by contemporary products and their backgrounds.
