Green Is The New Black: Your Guide To Championing Green Friday
Black Friday, the annual event that leaves shoppers setting their alarms and waking early, in order to gain the best bargain possible. But this year, beating the rush, Black Friday turns into Green Friday.
Occurring every November on the Friday following Thanksgiving, the US-born event traditionally marks the start of the Christmas shopping season with many stores offering largely discounted sales. Many of us know the chaos of Black Friday for the stores opening early, surges of shoppers or now with the introduction of online shopping – 24 hour sales and discount codes.
What is Green Friday?
This year sees a sustainable alternative to Black Friday take place, Green Friday – a movement encouraging brands to give back to the environment. With the purpose of the day focusing on reflecting what and why you are buying it, the Green Friday movement encourages shoppers to make better purchasing decisions that support small, local brands or good causes.
From needless spending and frantic violence to sustainable sales and giving rather than consuming, the Green Friday ethos inspires people to enjoy nature, spend time with loved ones or invest in worthwhile causes.
But what is the impact of Black Friday?
With shoppers expected to spend a total of £9.42 billion throughout Black Friday weekend (and Cyber Monday), eco-friendly nappy providers, The Nappy Gurus launched ‘Green November’ offering 30% off their sustainable ranges. Additionally, partnering with non-profit organisation JUST ONE Tree, the brand pledge to plant one tree for every sale this month.
Founder and CEO of JUST ONE Tree, Amanda Bronkhorst said it is clear the environmental damage from Black Friday is not good: “It’s up to each one of us to take action, even if it’s as simple as agreeing not to participate. If you are a consumer and decide to participate in some way, we recommend making greener choices”.
Liverpool-based small business selling pre-owned luxury womenswear, Luxe Collective is offering alternative sustainable options for Black Friday. Co-founder, Ben Gallagher said the brand educates their 758k Tiktok followers about sustainable fashion: “Supporting sustainable brands allows them to keep growing and eventually replace fast fashion brands.”
Creating tote bags and reusable water bottles with the business’s F*ck Fast Fashion slogan, Luxe Collective will offer further discounts on their secondhand items over the weekend. The young entrepreneur said: “In order for people to actually boycott fast fashion, you have to give them sustainable alternatives.”
Eventually, big shopping events like Black Friday, should be done away with completely; but until then, I think it’s helpful to try and find sustainable ways to mark these occasions.
Ben Gallagher, Co-founder of Luxe Collective
Aside from needless shopping, the Green Friday initiative also discourages unnecessary spending on throwaway sale items. Family investment app, Hapi Plan, advocates shoppers to invest their money to support their future generations.
Marketing and Growth Lead at Hapi Plan, Rebecca Stelea stresses the importance of sustainable wealth: “The biggest loser in this is actually the environment, as not only do we waste money but we create physical waste, landfill and emissions.”
Find out more about Green Friday here.