Changing your shopping habits to include more eco-friendly choices involves learning to make some lifestyle changes. You can apply shopping sustainably to shopping for fashion, food, and beauty products. We’ll provide you with some tips for shopping sustainably in several categories and you will find sustainable shopping will improve your lifestyle and health.
Shopping Sustainably For Fashion
Try shopping at consignment stores in your local area. Most sell clothing, jewelry, accessories, handbags, and small appliances for less. You can buy quality fashion for less and still maintain the latest styles. Most consignment stores check products over carefully before agreeing to sell them.
When you buy clothing, look for sustainable materials like cotton, linen, hemp, silk, wool, cashmere, leather, and recycled polyester. Sustainable materials may be organic or recycled products. Shop for quality clothing and fashion over quantity and do some research to choose companies that make eco-friendly products. Shop locally in your town or city and when you buy an outfit, ask yourself, can I use this outfit more than two ways. Get rid of the clothing you do not wear and only keep those pieces that you absolutely love.
Plan what you intend to buy and only buy what you need. Ask retailers questions about the materials and companies that you are buying from. Donate used clothing to non-profit organizations instead of throwing them away. Take care of your clothing by washing and drying them properly. Making these changes will give you a more sustainable lifestyle. GlobalWebIndex found a large number of shoppers willing to pay more for eco-friendly products. This included 46% of Baby Boomers and 61% of millennials.
Sustainable Food Shopping Tips
Start by shopping at your local supermarkets, farm markets, and health food stores. Many will carry local produce and meats and poultry raised locally. Many regions have farms and shopping locally reduces the use of gasoline. Shop for produce that is in season. It will be less expensive and fresher. Research what fruits and vegetables are in season in the spring, summer, fall, and winter and shop for these items.
Shop using reusable cloth bags instead of using plastic and paper. Wash your bags regularly to keep them clean. Reduce your food waste by writing a shopping list and planning your meals. Shop for grass-fed meats and chicken that are free of hormones and antibiotics. Read food labels carefully and try to buy prepared food that does not use any additives or chemicals. Because kitchens are the most popular rooms to renovate in the home, learning to shop sustainably will improve your lifestyle and appreciation of your kitchen.
Eco-Friendly Beauty Products
Green beauty products are made with natural oils, plants, and bacteria to create pigments and scents. Natural beauty products often use Shea butter, coconut oil, and castor bean oil. Lip balm may be made with beeswax candles to moisten the lips naturally. These beauty products use fruit enzymes, vitamins, minerals, and herbs. Natural products are better for your health because they do not use harmful chemicals and ingredients. The quality of the products is superior, and they are good for the environment and your family. Overall, they improve your lifestyle and are safer. Read the labels and look for products free from parabens, sulfates, silicone, GMO, dyes, gluten, and artificial fragrances. Research the company to be sure it does not use animal by-products and its manufacturing practices are sustainable.
Today there are many organic hair care products for men and women: shampoos, conditioners, hair balm, curling, and hair straightening products. The organic hair coloring brands have grown to over eight different companies. They can be found at your local health food store, supermarket, or online pharmacy. According to Grand View Research, the global hair accessory market has grown to 17.4 billion in 2020. This market includes headbands, clips, bows, bobby pins, hair nets, barrettes, elastic bands, and dreadlocks. And those who have dreadlocks and need the best care for it may shop now here and learn more about the products that can help maintain your dreads. Sustainable accessories will be made from cotton, rubber, bamboo, and recycled materials.
These are some tips on how to add more eco-friendly shopping trips to your weekly or monthly routine. It will improve your lifestyle and create a healthier environment.
