What We’re Shopping for on Black Friday: Sustainable Edition

November 22, 2023

Written by: Riley Fouts

It’s been November for a few weeks now which means the holiday season is officially upon us! And you know what that means… Black Friday shopping 😎 What better way to prep for the best Friday of the year than to share some sustainable brands we have our eyes on!? We’ve included a variety of brands on this list, their products making for the perfect gift for friends, family, men, women, yourself… anyone really! Let’s get into it:

Clothing

First on our list is Mate the Label, an apparel company that makes clothing from non-toxic, natural + organic materials. The company is also Climate Neutral, GOTS certified and a B Corp, if the words alone weren’t enough! We love their basics, and while they offer primarily womens clothing, they do have a section for men and kids as well. 

Girlfriend Collective is another eco-friendly clothing company that specializes in activewear with a focus on size inclusivity. Some things to note are that the clothing is made with recycled materials in certified factories, they have a program to give back / recycle old clothing and they donate 1% of every purchase to a nonprofit of your choice. Any family and friends reading this — we’ve been looking at this onesie and this cropped puffer to layer over. 

Home

For a sleek and high quality cookware set (that even looks good when left out on the counter!), Our Place is where it’s at. They offer everything from pots, pans, ovens, air fryers, dinnerware, accessories + even kitchen utensils — all intentionally designed + produced and with the planet in mind <3 Their packaging is also free of traditional plastics, with the box being full recyclable and biodegradable. If we haven’t sold you yet, for each new collection, they partner with people / organizations looking to make a change in the world, like Feeding America and the Rare Impact Fund by Selena Gomez.

Next up is Buffy, a brand that sells award-winning bedding featuring eco-friendly dyes, fabrics + materials that are also safe for your home. They are focused on the future, hoping to one day achieve a closed loop system where everything taken from the planet gets replenished (without anything harmful going back in as well). Their trial period is also much appreciated so that if you happen to not fall in love with their products, you can send them back without being charged.  

Shoes

Say aloha to ALOHAS! Unlike most brands, ALOHAS sells their shoes (and now clothing!) on a pre-order basis to forecast demand levels, avoid fashion overproduction and produce less waste. They are made local to the Barcelona area and in factories who uphold sustainable + ethical practices. They have also recently introduced a vegan leather to their materials lineup for all those adopting a cruelty free ~but still fashionable~ lifestyle. These boots are everything 😍

If you’re in the market for something a little more athletic, we would recommend Allbirds. While they are known for their sneakers, this shoe brand has expanded to flats, slippers, hiking shoes, socks and even clothing + accessories! They are dedicated to using materials from the earth like wool from merino sheep, recycled bottles, castor bean oil and recycled cardboard — not to mention being a certified B Corp, donating lightly-used shoes to those in need and adopting a green mindset in the design of their packaging. Simply dying to get our hands on a pair of these.

Beauty

For skincare, Cocokind is a great solution for clean products at affordable prices. They are a brand all about transparency. From revealing how each product was formulated along with its carbon footprint printed right on the packaging. All formulas are cruelty free, vegan, sensitive skin friendly and research-based to ensure they are safe + gentle on the skin but also effective. On our way to purchase the revitalizing eye cream stat — for those dark + sleepy mornings 😴

On the makeup front, Ilia has been one of our recent favorites. A fellow 1% for the Planet member, Ilia is centered around clean beauty, conscious of the ingredients behind each product and constantly striving towards the most sustainable packaging. Not only is their makeup made from environmentally friendly elements, but it is made to protect the skin from harmful environmental factors (i.e. prolonged exposure to the sun) in return. They also just have very light, second-skin-like formulas and rich color arrays, which makes us all the more likely to purchase.

& with that, we hope this gives you some ideas for gift giving (or treating yourself) this holiday season! Compiling this list has truly been the biggest test of our self-control 😅And it’s not to say that all your purchases need to be sustainable (because going green in full force can be expensive!), but even choosing one brand to support from this list is a step in the right direction. Happy shopping!