I feel like underwear is the most important piece of clothing to actually be 100% cotton! Yet it is impossible to find any being sold anywhere! Especially in cute flattering cuts that aren't granny panties. Please help :( if anyone knows any brands that actually offer a variety of options let me know.

Hear me out: many people think the enemy of sustainable fashion is fast fashion. And this is true to an extent. Fast fashion is driving the whole industry down a spiral of less and less sustainable practices.

But fast fashion can be overcome. Boycotts, collective action, voting with our wallets, and choosing how we shop are all things we can do—and they work! 

The problem is that people don’t believe in their own power. People don’t believe their choices matter, or worse, they don’t know what to do to make a difference. 

And the leading cause for that confusion isn’t lack of information—its perfectionists. When people ask what can I do or they look for solutions, they find tons and tons of contradictory information.

They see great alternatives to fast fashion like sustainable fashion brands that make quality clothes and pay living wages, and then they see people yelling not to shop at all, to buy nothing, to only thrift instead, or worse, that there’s “no ethical consumption under capitalism” (which by the way, is just an excuse to take no action).

And while everybody in this movement knows that buying less and thrifting are part of the solution, perfectionism is not part of the solution. It’s like the toxic vegans who scream bloody murder when someone suggests Meatless Mondays or just try eating less meat. 

While perfectionists might mean well and they want to change the world too, all they really do is turn away curious people who could and should be part of our solution. The vegan-curious shopper takes one look at the toxic vegan and they’re like “no thanks.”

Change comes from incremental improvements, not from perfection. We all want perfection. But that’s not how we promote the movement. It doesn’t work. If our bar for progress is all or nothing, you will for sure end up with nothing. 

Change comes accepting and promoting incremental improvements, which everyone can do, and which leads to us reaching critical mass. Once 25% of people change, it’s enough to move the whole world. All we need is 25%.

But perfectionism is getting in the way. It’s the idea of “I can be 100% perfect”. And sure, you can be. But that’s not a movement. If your goal is to be 100% perfect you’ll be doing it alone. 

Perfectionists just confuse people. And this confusion has a price: analysis paralysis. If you make something too complicated, then nobody makes a decision.

And that means all those curious shoppers, who could and should be conscious shoppers, are not. Instead they keep buying fast fashion since they don’t know what else do. Since they think their power doesn’t matter. And since when they looked, even the people who care about this stuff can’t make up their mind what the solution is, so how can they possibly know? 

And the cost of that indecision is that fast fashion continues to win, while sustainable fashion brands continue to shut down. We’ve seen brand after brand shut down their doors over the last several years. From Tonle to Tamga, Kamen Road, Kozm, Billi London, Tact & Stone, and many many more.

The cause of the shutdowns was never a lack of interest. Surveys show high interest in sustainable fashion again and again. For example, 55% of US consumers are interested in buying sustainable clothing and 73% of millennials are willing to pay more for sustainable brands. But the real numbers of people who shop that way are obviously much much lower.

What can we do about this? We can change how we define sustainable fashion and stop promoting perfectionism. If 1% of the population does sustainable fashion perfectly, this doesn’t matter. This has no long term effect on changing the world. But if 25% do it imperfectly, fast fashion has found its match. 

And so, we should encourage and celebrate every better action. Whether that was supporting a sustainable brand, a small business, thrifting, swapping, DIY, etc. All the solutions have merit. And we can and should promote all of them. Let’s just stop putting down solutions, especially voting with our wallets, in favor of other solutions. That’s a perfectionist trap.

All you really do when you put down sustainable brands is stop people from supporting brands that pay living wages, use more sustainable fabrics, and make the industry more sustainable. If we want new brands to be that way, we must show support for them. No support = no change. 

People aren’t going to stop buying new clothes, but we can create a world where new clothes are made much much better. And that’s the kind of incremental change we need.

I'm wondering if there's any website or app that makes it easy for consumers to easily consult the "ethical status" of a given brand or product? This question came to me in Walmart last night as I walked past their George clothing line and couldn't help but wonder how unethical their clothing manufacturing is. Or maybe I'm completely out of line for assuming the negative, and Walmart is actually taking positive steps? Either way, it would be nice to quickly (and most importantly, reliably) be able to reference this. At present, I don't even know how to check this. Google something like "Who manufactures George clothing", and go down a rabbit hole of trying to determine where the labor is conducted, etc? Is there any kind of website or app that can summarize a brand or website? It would be cool to one day see an app that lets you scan the barcode (or just search) of any product while you're out shopping and see an "ethical score" or learn more about that company/product.

This company is not good at all. They claim an item was sent to me along with my order. I tried to reach out not just one but several times. I called my bank and file a dispute. They reached out very aggressively and have advised me a replacement was already sent out. How would I know that?? Fast forward I called my bank and canceled dispute upon agreeing on a solution. I received replacement already had a bad taste on my mouth and jewlery looked cheap and nothing like advertised so decided to return the ring. I sent pictures of package and date stamped to them. I reached out again and again to see if they have received item and they claimed they have not. How come? 2 weeks and no item? Is not like they are based out of the country so they are clearly lying. I have advised them dispute was canceled and charge reverse and they are still refusing to give me my money back. Not only that but I have been disrespected by one of his representatives and been called names like dumb. They clearly do not care about their customers. Do not do business with them not only they sale low quality items but they have terrible customer service skills. Save yourself from this company and headache. Yes I did open a dispute after trying to contact merchant not just once but several times without a response. Please do yourself a favor and check this company and their return policy by checking them on Better Business Bureau and fakespot you will see the most recent reviews about this company. Stay away. Emailed shown below was after the fact after trying to contact them via email about this. They have sent replacement without prior notification. I sent the item back and they are claiming they have not received after almost 2 weeks. I have countless emails and communication with merchant. I just got a message suggesting they have been checking my personal information and have brought in my family into this my kids. I will be sending a copy of dispute being canceled by my bank as requested by merchant and will be expecting a refund back if not dispute will be reopened to obtain my money back. See complains below from BBB

Complaint Type:Service or Repair Issues

Status:Unanswered

More info

Unfortunately, despite Heart Made of Gold marketing their products as 'waterproof,' my experience has been different. I purchased the earrings specifically for beachwear, but after only wearing them there, the inside of my hoops has begun to turn green. Given the $60 price point, even with a discount, this is disappointing and does not reflect the advertised quality. I reached out to the business and they failed to rectify the situation.

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Review fromMargaret H

1 star

09/26/2024

BUYER BE CAREFUL! I would never buy anything from this company again for a few reasons that I will outline, but please please do not use a promo code if you do. They are extremely scammy and just a terrible company. 1. Their jewelry is cheap and not well made. Its obviously bought and made in cheap factories and nothing is even close to real gold. 2. Their sizing is off on their rings. 1 ring was a size 8 and fit great, although I wanted to return it because it was cheap and thin, and a second ring was a size 8.5 and wouldn't go over my knuckle. 3. ******** from their customer service team is extremely rude. Threatened to "go after me" if I reached out to my bank because they refused to accept a return/refund. Honestly, I have never communicated with someone so childish and unprofessional. It was mind-blowing. 4. They have no return policy, even though their website states "100% money-back guarantee" 5. PROMO SCAMS - they use promo codes and ALWAYS have one for you to use, but if you do not read the return policy on their website (even if you buy through **** or somewhere else) using a promo code negates a refund. And they will yell at you for 'using a promo code to get 25% off but not respecting or reading their return policy" They push promo codes to scam innocent buyers. Please do not buy from them unless you are willing to keep their cheap jewelry even if it doesn't fit! ****** had better priced and a better return policy for the same quality.

Review fromTracey G 1 star 08/30/2024

HORRIBLE SERVICE & QUESTIONABLE RETURN POLICY. Purchased two items; a necklace and earrings. I liked the earrings but not the necklace. I requested a return for necklace and was told it was past the return window, which was incorrect, as I sent them a screenshot proving their site stated the 30 days begin with the delivery date! They never acknowledged their error (or possible lie) but proceeded to advise it could not be returned b/c a promotion coupon was used. GUESS WHAT? I believe they offer coupons on all orders, which then precludes buyers from obtaining a refund. There was no notification that the item was ineligible for returns at the point of sale. Pretty poor business practice.

Review fromluisa b 1 star 06/10/2024

TERRIBLE - made an order by mistake and they lied and said it had already been shipped and couldn't cancel it. it hadn't been shipped. they insult their customers, never give refunds but don't clearly state this when purchasing. Any item you use a promo code for is NEVER eligible for return. What? that's not how e-commerce works. and to boot, they don't tell you this until after. plus quality is the worst. better stuff on Amazon or even Temu. scoundrels that take your money - aren't in business to provide goods and services fairly.

I'm tracking interest in an app idea that would promote and make conscious consumerism more accessible with household consumables.

Check out our website, and if you are legitimately interested in this product, sign up for a beta version! I would also appreciate any feedback or suggestions on the product/website. (The website might take a little longer to load, but it'll work if you give it some time.) I'd really appreciate your help!

https://ecoscanapp.wixsite.com/eco-scan

Lately, I’ve been thinking about how I approach sustainable shopping. We all know that eco-friendly and ethical brands tend to be a bit pricier, which makes sense given the effort they put into their products. But sometimes, when I see a discount or special offer, it gives me that extra nudge to actually make a purchase. I mean, who doesn’t love a good deal, right?

But at the same time, I wonder—shouldn’t it be more about the brand’s values, or their impact on the planet, rather than just the price? I’m curious how others feel about this. Do discounts or rewards influence your decision when choosing sustainable products, or is it more about supporting the cause, regardless of the cost? Would love to hear how you all navigate this!

I’ve been reflecting on my own sustainability journey and realized that people approach it so differently.

Some of my friends have shifted to buying only from ethical brands, while others have adopted a minimalist lifestyle, trying to reduce consumption altogether.

For me, it's a mix of both, but I’m curious—what’s your approach to living sustainably?

Do you focus on buying better, more sustainable goods, or have you leaned towards abstaining from consumption where you can?

I’d love to hear how you balance these decisions!

There should be more to a brand than selling products, right?

I recently bought toiletries from The Little Flower, a homegrown brand based in Michigan, and I was blown away by their customer response.

Yeah, the products were good, but what caught my attention was their transparency and impact of their operations.

On the packaging and in their website, they shared stories and photos of the artisans, their work conditions, and how each purchase directly supports their livelihood.

It felt like I was connecting with the people behind the product, not just the brand.

It made me wonder, shouldn’t all purpose-driven businesses make an effort to showcase their efforts?

Does knowing a brand’s mission and impact, like this one, make you more likely to support them?

It does for me, at least. For me, it definitely does, but I’d love to know if others feel the same way!

Let me know your thoughts please!

Hey, I was wondering - why are FMCG brands claiming that they are “sustainable,” while all of their products are packaged in single-use plastic.

I just saw an ad for a hair care brand, and it claimed that their ingredients were ethically sourced, which was great, but it felt odd to see them push a sustainability message while ignoring the issue of plastic waste.

Another example that caught my eye was a fast fashion brand promoting a “green collection” made from recycled fabrics—while continuing to mass-produce cheap, unsustainable clothing in huge volumes.

It got me thinking—is this legit, or just another form of greenwashing?

Is it a matter of asking brands the right questions to make them really address the contradictions, or should brands be more transparent about their limitations and efforts from the start?

I really believe that we need to start finding real solutions to these practices and the way it is presented to us before they become the norm.

So, what do you all think?

Hey everyone,

My friend is working for a new client in the e-commerce industry in the sustainability and social impact niche. The store aims to be the Amazon for Green Brands. And she is very excited to take it to the next level.

Since I work in this area too, I told her to be open about the brand’s impact in areas like carbon emissions, waste, or ethical sourcing. She also needs to be specific about it, right?

She asked me if there’s any way to quantify the company's impact in these areas.

Do any of you have any experience in this area?

If yes, what were the biggest challenges you faced in measuring these metrics?

Also, are there any specific tools or resources that you found helpful? I'm particularly interested in recommendations for e-commerce-specific solutions that build trust with the customers of the store.

Thanks in Advance!

Welcome to WannaHug. We offer high-quality, stylish clothing for people of all tastes and sizes.

We take pride in our mission to make a real difference in the lives of those who need it most, with those who can give the most. Every time customers choose to shop at our store they’ll acquire fabulous garments for themselves and in the process directly help less fortunate individuals survive the elements.

Our sales will be matched with donations that will provide essential and functional clothing aimed to increase one's welfare. The designs of our sleek and fashionable clothing will enable all who wear our brand to dress with dignity and confidence. We firmly believe that suitable clothing is a matter of choice and a basic human right, a right we will enforce to boost self-esteem and opportunity for all.

Arbeitet hier jemand im Krankenhaus und interessiert sich ein bisschen für nachhaltige Themen? Ich würde gerne im privaten Chat was fragen.

Hello CC community,

I'm working on developing an eco-friendly lunch solution, and I'd love to get your insights. As a community passionate about sustainability, your expertise would be incredibly valuable.

I've created a short survey to gather thoughts on biodegradable lunch containers and their potential impact. It should take about 3 minutes to complete, and your responses will directly influence the development of this product.

Here's what I'm hoping to learn:

• Your current habits and challenges with bringing lunch from home
• Your thoughts on biodegradable materials for food containers
• How important environmental impact is in your purchasing decisions

If you're interested in sharing your perspective, you can take the quiz here: https://forms.gle/GeAVLGBoinyGK2QJ7

Your input is crucial in creating a product that truly meets the needs of environmentally conscious individuals. Thank you for your time and expertise!

Warmly, Aych

P.S. I'm not here to sell anything - I'm genuinely seeking your insights to shape this product concept.

How much of a difference can I make to reverse the impact of climate change and minimize environmental degradation?

I was asked this by a friend the other day, and the question has been spinning in my head ever since.
I believe that each of us can do our part, but how effective can our solitary efforts really be?

Here’s the answer I gave in the moment:
Collective action starts with individual choices, and even small steps can contribute to broader change. It's indeed important to recognize that the most significant impacts often come from those in positions of power, such as politicians, corporate leaders, and billionaires, whose decisions can shape policy and influence entire industries.

Given this reality, one of the most impactful actions we can take as individuals is to support and vote for leaders who are committed to addressing climate change and promoting sustainable practices. Now this isn’t easy either.
Take the USA for example. The Democratic party is the one that takes this issue seriously, and campaigns on it. However, a Republican party controlled state, Texas, is leading the country in renewable energy production. (not here to promote anyone, just mentioning)

The nuances of politics and policy are complex, and it’s crucial to stay informed and engaged beyond just voting, by supporting policies, initiatives, and organizations that push for meaningful environmental change.

Beyond the political sphere, there are practical steps you can take in your daily life to reduce your environmental footprint. This includes actions like donating to reforestation projects, buying second hand instead of new, reducing energy consumption, and supporting companies with sustainable practices.
Every step counts, just as every misstep counts. Which is why it’s important to prioritize harm reduction as well.

This was me. What about you?

Hey, guys,

Lately, I’ve been noticing a lot of things in my closet and around the house that I no longer use. From gadgets that are out of date to clothes that I no longer prefer to wear, it feels like I am drowning in stuff.

I’ve been on a journey of educating myself on intentional and mindful spending. Instead of giving in to the trends or chasing the next big sale, I now want to buy stuff that I need, and not desire.

This also means buying high-quality items instead of cheap, quick, and easy stuff.

And asking tough questions such as: Does the brand make durable goods as a result of sustainable practices? Does the brand genuinely care about its environmental impact?

We should all shift our mindset from quantity to quality and truly make a difference.

What about you all?

Do you have any tips on how we can be mindful about our spending habits, and how we can put brands through much-needed scrutiny before hitting the checkout button.

Hello, I'm vegan. Most people I know are not. I advocate for vegan food based on a plethora of reasons; I make food for people to show them what's possible; but some people just don't want to switch.

Consequently, in line with vegan ethics of reducing needless harm to animals, it seems logical to discern the most ethical sources possible to recommend, as I'd hope most would agree that people buying, for example, wild, culled venison meat, is leagues better for animals than people buying factory tortured pork, beef, etc.

Culled venison seems the most obvious option for meat in the UK at least. Deer have no natural predators; culling already happens to prevent starvation, disease etc. in deer populations, and given that, wasting the meat seems unethical.

Sources I've found for culled deer: https://www.wildmeat.co.uk/collections/venison

https://foresttofork.co.uk/fork-venison-for-sale/

https://southdownsvenison.co.uk/product-category/wild-venison/

Similarly, invasive crayfish in the UK seem like another option: https://www.simplycrayfish.co.uk/

https://www.kennetcrayfish.com/

I presently can't think of any purchasable sources of eggs, fish or dairy for the UK that are, to me, similarly ethically neutral as the above. Clarence Court Eggs are suggested to be sourced from the most ethically treated hens, but as far as I can tell, the male chicks are still killed from their supplier of hens.

I am not suggesting that vegans should eat animal products, and for the plethora of below copy/paste reasons, I would always advocate veganism first. I posted this in the vegan subreddit, and I was hoping for nuance, ethics, logic and maturity, but unfortunately, this has not occurred, so fingers crossed there're some people here who can provide some recommendations.

Environment:

"Results from our review suggest that the vegan diet is the optimal diet for the environment because, out of all the compared diets, its production results in the lowest level of GHG emissions."

https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/11/15/4110

"Despite substantial variation due to where and how food is produced, the relationship between environmental impact and animal-based food consumption is clear and should prompt the reduction of the latter."

https://www.nature.com/articles/s43016-023-00795-w

"Concerning regional food, intuition suggests that shorter transports result in lower environmental impacts. However, transport only represents on average a small fraction of emissions during the life cycle of food products (Ritchie and Roser, 2020). For most simple products, the agricultural production phase is responsible for a major part of GHG emissions and other environmental impacts on biodiversity and soil quality (Nemecek et al., 2016). Thus, the environmental benefit from the regional production of food is estimated to be relatively small compared to a meat-free diet."

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S266604902100030X

"A study published last year shows just how critical cutting meat production is in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The study found that 57% of global greenhouse gas emissions from food production come from meat and dairy products. Beef contributes the most global greenhouse gas emissions, according to the study. Just 29% of food-related global greenhouse gas emissions come from plant-based foods."

https://www.pcrm.org/good-nutrition/vegan-diet-environment

https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/100/suppl\_1/476S/4576675?login=false

https://ourworldindata.org/food-choice-vs-eating-local

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6855976/

https://www.nature.com/articles/s43016-021-00358-x

https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/aa6cd5

Health:

"There is substantial evidence that plant-based diets are associated with better health but not necessarily lower mortality rates. The exact mechanisms of health promotion by vegan diets are still not entirely clear but most likely multifactorial. Reasons for and quality of the vegan diet should be assessed in longevity studies." https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31895244/

"The low-methionine content of vegan diets may make methionine restriction feasible as a life extension strategy" https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18789600/

Global health:

"Recently, the World Health Organization called antimicrobial resistance “an increasingly serious threat to global public health that requires action across all government sectors and society... Of all antibiotics sold in the United States, approximately 80% are sold for use in animal agriculture” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4638249/

-Food production:

"We find that, given the current mix of crop uses, growing food exclusively for direct human consumption could, in principle, increase available food calories by as much as 70%, which could feed an additional 4 billion people." https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/8/3/034015

In a recent conversation, a friend pointed out that my ability to buy from green brands and avoid single-use plastics is because I can afford to do so. This really got me thinking.

A lot of eco-friendly options—whether it's buying durable, reusable goods, organic foods, or energy-efficient appliances—seem to come with a higher price tag. Does this mean that sustainable living is becoming a privilege of the wealthy? How can we or brands make these choices more accessible for everyone?