Top Ten Questions To Ask When Shopping Sustainably.

Shopping sustainably is hard. But not impossible!

Over the last 3 years or more I’ve been fascinated with the story of our stuff, with where things come from and where they go. Ideally we’re aiming for a circular system where everything is able to be unmade and remade endlessly.

Knowing what questions to ask to find out about how, where and what has gone into the design of your products are vital for making good purchasing decisions and contributing to this vision.

Here are my Top Ten questions to ask or find out when purchasing from a new brand or buying a new product.

1. What materials do you use in your products?

This is VITAL for understanding what to do with the product at the end of its life. Is it mainly synthetic (polyester, elastane, lycra, PVC etc) or is it natural (cork, rubber, cotton)? Natural materials are likely to biodegrade if they have not been treated with any chemicals or dyes that would be harmful. Synthetics would last longer if cared for properly, but are more difficult to recycle. Fewer materials mixed together also often means items are easier to recycle. Are you buying for life, or for convenience? What does your local authority accept? Both good things to think about when exploring the materials of your selected item.

2. What materials do you use in your packaging?

I once bought a recycled kraft paper roll from the eco-section of a website and it came wrapped in plastic (seriously?). Packaging is such a vital piece of the puzzle but it is also challenging to figure out. Opt for FSC certified sources if you are buying virgin wood, which means the wood is at least sustainably managed. Prioritising recycled sources is best, as it contributes to a circular waste system (and because carbon dioxide is released when trees are cut down, sustainably managed or not). Watch out for cellulose films and bioplastics too because these are often hard to recycle and require specific conditions to break down. Many local authorities can’t accept bioplastic as their industrial compost facilities do not reach the right temperature and they’re often mistaken for plastic in the sorting process which can lead to ‘contaminated ‘ compost ending up in landfill. Ask if the item can go in your green bin, if you don’t have a garden compost heap.

3. What is the end-of-life recommendation you give to your customers based on the material profile of your products (compost, recycle, waste-to-energy etc).

Get the brand to spell. it. out. Have they thought about the end of life process of their packaging and products? Do they know/care about how you will be able to dispose of their product responsibly? This question often helps you understand more about the brand culture and attitude too. Waste-to-energy for example is a snazzy way of saying incinerator. We are burning more and more natural resources (that we can’t replenish) and so I personally do not consider this to be a viable way of recycling items.

4. What is your supply chain like? (countries, locations, manufacturers?)

Supply chain is something that has come under scrutiny in the last few months as fast fashion labels in the UK have been found to house workers in terrible conditions being paid unfairly to produce clothing that is used a handful of times. Here’s looking at you BooHoo.

Ask them to tell you where the products come from and, if possible, who is involved in the process. If the supply chain is global, you’ll get an indication of the carbon load your product has as well as possible human rights considerations.

5. Are your manufacturing parties committed to high environmental and social standards by way of a recognised third party certification?

Not every brand knows the answer to this. In our opinion, they should because it’s not enough to say ‘they come from China’. In China there are some incredible factories who are fully eco-certified, pay great wages and look after their people. There are also places in the world where there are no regulations in place at all. Some brands can show you these certifications as they’ve done their due diligence. Others can’t but offer to find out. The rest, might decide at this point to stop engaging with you at which point you may well decide to do the same.

6. Do you track/measure the carbon footprint of your products? (How? If not, is it something you will consider?)

Note, you’ve not asked how big their footprint is. Why? It is very hard to measure for one often being too costly or inaccurate for a small company. For two it’s nearly impossible not to contribute something to the atmosphere, even if you offset.

A lot of small brands are making huge strides and some like J. Rozenbroek are going above and beyond to consider all aspects of their impact and make it transparent. They’re also still committed to improving so we must be mindful to motivate and encourage small sustainable brands to keep going, rather than point the finger at any gaps. Most take the feedback seriously and communicate what they’re doing to improve. We must hold them accountable whilst being supportive.

7. What is your vision for your company?

Ideally you’re speaking to the founder at this point. A company is often the manifestation of the values of the owner/leader and it is very telling to get a glimpse of where the brand is headed. If they’re perhaps a vegan or low-waste advocate, or are talking about giving-back to society, improving processes, swapping to clean energy, or upgrading to a circular refill system you know you’ve found a good brand. If they’re talking about expanding internationally, or quadrupling in size without talking about their impact alongside, it could be something to pay attention to.

8. What morals or ethics do you ascribe to and how are these played out within your business?

You can find this information often of the web pages themselves. What values does the company have, do you see evidence of this on their social media? How do they react to the news? How do they respond to global crises? Kind of like judging whether someone will go from acquaintance to friend, you want to peel back the layers a little and see what’s really going on.

9. Does your business adhere to any internal environmental practices? (green energy provider in your office, responsible waste management etc)

Again, something you can find out on their website or email to ask. You’re looking for things like proper waste recycling at the office, cycle-to-work schemes, whether they use renewable energy sources or operate as plastic-free as possible. It’s not just about what the brand puts into the world, but who they are behind closed doors. It’s super hard to eradicate waste from a small business unless you own your entire supply chain, so finding some plastic wrap in products they’ve purchased, or needing to use bubble wrap for delicate items isn’t unheard of. Again, we must be realistic in our expectations but optimistic in our aspirations.

10. What else is your company doing to support the zero waste/sustainability movement?

This speaks for itself. You can tell what brands are looking beyond the product they’re creating and taking responsibility for their impact on the planet. Every company will have an impact, whether it is negative, positive or neutral is very much decided in the day-to-day running of the company. Seeing intersectional policies that take into account workers in other countries, or diversity on their own teams, or spending time in schools talking to children or promoting awareness through their channels are all good things to look for.

What questions do you ask or think we’ve missed off?