How to be an ethical consumer on Black Friday

There's no escaping what day of the year it is with inboxes full of savings and constant advertisements for seasonal bargains. The festive season has arrived, and after one of the roughest years in retail history, Black Friday weekend's internet sales are expected to break records as companies reduce prices in what has become the year's greatest buying frenzy.


When it comes to sustainability, Black Friday is a divisive subject, and this year is no exception. Many brands feel compelled to use intense discounting and marketing at this time of year, encouraging panicked hyper-consumption, with many people purchasing products they don't need all for a bargain, resulting in massive amounts of waste as goods are returned and contributing to a disposable culture. 


 As online orders of clothing and shoes often have a return rate of 30-40% and many major retailers send returned products straight to landfill or burning, this type of spending does come with a few issues.


Let’s take a look at a few things you can do to shop more sustainably this Black Friday.

Choose brands that are low waste

Seek out sustainable retailers and brands

Look for deals from shops and companies that are attempting to reduce their environmental effect. This may be a company that is minimising its usage of plastic packaging or one that gets ethically sourced materials responsibly for its products - like us!

Place only one order

Make no more than one purchase from a single retailer. Instead, fill your cart and place a single larger order to ensure that all of your things are delivered at the same time. If possible, select the delivery option that has everything delivered at once; this may add a day to the delivery time, but it will help limit the number of delivery vans on the road.

Check labels before you purchase 

Always read the labels or materials of the products, whether you're building a list of things you want to buy this Black Friday or just browsing online. You may keep the products you buy for the next few years, but how long they'll be around once you've used them may have an influence on your purchasing decisions.


Clothing that is made to last a lifetime really can make all the difference. You’ll need to make fewer purchases and you’ll have a real statement piece for the long-run. That’s why all of our clothing is made to designer-quality standards.

Invest in ethically made products

Make the most of Black Friday. It is possible that reusable and sustainable products will cost a bit more, so keep a look out this year for those eco-friendly items you've been searching for. Look for discounts at stores that are attempting to improve their eco-friendliness whenever possible. Finally, if saving a few pounds means you can go more sustainable this year instead of single-use, why not?


Here at THE-CØDED, our garments are made with ethically sourced materials where possible, with the end goal of producing high quality clothes that will last a lifetime. This in turn reduces the need for excess consumption and our customers own garments they can wear over and over again all year round. 

Shop brands that make a difference in their communities

Often referred to as ‘social good’, try researching some brands that are giving something back to their local communities. We're talking about firms or organisations that prioritise people and the environment over profit in the field of sustainable living. A social enterprise's mindset is less about making money first and foremost. Instead, they donate a portion or all of their earnings to help communities or the environment. We can support causes that align with our beliefs while also making the world a better place by purchasing from brands with a powerful social mission. You can make a difference and embrace the change you want to see in the world by voting with your purchase.


We choose to pay all our talented factory workers and employees globally a fair living wage, as we know this will make a difference to their communities and families at home. For example, a factory we work with defined by cøde 020 based in Portugal, are the cofounders of an organisation campaigning against poverty and social exclusion and support a number of initiatives which educate children about the environment. 

Why you should shop with THE-CØDED this Black Friday

We’ve joined the ethical fashion movement for a brighter future for the industry, the environment and for people. The fast fashion industry has a detrimental impact on all three of the above, especially around Black Friday and the festive season - but you can make a difference this year.


Overconsumption and the 'wear once, throw away' mentality encouraged by fast fashion brands are two major problems in the fashion business. According to the Fair Fashion Project, 80% of Black Friday buys are thrown away after zero or one use.


We won’t produce garments that are meant just for the season, we won’t produce anything that can be thrown away, and we’re proud to be able to promote our clothes with a longevity promise. Look out for our Black Friday sale with a difference (starting 19/11/2021) by signing up to our mailing list. 


In the meantime. you can browse all of our ethically made collections.


Find out more about our mission and why we define our clothes with just a cøde.
May 30, 2022 — James Browne