Is your favourite brand sustainable?

One of my goals turning 21 was to buy new items only from sustainable brands. That said, it seemed daunting at first. I wondered if there were sustainable alternatives for all products?

Or how to know if a brand was sustainable?

After six months, I can answer yes to the first question (there are more alternatives than you think!), and here are my tips to know if a brand is sustainable:

• Check the labels: check the labels for the materials used and for quality labels the brand has (and their validity). First, the materials to be preferred are organic, recycled, or environmentally friendly materials. Then, quality labels’ role is to certify that a product meets some requirements. For example, “Made in Green by OEKO-TEX” guarantees that the textile or leather product has been manufactured using sustainable processes under socially responsible working conditions. B Corporation, Fairtrade, GOTS, Vegan Society, or PETA-approved vegan are other labels I know of.

• Good On You app: this app is my go-to when I want to find eco-friendly brands or check the sustainability of a brand I’ve heard about. Brands are rated from “1 – We avoid” to “5 – Great”.

• Go on Google: search about a brand’s sustainability, how it treats its workers, etc… You’ll get an idea of what kind of brand you’re buying from pretty quickly.

You might think that it’s a lot of trouble, but I see this as a game, and the reward is knowing who you support! Use these tips to check if your favourite brand is sustainable, you might be surprised!

- Camille Blandin