I Fell Down A Rabbit Hole Of Sustainable Consumption, Here’s What I Learned
My research on sustainable products began on a peaceful Sunday afternoon, when the last thing I expected to discover was that some of my go-to drugstore picks were not cruelty-free. Oh hell no... I thought to myself. I immediately began googling dupes for Aquaphor cream and Garnier shampoo, adamant to find reasonably priced alternatives.
Down the rabbit hole of sustainable consumption and production I went, quickly realizing that in order to make sure my choices weren't hurting bunnies or deforesting the planet I’d need to familiarize myself with the meaning of the word “sustainable.”
What does this term mean? Why is it important? Why do the influencers and brands I follow love to throw it around?
Jo Vieira, a designer and entrepreneur who studied sustainable development at Columbia, provided me with the answers I was looking for in her article “What Makes a Product Sustainable.” In this piece, Vieira states that the ultimate sustainable product abides by the four pillars of sustainability, meaning it’s "made with responsible materials, produced in an ethical way, has an efficient life cycle and can be disposed of with minimal impact.”
Essentially, if the products I was purchasing were sustainable, this meant they were also eco-friendly, cruelty-free, and fair trade. Wonderful! Now how could I make sure that a specific brand or product was certifiably sustainable? Are there specific labels to look out for? Maybe an esteemed group of scientists handing out A’s and B’s? Who can I trust?
For cruelty-free consumption, The Humane Society of the US’s website suggests looking out for the Leaping Bunny logo, which indicates a brand has met “rigorous, internationally recognized cruelty-free [standards]” set by the Coalition for Consumer Information on Cosmetics (CCIC). To make this easier, you can also browse through the Leaping Bunny shopping guide, which lists cruelty-free brands.
In terms of brands that “meet the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability to balance profit and purpose,” B Corps is the certification to look out for.
As for eco-friendly, there are certain certifications one can look out for. Here are a few critical ones.
United States Eco Labels 101 (view more here):
Fairtrade: products that support farmers and workers as they improve their lives and communities.
USDA Organic: organic products; signifies organic meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products that come from animals that are given no antibiotics or growth hormones.
Energy Star: signalizes energy efficiency in order to protect the environment.
Green Seal: certifies that products and services meet science-based environmental standards.
Forest Stewardship Council (FSC): products made from trees in responsibly managed forests.
Certified B Corporation: corporations that meet the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability.
After familiarizing myself with sustainability-related terms and product labels, the moment I’d been waiting for came—it was time to shop!
The first thing that stood out to me was the prices. While countries and their eco-conscious citizens have been making efforts to live in ways less harmful to the planet, sustainable consumption still comes at a price, literally. Just as eating at McDonald’s is cheaper than going to the grocery store and buying all-natural, fresh ingredients, a mass-produced product that tests on animals and has factories in developing countries is going to be less expensive than an ethically sourced, greener alternative. Is this elitist? Absolutely. But I was determined to find quality products in different price ranges for all of us who are balling on a budget.
In my search for cruelty-free and sustainable brands, I came across some familiar names. Lush, Tarte, Eos… I’ve been a fan of some of their products for quite some time now.
For Lush, one of my favorite products has got to be their shampoo bars. They are not only package-free but also surprisingly efficient. I thought I would need to scrub the product into my hair for much longer, but a little bit goes a long way, and my hair smelled amazing afterward as well.
As for Tarte, I stole one of my mom’s foundations a while back and it happened to be the foundation from the Rainforest of the Sea collection. I don’t usually wear foundation because I want to avoid looking cakey, but that was never the case with this product. It’s buildable and lasts all day. My only issue was the shade range. Fenty Beauty, Rihanna’s cruelty-free makeup brand, is much more inclusive. The Pro Filt’r Soft Matte Longwear Foundation, Rihanna’s personal favorite, has 50 shades. The foundation is $36 for 1.08 oz/32 mL. In contrast, Tarte’s Rainforest of the Sea Foundation is $39 for 1 oz/30mL.
Fortunately, the list of sustainable brands and products continues to grow as consumers become more eco-conscious and demand ethical products from producers. We’ve created a sustainable shopping catalog, available on Google Sheets, for those who are interested in viewing eco-friendly and cruelty-free brands.
If you have a brand, product, or retailer suggestions, we’d love to hear from you! Feel free to send us a DM on Instagram @PulseSpikes or email us at hello[at]pulsespikes[dot]org.
STORY ANA SOFIA ERATH
COVER GRAPHIC JANICE KIM