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While researching sustainable brands, terms and certifications comes with the job description of writing for The Wellness Feed, we understand that reading 70-page impact reports is not for everyone. Sometimes you just need a trustworthy source to help you make a sustainable buying decision in less than 60 seconds.
Powerful TedX Talks That Will Change Your Perception About Fast Fashion
When you’re not sure about a brand’s fair trade or labor initiatives where do you go to learn more? How do you know if the ingredients in your foundation are actually natural and not just marketing jargon? For some items the answer lies in apps. In the digital age, there are digital databases that rank brands from Revlon to H&M and every sustainable designer and retailer in between for their impact on consumers, employees and the environment. When there isn’t an easy-to-download app on hand, yes, you might just have to read a report. But, most of these are well organized allowing you to scroll right to the brand that you’re concerned about. Both are good resources that every consumer needs to know to shop and live a more eco-conscious lifestyle.
Good On You
As an app Good on You let’s you discover and search for your favorite sustainable fashion brands based on several key areas. People. Planet. Animals. Using external and internal resources like OEKO-TEX and Cradle to Cradle this app ranks brands (with a sliding scale of smile emojis : ) to see how transparent the brand is about their policies to protect and improve their employees’ lives, the environment and animals and wildlife.
Use To: Discover and shop sustainable fashion brands.
Fashion Revolution Transparency Index
Each year Fashion Revolution publishes an index reviewing the sustainable initiatives of hundreds of the world’s largest fashion brands and retailers. As a tool for both consumers and brands, this is a resource transparently showing what practices are working and what brands need to work on to make a better impact on the environment and the employees along their supply chain. This year 250 brands have been reviewed.
Use To: Learn which fashion brands are and aren’t transparent about how their products are sourced and made.
EWG’s Skin Deep Guide
The Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep guide might not show you how a brand is minimizing it’s use of plastic or water waste. But, what this database of 7,000+ products offers is an app to rank brands based on the transparency and health of their ingredient list. From sunscreens to mascaras, you’ll find products from everyday brands ranked along with detailed information and links to further research about each item on the ingredient list.
Use To: Find out if that sunscreen you’re using contains ingredients harmful to coral reefs or plastic-based fillers.
Ethical Consumer
If you’re based in the UK you can use this guide to rank brands on sustainable initiatives like investing in fair trade, being vegan and cruelty-free and using organic ingredients. As a resource, it’s a quick way to tell whether or not that mascara or foundation that you want to buy contains potentially harmful or environmentally unfriendly ingredients like palm oil. Those across the pond can also use this tool for its inclusion of popular brands like Maybelline, Lancome and Revlon.
Use To: Find out if your favorite beauty products contain ingredients that are sourced ethically and if they practice fair trade.
Good Food Media Network
Food can taste good and do good. This annual report highlights the chefs and restaurants doing good for the environment, their local communities and their employees. With restaurants chosen from around the U.S this report ranks each for sustainable initiatives such as where they source their produce and systems that they have in place to minimize food waste and single-use plastic.
Use To: Discover new sustainable restaurants to support.