At SANVT, we have chosen not to participate in Black Friday since our inception in 2018. But what are our motives? And why are the concepts of Black Friday and sustainability not really compatible?
First things first. Who invented this day?
Black Friday dates back to the 1950s and was created by the American press. Originally, the term describes the phenomenon that on the Friday after Thanksgiving, employees traditionally used the day to buy Christmas presents. Although the term initially had derogatory connotations, it has become positively established not only in America but also worldwide. Today, Black Friday describes one of the strongest sales days of the year. And from a marketing perspective, it is also advantageous for many companies as they can attract new customers with tempting bargains. However, the result is questionable: extreme discounts and hot deals end up in consumer madness and thoughtless shopping.
Especially given the current economic situation, we understand that many shoppers can't wait for this special day and yet we have deliberately decided:
We don't do Black Friday!
What may seem incomprehensible at first glance is, however, quite logical if you dare to look behind the facade. Therefore, the curtain is raised on the top reasons against Black Friday:
Buy consciously
The main goal of Black Friday (at least from the perspective of the participating companies) is to make people willing to consume much more than they actually need. After all, it's especially tempting when you can save up to 80% on fashion, cosmetics, and electronics, isn't it? Nonetheless, ill-considered consumption leads to bad purchases that result in large amounts of waste. To avoid such bad purchases, one should always ask oneself the question: Would I have bought this product even if it were not reduced? In 90% of cases, you will answer this question with a no. So don't be so easily seduced by bargains.
Are hot deals really hot?
Sure, there are some deals that are worthwhile. But if you take a closer look at the market, it becomes increasingly clear that many companies make their products more expensive before Black Friday in order to be able to advertise with great deals and charming slogans. Did you also know that corporations can quote the original price in discount promotions quite randomly? After all, it is only a recommended retail price! So let's say one thing - true bargains are rarely found on Black Friday, even if clever marketing strategies would have us believe otherwise.
Climate Change incoming
It is no longer a secret that cheap goods and overconsumption harm our climate. However, the situation is getting worse every year. The UN, for example, said that 'according to recent projections, the world's population could grow to about 8.5 billion by 2030 and 9.7 billion by 2050. The equivalent of nearly three planets may be needed to provide the natural resources required to sustain current lifestyles' (UN.org). In order to conserve existing resources, protect the climate and do less damage to our planet, we should consume wisely and use environmentally friendly products.
Make a change - with SANVT
For these reasons, we consciously oppose Black Friday and want the SANVT community to use this day to reconsider habits and routines and encourage each other to buy less, but better!
We believe that in this year of unprecedented challenges staying true to our purpose, living our values and caring for our people and nature is more important than ever. Here is how we incorporate our core values into our production process:
- We invest in quality materials; garments that last five years, not five washes.
- We invest in quality workmanship – We only work with trusted, certified production partners in Europe. Ethical factories that treat people with respect.
- We collect damaged essentials, sell them und give the proceeds to charity projects such as Münchner Tavel e.V.
If you want to know more about how we make our entire value chain sustainable and how we can guarantee that our essentials are a lot less damaging to the environment than conventional clothing, click here.
Welcome to the good life!
- Team SANVT