Black Friday and Cyber Monday have become synonymous with mass consumerism. For the third year in a row we’re closing our online store in protest of over consumption. If you want to get involved or show your support you can use the hashtag #noplayblackfriday on social media.
Why we're doing this
At Mia Fratino, we are commited to sustainability, ethical production and responsible consumption. To partake in the Black Friday and Cyber Monday rush would go against our values. Shutting our online store isn’t a novelty or token action, it resonates true with everything we’ve been working on for years. Sustainable and considered purchasing runs throughout the backbone of our company – it’s integral to the way we work. Â
The dark side of retail therapy
The intensity at which these sales are promoted plays into consumer psychology and encourages consumers to buy more than what they really need at a scale that cannot be sustained. Brands feel pressure to participate in these sale frenzies in fear of missing the opportunity to capitalise on peaked consumer hype.
During this period of heightened consumerism, the production of clothing escalates to meet the surging demand. The fast fashion industry's methods of production and distribution raise significant concerns, with a blend of toxic chemicals, exploitative working conditions, excessive manufacturing and packaging all contributing to environmental damage.
What in theory sounds like a bit of retail therapy has an adverse effect when it’s amplified on such a large scale. The effects mass consumption have on our environment are staggering.
Australians alone buy an average of 27kg of new clothes a year while throwing 23kg away and we are second only to the United States when it comes to consumption[3].
So where do all these unwanted and discarded items go if they aren’t recycled? Landfill or the ocean. Or both. We discard over 800,000 tonnes of clothing and textiles each year[4] and those items that aren’t recycled, resold or able to be repurposed head straight to landfill. It’s not just clothing that ends up here, it’s the excess packaging used during this period as well as items that are predominantly made of plastic.
Alarmingly, over 91% of products purchased on Black Friday or Cyber Monday do not end up being recycled and end up in landfill[5]. For items that don’t naturally break down (like us when we’re stressed out) they end up releasing harmful carbon emissions, affecting our air, land, and oceans.
Staying out of the fast lane
As the world spins fast, we go slow. We passionately advocate mindful purchasing over impulse buys with an emphasis on garments designed to last. As the festive season approaches, we wholeheartedly encourage everyone to adopt a more mindful approach. Invest in slow fashion, support local artisans and choose locally produced items that embody the essence of slow living.
So, while Black Friday and Cyber Monday may have you feeling like you’re getting more bang for your buck, there is always a price to pay… and it often comes in the form of our environment.
That’s why we’ll be sitting this one out.
Instead of adding to the noise we’re sending out a signal. For those who will be shopping, remember: it’s not about resisting the urge to buy, its about resisting the urge to buy in excess. Practice mindful purchasing and be a part of slowing down the sale mentality.
Buy Less, Choose Well