Because of erroneous labelling, claimed advantages, and flaws in scientific research and/or public access, simple, ordinary behaviours that we thought were benefiting the earth may really be hurting it. So, after doing some research we thought we’d share our findings with you guys, to ensure we improve our habits for a more sustainable future.

When it comes to shopping, there are a few environmental blunders to avoid. We've listed a few for you here.

1. Rethink Buying More Plastic Bags

Think twice about buying more reusable shopping bags.  When the tote bag was promoted as a more environmentally friendly alternative to plastic bags, it appeared out of nowhere as the REUSABLE shopping bag solution. These cotton bags appeared to be a terrific method to eliminate plastic bags, with funny statements written on them and a range of colours and forms to choose from.

While the build-up of plastic remains an issue, the manufacture of cotton bags has an environmental impact because they wind up in landfills. If there’s one method to deal with this issue, it’s to keep the bags you already have and avoid buying more bags.

2. Don’t Buy for the sake of it

We are not suggesting a shopping ban here. You don’t have to buy a product just because it has a “green” or “sustainable” label on it, especially if you already own a different version of it. Purchasing anything solely because it claims to be environmentally friendly, especially if you already own a product, runs counter to the concept of shopping sustainably. Use your things till they’re completely worn out. When you do need to purchase make sure you buy from reputable brands responsibly produced versions of the things you do need. Do you need that latte from your local coffee shop chain today, or would one from home hit the spot, or could you use a reusable cup next time - these small daily choices help save money and are the eco-friendlier option?

3. Recycling Correctly

Certain things, such as plastic bottles or paper cartons, of food packaging are easy to spot and toss into the recycling bin - how ever not all of these plastics can be recycled so look for the icon on the base to indicate recyclable materials. Did you also realise that improper recycling can be harmful to the environment? If certain items are not properly recycled, such as electronics or pizza boxes with grease, they end up in a landfill because they can contaminate the recycling plant and create additional greenhouse gas emissions.
The greatest thing you can do is look up your city or county’s recycling regulations or protocols and adhere to them as closely as possible to ensure that items that should be recycled are recycled.

4. Learning to Read Labels

Many products claim to be “eco-friendly” or “sustainable” when they aren’t.
Understanding labels and logos is the most important thing you can do. Furthermore, some products may only be marginally green or sustainable, and hence may not be environmentally beneficial. Always read the ingredient list and get as much information about them as possible. Where possible buy package free, rather than plastic packaging for everyday staples and shop from local resources if you have a high street near you.

5. Eco-Friendly Clothes

When shopping online, eco-friendly clothing is easy to come by. However, eco-friendly clothing can be very expensive at times, and it is not always in everyone’s eco-friendly buying budget to keep an eco-friendly wardrobe.  If you want to buy eco-friendly garments, be sure they are made from sustainable resources and are made in a sustainable manner.

Buying used clothing is one answer to this problem. Buying used garments helps to limit the amount of clothing that ends up in landfills. It also reduces the demand for new clothes and conserves water, as water is used extensively in the clothing manufacturing process.

Alternatively, clothes trading is more eco-friendly way of updating your wardrobe. By extending your clothes life span by just 9 months it can reduce your environmental impact by 25-30%. (Source Ellen MacArthur Foundation)

Just a little plug from us here; by joining up with an app such as UNTAGGED, you’ll be saving the environment as well updating your wardrobe - an online shopping gamechanger to making eco-friendly choices! We’re a GAME as well as a MARKETPLACE. Other fashion resale marketplaces for clothes shopping can be boring and time-consuming, and you can end up doomscrolling away your time, hesitant to make the final decision online! With UNTAGGED we encourage you to complete missions, compete with your friends and track your carbon offsets where you can also win exclusive rewards and sustainable brand discounts with our app.

Other factors to consider when shopping:

Look at the materials before you buy, is it organic cotton, what does a brand mean by eco-friendly? Did you know only 14% of polyester gets recycled? Polyester is the most widely used fibre in the world—it made for 52% of all fibre production in 2019. But textile recycling statistics reveal that only 14% of it returns into the production cycle, and the rest ends up in landfills and oceans. This is why fibre and plastic recycling initiatives like Nike’s Space Hippie and H&M’s Loop are a big step toward a more ethical approach to fashion.

6. A zero waste lifestyle is hard - look at it as going on the zero waste journey

A zero waste lifestyle is a big ask, and ultimately there is no finish line. Living a more sustainable lifestyle involves taking small steps, and learning what changes make sense for your family. Trying to change everything all at once can lead to green burnout – and making choices that aren’t necessarily good for the environment. Zero waster lifestyle is admirable but a tricky ideal to truly live with zero waste generated for many of us,

7. Can you trust all 'Clean' Beauty and Wellness Products

Tim Hollinger, co-founder of Bathing Culture says, “There’s no official definition of the word ‘natural’ when it comes to personal care brands, so watch out for companies that plaster that word all over their packaging.”

With a little research you will be educated to keep an eye out for brands that use fake wood or plant images, or just focus on eco-friendly packaging. Don't forget to watch out for wood-plastic composite containers that try to look “natural” despite the fact that their components aren’t. This takes educating yourself on the greenwashing practise's of some brands which is a tick box exercise rather than a committed brand value. The ingredients or what's inside the fancy packaging holds the key to the truth. Some clean products contain dangerous ingredients that, after being rinsed away, end up in the drain. Some exfoliants, contain granules that do not dissolve in water and contribute to pollution.

What about your fashion choices?

The fashion industry is responsible for 2.1 billion tonnes of CO2 emissions each year.

(Source McKinsey).  If the fashion industry continues decarbonising at its current pace, its carbon emissions in 2030 will be the same as in 2018, indicating no progress whatsoever. For the annual temperature growth to stay at the current 1.5-degree level, the industry needs to halve that number to no more than 1.1 billion tonnes a year over the next decade. So, what else can we do?

It's not just about HOW you shop

On top of how you shop, 21% of projected emission savings can be achieved by reforming consumer behaviour to create a lighter impact on the earth. (Source McKinsey).

Along with companies, consumers need to take practical measures to reduce their carbon footprint. After all, eco-friendly shopping isn’t only about buying from sustainable brands but also about vital, environmentally conscious behaviours.

When it comes to clothes, the first step is to buy less and opt for higher-quality garments that last longer. But the secret is in the care—skipping one in six washing loads, reducing the temperature to 30 degrees, air drying when possible, and turning old clothes in for recycling. Doing all this could help prevent another 186 million tonnes of CO2 from making the atmosphere stuffy and hot.

It can be difficult to switch completely to sustainable products so ease your way into it. Before you know it you’’ll become an Eco warrior.  We have got this.