Black Friday is notorious for manic crowds and buying things we don’t actually need. Last year’s Black Friday saw $729 billion in sales in the U.S. alone, a 4% increase from 2018! This year, the TAMGA team invites you to approach Black Friday a little bit differently.
Introducing: Forest Friendly Friday
From November 27th-30th you’ll receive up to 30% off select TAMGA styles, and 20% of the proceeds will be donated to the Sumatran Orangutan Society (S.O.S) in your name!
Why do we call this day 'Forest-Friendly'? The Rainforests in Indonesia, where we produce TAMGA garments, are being devastated by global demand for palm oil and wood pulp. Some of this wood pulp is actually used to make Viscose fabrics, making fashion a prime culprit in destroying these forests. We source our fabrics sustainably, but we want to go one step further to actually help heal the damage that’s been done.
S.O.S. is an organization that protects endangered species and their forest habitat. This forest is the last place on earth where critically endangered species such as Sumatran Orangutans, Tigers, Elephants and Rhinos co-exist in the wild, and it’s disappearing at an alarming rate.
To date, the Sumatran Orangutan Society has planted 1,910,153 trees in the Leuser Ecosystem and has trained over 18,000 locals to support conservation-friendly livelihoods.
On average, every order on Forest-Friendy Friday will lead to 4 trees planted - but the impact doesn’t stop here. This money includes 5 years of training locals to look after the trees, weed them, and make organic compost to feed them. It also includes regular monitoring of the reforestation site for the return of wildlife, measuring rainfall and temperature, and building cabins for workers to live in while they protect the reforestation site. To put it simply - our focus is not just on putting trees in the ground, but making sure they stay there and thrive! Click here to hear first when Forest-Friendly Friday launches.
3 Ways to Make Sustainable Choices this Black Friday
You’d be hard-pressed to find someone who has not been directly or indirectly impacted by COVID-19 this year. Plans have been put on indefinite pause, jobs lost, and many loved ones are seen only through a screen. All of us have had to make some significant changes in the past year. For instance, 40% of Canadians are now working from home compared to only 10% in 2018.
One silver lining of the pandemic is a chance to reflect on the kind of habits we want to keep and the kind of people we want to be. You may have decided to value sustainability this year, and Black Friday is a chance to put those values to the test.
So, how will you contribute to shaping a better world post-pandemic? A great starting point for this is realizing the power that you have as a consumer.
“The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don't have any.”
- Alice walker
As small businesses struggle to stay afloat during these trying months, the value of our dollars has become more clear than ever. By voting with our wallets, we can decide which companies will be around next year and beyond! If you want to see a future where sustainable and ethical businesses can survive and thrive, now is the time to support them.
2. Shopping for Quality: What are your clothes made out of?
Not all fabrics are created equal.
Did you know common fabrics like viscose and rayon are derived from wood? Each year, more than 150 million trees are logged to be turned into fibres. If you were to stack those trees end to end, they would circle the earth seven times! Even worse, the chemically intensive process of dissolving the pulp to manufacture these textiles wastes approximately 70% of the tree.
So how can you avoid harmful fabrics this Black Friday?
When shopping for new clothing check the product page or tag and look for organic, recycled or sustainably sourced materials. Instead of ‘Viscose’ or ‘Rayon’ fabrics, choose ‘TENCEL’, ‘EcoVero’ or ‘Lenzing Modal’ - fibres that are sourced from renewable and sustainably managed forests. Instead of Cotton, go for organic cotton - which uses 91% less water than traditional cotton and avoids the use of toxic pesticides and chemicals.
The materials you choose to wear can have a major impact on the planet. Even a simple T-shirt purchase can make a huge difference in your personal environmental footprint, as well as ensure a fair wage is paid to the individual who made it.
As you start to stock up on clothes made from high-quality fabrics, you will find that they hold up better in the wash and still look great several years down the line. This will save you dollars, save the environment from mountains of fashion waste, and give you a whole new connection to your favourite clothes.
Looking for more info on how to shop ethically? Download our Ethical Fashion Shoppers Checklist.
3. Support Frontline Environmental Workers
During a global pandemic, it can be easy to forget about the incredible frontline environmental workers who are devoting their lives to protecting our planet.
For many non-profits like S.O.S, events and year-end fundraisers have been cancelled or moved online. As a result, donations have tapered off, leaving them unable to pay their staff and perform the critical work that they do for our environment.
For S.O.S, their partners on the ground are in dire need of donations. The Indonesian National Parks, once a major source of revenue, has shut down to protect people and orangutans from COVID-19.
These closures have left hundreds of families without an income and unable to perform their jobs. To put things in perspective, a day’s worth of supplies for one family in Indonesia costs $2.40, and a month’s worth would cost only $72. If you’re interested in donating directly, you can do so here.
In supporting these frontline environmental workers, you’re helping to ensure that these organizations and their local conservation champions will be around for the long haul. Nonprofits like S.O.S are essential to building a greener world post-pandemic. If you are able to, investing in our environment by supporting S.O.S. (or purchasing a Trees Please Tee) is one of the most meaningful actions we can take right now.
Let us know in the comments below how you are prioritizing the planet this Black Forest-Friendly Friday!
Help us make Black Friday about more than just getting deals - this Friday, buy Forest Friendly. Sign up here for early access to the event.
Leave a comment