Green Friday is the planet-positive alternative to Black Friday that these beauty brands are all celebrating
It's that time of year again. All I Want For Christmas is playing on repeat in every clothing store and coffee shop up and down the country. We're digging out our hats and gloves from last winter and putting an extra blanket on our beds. Oh, and then there's the Black Friday deals.
Sure, the annual shopping event can be a great way to bag a bargain or save a bit of money on Christmas presents, but it's impossible to ignore the fact that the collective spending spree can have an alarming effect on the planet.
After all, British Black Friday home deliveries are estimated to produce a whopping 429,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions, according to research conducted by Money.co.uk – and that's not to mention the environmental toll of the rest of the production line. Much of what's bought will be both made of plastic, and packaged in plastic, which will all end up in landfill at some point.
Due to the environmental impact, some beauty brands have decided not to participate in Black Friday this year – at least, not in the traditional sense. Instead, they're choosing to reclaim the day in what's being dubbed Green Friday, by supporting charities that preserve the planet and protect people with a number of impressive, feel-good initiatives while encouraging us to make more conscious consumer choices (and to compete with the less eco-friendly brands offering similar deals) with irresistible discounts, including pioneers in refillable beauty Faith In Nature, Wild and Fiils.
Other brands are going one step further, boycotting the day altogether. The Ordinary, who are known for revolutionising the beauty industry providing affordable, ingredient-focused skincare, are pausing their website as well as all in-store transactions on the day, to encourage people to focus on human connection rather than shopping.
Fiils
Fiils, the beauty brand on a mission to eradicate throwaway culture, is known for their chic reusable aluminium bottles and comprehensive range of hair and body care. From Friday 26th November to Friday 3rd December, Fiils will be offering free aluminium bottles to store your refills and a wash bag with orders over £60. And that’s not all, they will also plant two trees for every order – and that's a promise.
Armani Beauty
Back in 2010, Armani Beauty created Acqua for Life in partnership with Water Aid, with the aim to provide access to drinking water in water-scarce regions. Since then, Acqua for Life has invested over 10 million euros in water projects worldwide, funding 530 water supply systems that have helped over 390,000 people in 20 countries. Instead of Black Friday, the brand is celebrating Blue Friday, with 30% of the value of each sale on the beauty brand's website donated to the initiative up to £100,000.
Faith In Nature
Pioneers of natural, refillable beauty, Faith In Nature are well-known for their green initiatives, which is why this Black Friday they giving back to the planet by partnering with Treesisters to plant a tree with every order, as well as treating customers with up to 40% off different product ranges.
Wild
Not only do Wild provide us with 100% natural, biodegradable refillable deodorants housed in plastic-free cases that look stunning on our bathroom shelves, but they are also offering 25% off all products between 22nd-29th November. The eco-conscious brand is also planting a tree for every order in partnership with charity OnAMission (their aim is to plant 50,000 trees over the period).
The Ordinary
Ever subversive, The Ordinary aren't offering any Black Friday discounts – or Green Friday, for that matter. On 26th November, they're launching 'Take Back
BlackFriday'. The website will be paused, and products will not be available to purchase at any of their stores around the world, either. Instead, the brand will use the time to focus on human connection by hosting experiential activities that celebrate the beauty in slowing down. That's not to say they've forgotten about helping their customers out – they are offering 23% saving across all products for the entire month up until the 26th.
