Shopping online can be better for the environment than shopping in-store. One van delivering to hundreds of households is much more eco-friendly than a hundred individuals driving to the shops in their cars. The result is a significant decrease in greenhouse-gas emissions. As long as you stick to a few key rules: stick to eco-friendly brands who use plastic-free recyclable packaging and offer a choice of delivery options.
Many of us will be shopping online for gifts this holiday season. Our jewellery is a popular gift option and we want to help you to be as eco-friendly as possible. If you want to know how you can make your online purchases more sustainable and less wasteful, continue reading.
Shop Secondhand
Over a million tonnes of clothing every year is donated in the UK with £140 million worth of used but still wearable clothing going to landfill. With so much unwanted stuff being donated and sold, why buy new? Thrifting is one of the easiest ways to reduce your impact, shop more sustainably, and save money. Shopping second-hand gives these unwanted items a new life, and creates a more circular economy.
Support Small Independent Shops
You may have noticed that small independent businesses like ours are often more eco-conscious with responsibly-made products in recyclable packaging. We've always prioritised sustainability, making sure our materials are fairly-sourced and environmentally-friendly. We make our jewellery in small batches to reduce waste, and use plastic-free recyclable packaging to deliver your orders. Learn more about our sustainable jewellery practices.
Choose Eco-Friendly Packaging
Take a look at the online shop to see what your order will be delivered in. Stick to ordering from businesses that offer minimal packaging that is plastic-free and recyclable. Many small businesses use eco-friendly alternatives as standard, like ours. We don't include paper receipts or unnecessary flyers. You can even skip the jewellery box by leaving us a note at checkout–we won't be offended!
Deliver Everything Together
If possible, try to order as much as you can from one place. Request that your entire order is delivered together, even if that means waiting a little longer to receive it. Multiple deliveries is less efficient and more damaging to the environment than waiting an extra few days for a single delivery. This is likely to happen more with a food shop or household essentials but can happen with gifts if you're not careful. Write a list and order everything all at once.
Be Patient For Delivery
Shop early, place your order before you need it, and be patient with a slower delivery option. Big brands and fast fashion labels offer next day delivery as standard or for free. But rarely is something so important that we need it delivered as quickly as the next day. It just encourages impulse purchasing and a habit for waiting until the last minute to place our orders. Think about what you need and when you'll need it. We offer different delivery options but encourage you to order earlier and choose our standard service.
Avoid Returning Items
When you return an item to an online store, there's a big chance it'll end up in landfill–this is particularly true with big brands and fast fashion labels. To avoid this, make sure what you've ordered is what you need and will fit. We provide a size guide so you can find the perfect necklace or ring. For any returns, we hold a once-a-year secret sale. We do this to minimise waste and to make our jewellery even more affordable. It also avoids the intensive process of melting the metal down to make something new. Get on our list to avoid missing our next secret sale.
