CaliWoods Boycotts Black Friday! Here's why...

WE ARE BOYCOTTING BLACK FRIDAY! For the fifth year running, we are saying no to being a part the biggest shopping day of the year and choosing to give back instead.

Here's why...

Black Friday is all about encouraging quick and often thoughtless consumption which is not good for either people or the planet. In a bid to create awareness AND give back, 100% of profits from online orders will be donated to Sea Shepherd NZ

1. Overconsumption costs your wallet and the planet

A lot of the time we buy things because we want them, not because we truly need them and especially on Black Friday when there are irresistible deals left right and centre. On top of costing you money, all the 'stuff' in the world is a huge strain on resources and source of waste. A recent study by the University of Leeds found that 80% of items purchased on Black Friday end up either being thrown out after only one use, just a few uses or even worse, no uses at all!

2. We stand for conscious consumption, not hyper-consumerism

Boycotting is making a stand! We don't want you to spend your money buying resources that wont serve you, including from us! We choose to not participate because we want to people to think about their other purchases carefully, not just hit the 'Buy Now' button because of a price tag. It also sets a benchmark for other brands, showing that we can easily do things differently and have an impact.

3. Why not use this day to do something positive instead?

Black Friday generates millions in profits for companies, despite the drop in prices. So instead of using this day to encourage spending and pocket profits, we are donating all profits from online sales to one of our environmental donation partners. Everyone buying from CaliWoods this Black Friday is not only reducing their single-use consumption but their purchase doubles in impact by contributing to Sea Shepherd New Zealand.  

Things to Think About Before You Buy...

1. Do you really need this? - including CaliWoods! Chances are, if it hasn't been on your list for a while, it is just an impulse buy. 

2. Will it serve you well? - how much use will you get out of this? If you know it will be loved for years then you can use Black Friday as a way to support brands doing awesome stuff - we boycott to get people and brands to think twice.

3. Is there a more sustainable alternative? - we like the plastic bottle / can analogy. You can buy Juice in a can which can be infinitely recycled or choose the plastic bottle - only 9% of plastic ever made have been recycled. One is for sure the better choice.

4. What will happen to this product at the end of its life? Ask yourself if you are able to dispose of the item responsibly and what that might look like. Companies now are starting to take responsibility for their products and we hope that this will become standard practise, and part of legislation, very soon. Check out what we have done with the Cali Safety Razors to give you some sort of idea of what this looks like.

Our Ultimate Message...

✔️ Use Black Friday wisely. Plan and think through your purchases fully before committing. If it's not something that has been on the list for at least a few weeks, chances are you don't need it. 

✔️ Don't get suckered in to an irresistible deal. We can all stop waste before it starts by just buying less.

✔️ Consuming un-thoughtfully is unsustainable. We urgently need to adopt a mentality that treats purchases like investments. In the words of the British fashion icon, Vivian Westwood: "Buy Less. Choose Well. Make It Last" 

You can support our oceans this weekend by shopping HERE. All purchases from Friday 25th November are valid.

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