Frantic consumption, jumping at discounts and the hasty accumulation of unnecessary goods have become the prevailing way to shop. 

If, back in the day, possessing many objects – even better if they were valuable objects – concerned only oneself and reserved a prominent place on the social scale, today, the awareness of the consequences of this behaviour on the planet must force us to reflect on a much larger scale: the global one.

Resources are running out and we can no longer afford to support recurring events like Black Friday or Cyber Monday, which by their very nature help accelerate the environmental disaster.

Black Friday: Why black? And why a Friday at the end of November? 

 

The origins and history of Black Friday consist of dozens of different versions.

Let’s start with what’s certain: Black Friday is an invention made in the USA and occurs the day after Thanksgiving, which in the calendar occupies the box on the fourth Thursday of November. After Thanksgiving, but also at the gates of the Christmas period. The idea was indeed conceived by Macy’s department stores in 1924, to officially kick off the holiday shopping. 

And why black? Beyond the common negative perception, black is the colour of ink, which indicated a positive balance sheet on shopkeepers’ accounting records. On the other hand, the expression going red is rooted in the habit of writing down losses with that precise colour of ink.

Without being budget wizards, it is easy to guess that after Thanksgiving the accounts would be doing quite well, with a decidedly positive sign. From that day on, the most profitable period of the year for merchants would get underway, leading to Christmas with the cash registers abundantly… in black. 

Then there are the more figurative and sadly prophetic versions of the story, such as those that attribute black to the large cloud of smog dispersed by the traffic of cars queuing to grab the best discounts.

Finally, those urban legends – today proved wrong of course – which link the name of the event to the day when the slaves were sold off to be replaced with new and strong hands, ready to carry out the work during the harsh, approaching winter season.

The round of compulsive buying: how does Black Friday work today?

Year after year, the duration of this event has indeed grown.

Originally conceived as 24 hours of discounts today, it has turned into a genuine period of sensational deals and offers in all product sectors. Clothing, technology, appliances, toys, cosmetics, all sold under a single banner: to allow you to get your hands on something at a bargain price. 

Year after year, Macy’s flash of genius was imitated by many stores and malls, until the Internet on online shopping pushed the boundaries of the day, transforming it into a mini sales season.

Today, the giants of global electronics and e-commerce play the role of the lion, attracting most of the traffic and shopping. And Black Friday has gone from being a Friday of bargains, to being the time and pretext for impulse Christmas gifts and useless personal purchases.

With the end result that the only thing to be unwrapped is the waste of meaningless purchases.

Consumerism vs conscious consumption: the future is at stake

 

It’s time to rewrite our consumption habits, making them more thoughtful, more aware and more measured.

 HOW?

By purchasing only what you need and in the right quantities.

Reusing.

Buying durable items, made from durable materials.

Opting for products that don’t include secondary packaging.

Realising that plastic will never be a sustainable choice.

 We can be active and important protagonists of change through small choices, daily commitment, the power which we have over our lifestyle. And it’s time to do your part. 

Start the change (yes!) at any cost

People and companies can contribute in different ways, all equally necessary.

We believe that people in front of the supermarket fruit counter, or in the perfumery, should see sustainable choices made easier thanks to the adoption of courageous and responsible commercial policies.

Those who produce, indeed have the duty to avoid choices that impact and are unsustainable for the environment.

This is precisely what Oway does in practice day in and day out, along every step of its production chain.

We were the first brand in professional cosmetics – starting back in 2013 – to replace plastic containers with glass and aluminium: 100% recyclable and for an infinite number of times.

We have eliminated all superfluous packaging and, only when necessary, we resort to reusable materials such as wooden or cotton cases, or tree-free paper, ecological and fully circular. 

We create concentrated agricosmetic products, rich in pure plant-based active ingredients and performing substances. Our products therefore guarantee effective results using small doses, without waste. 

Instead of synthetic ingredients, we prefer raw materials of natural origin such as extracts, oils, hydrolates and macerates, sourced from biodynamic and organic agriculture. We practice biodynamic agriculture and look to spread this gro-ecological method to other farmers. This, because we believe in respecting the land and in the importance of keeping it fertile, counteracting intensive exploitation from conventional agriculture that impoverishes and degrades it.