Black Friday is bad for the environment, So Scandinavian Biolabs is changing the colour of the retail event to green for 2021.
There will be no discounts offered by the Danish company, which sells hair growth products using 100% vegan, naturally-derived and non-toxic ingredients.
Instead, they will help to preserve marine life by donating 10% of sales to Reefscapers, whose pioneering coral frame techniques are leading conservation efforts in the Maldives.
Scandinavian Biolabs is reacting to warnings sounded at the COP26 climate conference, and is acutely aware that the cosmetics industry has much to repair.
Contaminants from cosmetics find their way into our seas, and these have been linked to coral bleaching and damage to other marine life. Plastic waste is another devastating byproduct of the industry.
But Scandinavian Biolabs is showing others how it can be done differently, without using potentially harmful ingredients.
Anders Reckendorff, CEO of the company, which sells its products worldwide, said: “Our customers often ask about how cosmetics affect the environment, and what we do to ensure sustainability.
“Environmental and social values are instilled into every aspect of our business, from the formulation to the distribution of our products.
“Our collaboration with Reefscapers is equally an opportunity to tell our customers about how they can help ensure healthy ecosystems — for example by using natural products without parabens.
“We know that we are not where we would like to be yet in terms of environmental footprint, but In 2022 we are switching to recycled PET-bottles, and initiatives like the Reefscapers partnership can help both us and others to improve.”
The National Retail Federation in the United States estimates that 164 million people will take advantage of discounts and shop over the weekend between Black Friday (November 26, 2021) and Cyber Monday.
This will create vast amounts of carbon pollution to deliver the items, and a massive stream of waste in their wake.
Mr Reckendorff adds: ”We thrive on transparency, both in prices and ingredients. We therefore wanted to use Black Friday to engage our customers in what we all can do to consume mindfully.”
Green Is The New Black
The trend to turn black into green had already started. Last year, The Make Friday Green Again collective saw more than 300 clothing brands team up to ask shoppers not to buy anything in the Black Friday sales.
Public Fibre, a London lifestyle brand, offered a “Buy More Rubbish” campaign, where consumers could purchase used, empty water-bottles — with proceeds going to Ocean Cleanup.
Planet-friendly shoe company Allbirds raised their prices across the board, with proceeds going to Fridays For Future.
North Face donated a pound for every purchase made during Black Friday weekend, Lucy & Yak donated 10% of their sales to help women’s education opportunities in India and DECEIM closed all its stores on Black Friday.
There is now a clear trend for brands to focus on long-term relationships with their customers — and this involves considering their own impact on the environment.
A survey by Barclaycard also found that up to 62% of consumers plan to make fewer purchases than usual on Black Friday, all because of climate impacts.
Being seen to be green appears to be at least as important as offering discounts this Black Friday.
More information: scandinavianbiolabs.com and reefscapers.com.
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