Whether we are buying food, clothes or cleaning products, we have the option to shop ethically. Many things we buy today contain animal products, have involved cruel processes or contain ingredients that are bad for the environment. But how can you tell if what you are purchasing is good or bad?
Do your research
If you are interested in a particular brand, do your research. Can you identify where their materials or ingredients come from and do they have any certifications? The chances are that if the information is hard to find, they have something to hide and you shop elsewhere. Ethical brands usually make their ethos known.
Look for certifications
From Vegan Society Certified to Fairtrade certification and Rainforest Alliance Certification, there are many certifications out there that show a product has been ethically produced. For animals specifically, look out for Vegan and Vegetarian Society approval and the Leaping Bunny Certification.
Reduce and reuse plastic
Plastic is all over the news currently, you can read about it in our previous blog post. It is both bad for the environment and for the animals living in it. Buying your fruit and vegetables lose is one way to reduce your plastic use while another is to buy detergents and other things in refillable containers – Lush offer free face masks to customers that bring five clean pots back and Ecover have refilling stations that enable you to fill up old bottles with detergents.
Check out our AnimalKind pages
To make your life easier, we have put together a series of top 10 lists designed to help you shop ethically. From household cleaning products to fashion, diet and beauty products, the lists point you in the direction of some of our favourite brands.