As the days become shorter, the temperatures drop and cities across Europe begin to turn on sparkling Christmas lights, many of us are starting to think about one thing – shopping!
Picking out presents for friends, family, colleagues and everyone in between is in many ways a defining part of this time of year. This year, it’s reported that, due to increased consumption-consciousness, many of us will be thinking sustainable when we go shopping – opting to purchase gifts that will do less harm on the planet, are locally sourced and from brands and marketplaces that operate with giving-back, fairness, equality and planet-positivity in mind.
Thankfully, in Europe, there are a load of online marketplaces offering just that – and given they embrace tech, are all available to you from the comfort of your home, so you don’t have to brave the winter cold. Here, we take a look at 5 European marketplaces that prioritize ethics, so you can give gifts with peace of mind.
Born in the Netherlands, New Habitz is a marketplace aiming to help consumers create more sustainable lifestyles. Going beyond being a place to buy sustainable goods from, it’s also a place to offer tips on sustainable life habits and healthy self-care. The marketplace only features items that are vegan, ethically sourced and manufactured, chemical free, mindful and zero waste – the cornerstones of building biodiversity and a truly sustainable community. The New Habitz eco-friendly marketplace allows you to shop for different like-minded brands in a single platform, with one shipping cost. Brands are strongly vetted before they can sell on the website, and the marketplace doesn’t rely on warehouses – seeing them as waste producers. Instead, it uses proprietary software to connect the available products to what you see on the online page.
Based in Finland, Weecos is one of the first Nordic marketplaces to focus exclusively on sustainable design and independent brands. It offers a selection of sustainable clothing, wellness and interior design products. Aiming to create a wider community, the marketplace actively advocates sustainable living and is creating a ‘tribe’ of influencers. The vision is to unite sustainable designers and brands with conscious minds and encourage people to make purchase decisions easily according to their values, to affect society and the environment positively, not exploit the planet. It was founded in 2012 and is currently crowdfunded.
Founded in 2017, Wearth London is an eco-friendly and ethical marketplace aiming to make it easy for consumers to shop consciously whilst simultaneously creating a platform for green consumer companies to thrive. It now partners with over 250 independent brands, from natural beauty products, and zero waste essentials to jewellery made from recycled silver. The marketplace focuses on a human approach- encouraging people to make small swaps where they can, and putting less pressure on people.
Based in Dublin, reuzi is a one-stop shop for a minimal-waste lifestyle. Since 2018, it has been offering a range of high-quality, ethically made products as well as services such as corporate workshops & advice, and school and community talks to help drive change. Describing itself as a hub for environmental living and awareness, the aim is to raise consciousness about environmental problems posed by single-use materials while making the solutions accessible, and empowering people to be part of the change.
Founded in 2017, Thegreenlabels is an ethical marketplace bringing sustainable labels without compromising on style or self-expression. This Amsterdam-based brand lets users discover sustainable fashion, beauty and lifestyle brands all in one place. It aims to help consumers navigate sustainable consumerism, acting as a ‘sustainable friend’ to conscious consumers. The company has developed guidelines around labels, supply chains, shipping, company culture, materials and pricing to ensure transparency and sustainability throughout the business model and process. To this firm, sustainability is driven by transparency, durability and continuous improvement.