Have you ever asked a brand “do you have any verification that the labour is ethical and fairly compensated”? This is a question that a lot of brands cannot answer transparently and thoroughly.
I ask this to assess brands Le Prix carries and it takes a lot of time. It blows my mind that I’ve received an array of responses and sometimes a complete sidestep to the question. One response was an emailed line ”our distributor certifies that the manufacturer is ethical and fair! :)”…. This led to even more questions. Who is the distributor? Where are they? How can we trust their word? Show me proof.
Meanwhile, the brand I choose for bamboo products Brush With Bamboo replied to the same question with “as for labour is concerned - please visit our Brush with Bamboo made responsibly page for all details.” They had a page full of content to show and back up their ethical claims and values. I’ve even added the photos in this post so you can scroll and see for yourself.
What is greenwashing? It’s the process of conveying a false impression or providing misleading information about how a company's products are more environmentally sound. Greenwashing is considered an unsubstantiated claim to deceive consumers into believing that a company's products are environmentally friendly (source: investopia).
When expanding the lines at Le Prix, I had to search through many brands, and tons of communications do find answers. I encourage you to ask these or shop at Le Prix where we do the digging for you.
Le Prix is here to carve out a space for us to grow, do better, and not shame but encourage positive change.
Honestly, even with the bamboo toothbrushes and hairbrushes, there’s greenwashing. Most have synthetic bristles or bases that defeat the entire concept of them being biodegradable.
I wanted to share these experiences of all the background work that goes into sourcing sustainable and ethical products. As the owner of Le Prix and an activist in sustainability, I am putting to use my two University Environmental Degrees and your support is creating positive change… some that you can’t even see and may never see (like ethical labour conditions for workers).
But your purchases have a HUGE ripple effect and I want to cheer you on for that! YOU ARE POWERFUL. YOU ARE AMAZING. Small steps are all we need to make a change. YOU GOT THIS.
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