What Does Eco-friendly Actually Mean?

The terms eco-friendly and sustainable living are terms that we hear frequently. However, we might not be fully aware of what they mean. According to the dictionary, eco-friendly means that something is not harmful to the environment. So for something to be completely eco-friendly, it needs to be harmless to the environment, including its production and packaging.

So if something has been produced to be eco-friendly, but the packaging isn't, it is not an actual eco-friendly product. This illustrates the importance of knowing whether the products we are buying for sustainable living are entirely eco-friendly.

A Guide to Sustainable and Smart Eco-friendly Shopping

We might have all the intentions of buying only eco-friendly products, and that is a great start. However, sustainable shopping is equally as important. If you choose the correct sustainable living products, you will find that they are durable and incredibly well-made, which means you won't have to repurchase them. This helps our planet, too. Here are a few tips for sustainable and smart shopping:

How much you buy matters

Sustainable shopping promotes the importance of being mindful about how much we buy. It teaches us to buy only what we need. Why does this matter? Well, products require energy and resources to be made. By buying less, the impact on the environment is less because of the lower demand for production. So, in addition to only buying eco-friendly products, be sure only to buy things you need and use.

Choose products made with recycled materials

Nothing lasts forever. Therefore, from time to time we have to make new purchases. Whether you are buying clothes or a new sofa set, it is always a great idea to find options that have been made with recycled materials. So when you are looking for new sustainable living products or sustainable fashion, be mindful of what is being used to make the products. For example, Tencel and organic cotton are fantastic sustainable fibres, and seeing them listed as the materials that something was made with, is a positive sign.

Choose good quality eco-friendly products that can be reused

The three R's have taught us a great deal about being environmentally conscious, so always try to reuse, reduce, and recycle. Therefore, it is best to choose products that can be reused instead of products that offer only singular use. For example, invest in good quality, strong, and durable shopping bags that you can use whenever you go to the supermarket.

Being mindful of sustainable shopping makes it possible for us to enjoy sustainable fashion and home products without creating a disastrous impact on the planet that we adore.