The most sustainable product is the one you don’t buy. The second most is the one you’ll still own in ten years. Here’s our pre-purchase checklist.
The 5 questions
- Do I already own something that does this job?
- What’s it made from? Prefer glass, stainless steel, organic cotton, FSC bamboo.
- Is it repairable / replaceable in parts?
- How does it leave the home? Recyclable, compostable, donate-able?
- Would I be happy with it for ten years?
If the answer to #5 is no — wait two weeks. Most urges pass.
Rank your buying priorities in our Conscious Shopping Prioritizer.