The mass use of non-sustainable products around the world is damaging the health of consumers while exerting heavy pressure on the environment. It is therefore urgent to intervene by rethinking consumer habits to ensure an effective transition to sustainable products.
Indeed, non-sustainable products contain harmful chemical substances whose long-term use degrades people's well-being. They are a major source of pollution and encourage the overproduction of non-recyclable waste.
In fact, the fashion industry releases around 1.2 billion tonnes of greenhouse gases (GHGs) into the environment every year. The integrity of the planet for future generations is therefore at risk.
A more favorable alternative is to encourage the purchase of sustainable products. This is a much more environmentally-friendly approach. Beyond its ethical and responsible aspect, this mode of consumption guarantees better bodily health and a number of benefits for the environment.
Ensuring optimal health and well-being for the consumer
One of the main advantages of buying sustainable products is their ability to provide users with optimum health and well-being.
This is particularly true of sustainable clothing and cosmetics. They incorporate non-toxic fabrics and natural fibers into their manufacturing processes. These replace the synthetic products and harmful chemicals generally used.
What's more, some non-sustainable brands use heavy metals to dye their clothes more cheaply and make more profit. Yet the toxicity of these substances in these accessories long after they've been produced can cause significant damage.
According to some experts, using unsustainable cosmetics or wearing ordinary clothes can be dangerous. Beyond clothing, women's failure to choose sustainable lingerie or cosmetics exposes them to potentially serious infections and illnesses.
Buying sustainable products therefore places the consumer's well-being at the very center of priorities. To achieve this, sustainable brands specifically use certain materials in the design of eco-friendly products. These include recycled MODAL, TENCEL™ and polyamide, each of which has exceptional health and body hygiene characteristics.
MODAL: the guarantee of silky, hard-wearing clothes
Considered an effective alternative to the synthetic materials used in the textile industry, MODAL remains one of the most sought-after fibers. This is because the use of this fiber gives durable apparel a very pleasant feel and good resistivity.
MODAL is derived from renewable wood sources, as it is manufactured using a blend of beechwood pulp and chemical solvent. This is what gives it its softness and lightness.
MODAL also boasts antibacterial properties that inhibit the proliferation of bacteria in sensitive parts of the body. Its use is therefore a guarantee of improved hygiene.
TENCEL for comfortable clothing
As an alternative to MODAL, you can opt for sustainable clothing marked with TENCEL™ certification, including Lyocell. This is one of the textile industry's most sustainable and biodegradable fabrics to date. It's made from eucalyptus wood pulp from FSC-certified forests, with the difference that TENCEL™ uses cellulose, a recyclable, non-toxic organic solvent.
Durable TENCEL clothing is by nature particularly silky-feeling, resistant, thermoregulating, breathable and antibacterial. All these characteristics help limit odors, optimizing well-being and comfort of use.
Recycled polyamide for ethical, eco-friendly clothing
To round off the list of materials that make buying sustainable products advantageous for consumers, we should mention recycled polyamide. It's thanks to this type of material, the most widely used of which is recycled nylon, that the manufacture of tights and other swimwear is made possible.
Opting for an eco-friendly product made from recycled polyamide means making the choice to reduce your environmental impact while benefiting from the durability of your apparel.
Optimize the comfort, breathability and durability of your clothes
Beyond the fact that sustainable products are safer for the health and well-being of consumers, they also guarantee optimal levels of comfort.
The ethical design and manufacturing quality of sustainable products makes all the difference. The natural fibers and organic materials used give sustainable clothing a soft, silky feel. That's why they fit perfectly around your body, giving you the comfortable feeling you've come to expect.
To learn more about sustainable products, it's worth pointing out that durable apparel is particularly breathable. This is obviously due to the rigorous use of breathable materials in the manufacturing process.
This composition facilitates air circulation, as well as the evacuation of heat and moisture that generally prevails with perspiration in summer. Gone is the feeling of discomfort at work, or the need to change clothes after just a few hours' wear.
You can also count on the absorbency of durable products. In fact, the temperature inside eco-friendly clothing is regulated to keep your body feeling cool and dry.
In periods of intense chill, other eco-friendly materials such as wool, with its high thermal insulation potential, can also keep your body warm. Contrary to popular belief, durable goods extend to a wide variety of products, including :
- sportswear made from breathable materials ;
- eco-friendly footwear with ergonomic soles ;
- underwear made from natural fibers; etc.
By preventing the accumulation of moisture in fabrics thanks to their breathability, the materials used on sustainable products help to mitigate unpleasant odors. This is made possible by the antibacterial properties of the durable materials used in their manufacture. This effectively reduces the growth of mold and bacteria to maintain a satisfactory level of hygiene.
Another significant advantage of buying eco-friendly clothing is its durability. It's important to understand that the finishing styles used and the solidity of the sewing techniques ensure that garments are tough. As a result, they won't wear out easily or tear quickly.
In fact, it's proven that eco-friendly clothing and sustainable cosmetics can last twice as long as ordinary items. With a longer lifespan on sustainable products, you'll be able to save money, since it won't be necessary to change them immediately.
To guarantee greater durability, we recommend choosing sustainable products made from organic materials.
Reduce your environmental impact
Beyond its practical benefits for the health and well-being of consumers, buying sustainable products makes a significant contribution to achieving the SDGs. In fact, buying sustainable products is not just about eco-friendly clothing, but also extends to cosmetics, bags, etc.
Making the choice to turn to sustainable products means rethinking your buying habits as a consumer, which will considerably reduce the pressure you put on the environment. That's why even the public authorities are taking steps to introduce sustainable purchasing in the administration, as this article explains.
Buying environmentally-friendly products encourages the preservation of non-renewable natural resources, while ensuring that renewable resources are not wasted. This is why we recommend, for example, that you opt for clothing made from organic materials, as their production does not involve excessive use of water.
To reduce pollution and waste emissions, environmentally-aware brands are promoting the use of ecological and ethical packaging. Recyclable, biodegradable or made from renewable materials, they help reduce the ecological footprint of waste. The idea is to send less garbage and plastic waste to landfill.
These packaging materials include recycled cardboard and sometimes paper. They are certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC®), a body committed to supporting responsible forest management. In practice, buying sustainable cosmetics, eco-responsible bags, etc., means encouraging the ethical approach of the companies that produce them.
Similarly, by purchasing sustainable products, you support carbon-neutral shipping. To achieve the neutrality detailed here, the idea is to offset the environmental impacts generated by the production and transportation of products. This is a major step forward in the fight against climate change.
Sometimes overlooked, buying sustainable cosmetics or eco-responsible clothing also helps to support ethical production. These are sustainable manufacturing practices that must meet environmental standards.
With this in mind, ethical production essentially emphasizes the use of natural and renewable raw materials, but above all products that respect the environment. Sustainable brands therefore avoid the use of harmful chemical substances, while keeping a watchful eye on GHG emissions.