Friday. Or Black Days. Or Black Week. Or Black Month. In short, there are many names for the (same and increasingly early) promises of unmissable discounts just a few weeks before Christmas. But are they really worth it?

 

What is Black Friday?

Black Friday, a phenomenon that has taken the world by storm, has become an annual spectacle of irresistible offers and a real shopping rush. It is known that the first edition took place in the 1960s in Philadelphia, USA, and that the term - Black Friday - was used by traffic police officers to describe the huge crowds that created traffic jams as they tried to reach the stores on the Friday after Thanksgiving to start their Christmas shopping.

Today, Black Friday is even bigger, with the arrival of E-commerce and its faithful companion Cyber Monday.

 

The Real Consequences of Black Friday

First things First - Environmental Impact

It's no secret that the fashion industry, particularly fast fashion, is one of the industries that pollutes and exploits the most. You can imagine what happens on Black Friday: everything gets worse. Excessive consumption leads to more products being manufactured and shipped all over the world. So you won't be surprised if we tell you that the carbon footprint during Black Friday increases accordingly, right?

 

 

But Black Friday is not all about mass production and increasing greenhouse gas emissions. Waste generation and the exploitation of natural resources are also on the list. And we'll tell you more:

Did you know that there are electronic and technological products that are produced just for this time of year, designed to have a limited lifespan? The result: We are encouraged to replace them frequently.

Did you know that up to 80% of Black Friday purchases are thrown away after one or no use?

 

Social Impact of Black Friday

There is no Planet B, we can't stress that enough. However, Black Friday doesn't just have an impact on the planet we live on. It also affects us all, starting with the workers who produce the goods we buy.

At this time of year, store workers face long working hours, dealing with the intense consumer demand. This results in extreme tiredness and affects their quality of life. In addition, the pressure workers feel to meet customer expectations and sales targets can create a stressful and competitive working environment, affecting their mental health. To make matters worse, we add the fact that brands outsource labor to countries where pennies are paid, depriving workers of access to a decent wage and safe working conditions, trapping them in an inhumane cycle of poverty.