Ethical Shopping

Here at Touffie we feel that everyone should be able to make an informed choice about what they are buying and understand why shopping ethically benefits everyone! Being able to buy is great but knowing how to buy ethically is even better. It is not so much about buying as to buy right.

What Does Buying Ethically Mean?

Buying ethically simply means making informed choices about what the things we buy are made of, where they come from and under what conditions they are produced. This may be different for all of us depending on what our thoughts and opinions are but buying ethically in general means that you decide to purchase goods that are environmentally friendly and kind to humanity.

This can include anything, from buying organic fruit and vegetables, a garment made of fairly traded cotton to buying a bag made of recycled materials. It is all about making socially aware choices that, however small, can make the difference to our own health and well-being, the environment we live in and the lives of others we share this world with. If we can… we should! Because ethical shopping does not mean buying the same… but ethically. It means to rethink our wishes, our needs, and our priorities so to encourage a change in consumer patterns. All in all, an ethical way of shopping becomes an art of living…

Why Should I Buy Organic?

Most of us are now aware of the health and environment benefits of organic farming and many of us now choose to purchase organically produced fruit, vegetables, dairy products and meat, to name but a few. The principle behind organic farming is working with, not against nature, i.e. products grown without the use of harmful pesticides and chemicals. In any case, bio consumption encourages organic and biodynamic agriculture. And it is the same when it comes to cotton and organic toys.

Cotton provides almost 50% of the fiber needs of the world. However, few know that whilst many would believe it to be the most natural material available, nearly 25% of all pesticides used in agriculture are used on cotton crops alone!  Organic cotton on the other hand is totally natural and relies only on organic farming methods. It is a far superior material which feels softer, thicker and warmer simply because the cotton fibers are not broken down by chemicals used in conventional cotton farming. It is also less likely to cause or trigger allergies which can be the result of using nasty chemicals. Therefore it is particularly appropriate for babies and children. Finally, you will probably notice that it also smells cleaner as it is not treated with formaldehyde, something conventional cotton is coated with to aid its appearance.

Why Should I Buy Recycled Goods?

Without boring you with too much statistics, the world’s population is expanding at a mind-boggling rate. In the year 2000 it reached over 6 billion people and is estimated to rise to over 9 billion by 2050! With the world’s natural resources already stretched it is easy to see how these resources will fast be depleted. If we intend to leave our children and grandchildren with at least the same standard of living we have enjoyed, we must start to think about our efforts to preserve resources.

Throwing away items that can be recycled diminishes energy, water and natural resources that are saved by recycling. Recycled does not have to mean old or used, in fact some of the most fashionable, funky and fabulous items are made from recycled materials.

Why Should I buy Fair Trade?

Fair Trade is a term becoming more commonly used in all areas of consumerism. You are no doubt familiar with the availability of Fair Trade products in your supermarket, such as bananas, tea and coffee, but did you realize that you can buy many other goods that have been fairly traded, such as clothing, accessories and even soap? The Fair Trade mark that we see on many goods these days is an independent consumer label which appears on products as a guarantee that their producers have gotten a better deal.

In simple terms Fair Trade is about ensuring better wages, decent working conditions and local sustainability for farmers and workers in the developing world. By working in the frame of fair trade principles many producers can provide a regular and fair income for employees and communities who then are able to elevate themselves from extreme poverty and provide for their families. In many cases, they are able to pay for health care and schooling and even receive extra money for investing in their businesses and local community. Buying Fair Trade is a way to help the world’s poorest every time you shop.

Conclusion. It is easy to be enticed into buying toys that are the cheapest available or “high quality, designed in Europe”, which mostly means that huge toy companies and shops manufacture billions of dollars worth of colorful toys every year in countries where labor costs are lowest. This industry is notorious for “sweatshops”, defined as such for their appalling working conditions with low wages, forced overtime, unsanitary and unsafe work environments and sometimes even use of child labor. When you understand how some of these toys end up on the shelves of your favorite toy shop it is hard to imagine feeling good buying and giving them to your child to play with!

All in all, if you would have a choice, wouldn’t you rather give your child a natural, organic, non-toxic toy, produced with the respect to human beings and the nature?

At Touffie we are confident that both, your child and our Planet, would be more than grateful to you for making an informed choice!