Colour Friday

This year we won't be holding a Black Friday sale, but instead we will be celebrating Colour Friday!

There are many reasons why Black Friday has a detrimental affect on the retail industry – one is the environmental impact, and the other is the affect it has on small businesses. 

ENVIRONMENTAL

In a nutshell, Black Friday discounts lead to impulsive buying, and the overconsumption of goods. The sales make you feel as though you NEED to buy an item – but more often this leads to buying things people don’t actually need, and the items end up back in landfill. It is estimated that 80% of Black Friday purchases are thrown away after just one – or zero uses. Additionally, it is important to think about WHO has made those items of clothing that you have purchased. If the brand is not transparent about their supply chain, then it could be that the sale is at the expense of the factory workers.

SMALL BUSINESS

From a small business point of view, Black Friday can force many businesses to feel was though they must take part in the sale – even if it means their minor profit margins are cut significantly. As a small business, the profit margins are already significantly lower than large companies that mass produce their products – often under paying their workers. For creatives that hand make their products, there is a combination of time, passion and skilled craftsmanship that goes into every design.

So that leads us to celebrating COLOUR FRIDAY! A new initiative that encourages people to support small and local businesses in creative ways. It was a retail revolution set up by business advocate and founder of Not on The High Street, Holly Tucker. 

This Colour Friday, the theme is Vote With Your Money. Choose the type of world that you want to live in, and support the businesses that are going to help make that happen. When you are purchasing festive gifts, support small businesses and creatives, who have taken the time and care to bring their products to life.

How can you join in with Colour Friday?

Shop with independent businesses. 

Instead of choosing large corporations that pump out fast fashion, year after year, choose to purchase your goods from a small and independent business. When you shop from a small business, there is an actual person on the other side of the order that celebrates the support. So spread more love and joy this festive season and support your favourite small businesses instead. 

Choose long lasting gifts

Choose your gifts carefully and find ones that have been made to last the test of time, rather than mass produced items that are destined for landfill. When you shop from independent designers, you are also more likely to find something unique – rather than a mass produced item that thousands of others are wearing. 

Quality over quantity 

Shop less – but make it count! Purchase less items this festive season – but make them items that you actually need, and ones that will bring you joy for years to come. Choose quality pieces that have been hand crafted with love and care, so you can cherish it for years to come.

Choose Love donation

Additionally, instead of holding a sale this weekend, we have also pledged to donate 20% of our profits to Choose Love, a charity that works with refugees and those who have been displaced. The past 12 months have seen the largest numbers of displaced individuals, with many fleeing the war in Ukraine. Choose Love helps to provide necessary items (like clean water, winter clothing and hot food), as well as life changing interventions (like medical assistance and evacuations).

If you would like to donate to Choose Love – you can do so by purchasing a piece of KIND jewellery, or you can donate directly to them via their website. 

We hope you vote with your money wisely this festive season, and work together to keep independent creatives and designers in business.