At Goldfinger, we’re passionate about sustainability and the circular economy. We’re always looking for new ways to provide more ethical alternatives to less sustainable products on the market, from chopping boards and napkin rings made from off-cuts, to gift cards to be spent on any of our products and our courses.

As Black Friday has come around again, we’ve been finding it hard to avoid getting bombarded by a frenzy of sales pitches from left right and centre, and it’s made us reflect on our buying habits in Britain.

Retailers are offering bigger and bigger discounts in a bid to drive sales, with many offering discounts of up to 75%. Sounds tempting… but we’ve been thinking about the real cost of these hard-to-believe prices.

Black Friday sales promote excessive consumption - encouraging customers to buy, buy, buy - luring them in with the prospect of a good deal (who doesn’t love a bargain).

But increasingly low prices from our retailers often cause factories to compete with each other by offering lower rates to brands, cutting corners on health and safety and slashing wages to make this possible.

And it’s not just the human cost. The £1.49 billion spent online in Britain on Black Friday (last year’s figure) doesn't bode well for the planet, with mass production, deliveries, packaging and waste all doing their bit to contribute to climate change.

Conscious consumption

Conscious consumption is an umbrella term that simply means shopping with more awareness of the impact your choices have on society and the environment.

We believe that with every pound you spend, you’re making a bid for the kind of world you want to live in. This Black Friday, we’re encouraging our customers to reflect on their buying practices and their responsibility as customers, whether it’s weighing up the sustainability of the products you’re considering, seeking out more ethical retailers, or simply buying less.

We want to celebrate all of the wonderful social enterprises out there who are offering fairly-priced products with purpose, whether it’s Ishkar, who support craftsmanship from countries of war, or Birdsong, a sustainable fashion brand whose products are made by women facing barriers to employment.

At Goldfinger, each and every one the gifts that we sell in the run up to Christmas has been responsibly made, whether its our napkin rings, or luxury eco-soy wax candles.

Instead of joining Black Friday’s movement of mass consumerism, join us in the conscious consumption movement this Christmas and choose products that have been made for the benefit of people and planet!