On November 29, 2024, Black Friday fever once again invaded stores and online sites. In 2023, global sales of this event reached $70.9 billion, marking an 8% increase over the previous year.
However, given the staggering ecological impact of this event, is it really necessary to participate and thus encourage people to consume more than is reasonable?
At Talc, we decided not to play the game: we'll explain why!
What is Black Friday in France?
Black Friday, or "Friday Black" in French, is a tradition that comes to us straight from the United States. In France, although it is relatively recent, it is enjoying growing success, particularly thanks to e-commerce. This day is synonymous with massive promotions and flash sales , attracting millions of consumers in search of good deals.
The History of Black Friday
Black Friday originated in Philadelphia in the 1950s. To help explain the name given to the event, the city hosted a highly watched Army-Navy football game every year on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. Fans would arrive the day before on Friday to do their Christmas shopping, causing major traffic jams and congestion in the city.
The massive influx of people, between supporters and shoppers, required the mobilization of the local police. The officers, forced to work overtime to manage this event, nicknamed this day "Black Friday". This term, initially used in the police context, gradually became popular in the 1960s, before being associated with the big post-Thanksgiving sales that we know today.
Black Friday sales are getting longer and longer
Over the years, Black Friday has gone from being a single day of sales to several days, even weeks. The current trend shows a drift, influenced by several factors, including the extension of the event to an entire period, and its exploitation by fast-fashion brands. To the dregs.
The advent of e-commerce has transformed Black Friday into a real period of online consumption, where promotions multiply, often well before the official date of Black Friday. Black Week has also gradually replaced the traditional sales day, gradually becoming an entire month of promotions for some.
The trap of reductions
Another problem that we don't always think about : some brands play with consumer psychology by inflating prices just before the sales period, then displaying discounts that are, in reality, the original prices.
In concrete terms, these brands increase their prices for a month or two before Black Friday, so that they can then apply discounts that are in fact only the initial price of the item. Consumers, attracted by these "super deals", are often fooled by this strategy.
Entire clothing collections are thus manufactured exclusively for Black Friday, which further distorts the initial spirit of the event.
Black Friday participants are increasingly numerous, since in 2024, 80% of French people surveyed said they wanted to participate - a rather alarming figure, which raises a large number of questions about the environmental impact. Explanations 👇
Black Friday and ecology: a counterproductive day for the environment
The strong Black Friday promotions encourage impulsive consumption , often pushing us to buy products we don't really need . In other words, this event is just another commercial attempt to encourage us to consume more than we should!
This buying frenzy fuels a vicious circle: consume more - produce more. Black Friday also takes place a little less than a month before the Christmas holidays, which is strategic, but which encourages more consumption.
On Black Friday, companies cleverly cultivate a sense of urgency by highlighting limited-time offers, creating the illusion of getting a once-a-year “good deal.” This mechanism plays on the fear of missing out (FOMO), prompting consumers to act quickly, sometimes without thinking.
Ready-to-wear remains the main category of purchase intention . Each year, the textile industry gets rid of 4 million tons of clothing , while it only sells 5 million in Europe. Another example: in 2022, the carbon footprint linked to the sale of T-shirts exploded, going from 841,176 kg of CO2 to 1,430,000 kg of CO2 in just one day ( Source: Greenly Earth ).
In summary, if we look closely, the real cost of Black Friday is an ecological impact that far exceeds the savings made on the products purchased . This event contributes to the depletion of natural resources, the increase in waste and pollution:
- air pollution : textile production emits significant amounts of CO2, contributing to global warming and degradation of air quality;
- ocean pollution : microplastics from synthetic clothing end up in the oceans, threatening marine wildlife and the balance of aquatic ecosystems;
- Soil pollution : Unrecycled textile waste and chemicals from clothing contaminate soils, affecting biodiversity and the quality of agricultural land.
At Talc, we say no to Black Friday, yes to quality
⛔ It is precisely this incentive to overconsumption that pushes us to choose not to participate in Black Friday. This would amount to encouraging the fast-fashion trend, which is contrary to our values.
As a committed brand (at our level), we refuse to contribute to an economic model that promotes waste and endangers our planet. The price of our clothes is assumed , it is that of the quality of the fabrics (Tencel lyocell, Supima cotton, organic cotton) , of the Portuguese textile know-how, and of the respect of our workers.
After all, does true value need reduction? The idea is to slow down the pace of fashion, and simply consume less but better!
3 good reasons not to give in to Black Friday
Black Friday is that moment when everything seems too good to be true: slashed prices, tempting promotions... But behind this shopping euphoria lies another reality, much less joyful. What if we took a moment to look at what is really behind this craze?
We have all experienced buying a piece of clothing that, after just one outing, ends up at the back of a closet, forgotten and unused. This generates unnecessary waste. What if we opted instead for quality pieces, designed to be worn and loved in the long term?
The journey of a cheap item of clothing purchased on Black Friday is not all rosy. It is mass-produced in a factory where quality is not a priority, before being shipped over long distances, generating CO2 emissions. Then, it arrives in a store where it is sold at knockdown prices, contributing to overconsumption and the creation of waste.
After a few washes, there’s a good chance that that cheap garment will lose quality. The stitching will crack, and it’ll soon end up in the trash. By choosing clothes that are built to last, you avoid this cycle of waste and support a fashion that stands the test of time.
How to give meaning to Black Friday?
Overuse of computer servers, increased deliveries, compulsive purchases, waste and waste... You've got it, Black Friday costs the planet dearly . Some companies still find positive points in participating in this event, provided that it is approached responsibly.
For example, some of them have decided to turn it into a positive action . In Belgium, around twenty brands have joined forces to participate in a Blue Friday . They have decided not to make a reduction, but to make a donation to an association working for the environment or with a social character, while encouraging individuals to think about their consumption.
This is also the case of the Make Friday Green Again collective, which encourages the reestablishment of healthier consumption bases to combat climate change.
Others decide to ride the wave of communication around Black Friday, by encouraging people to favor the purchase of second-hand products . The "local craftsman" option is also encouraged. Companies can call on consumers to turn to thoughtful purchases and products that are actually made close to home.
So, Black Friday or not? Not for us anyway!