Sustainability and conscious consumption are not just a trend but practices that are getting stronger every day and that we should all adopt. I know that most people see the United States as the place where capitalism and consumption are absolute – which obviously cannot be denied. In New York, there is an infinite number of stores – each corner is an invitation to shopping. But, truth be told: it is also in New York that we see several movements that get stronger and become a trend all over the world. In retail, it couldn’t be different. Increasingly, brands and stores with a different footprint are emerging – not just about buying, but about what you buy and where you buy from, it’s about composition, about practices. It is not always possible for us to meet all the requirements when buying consciously, but if you want to try, here are my suggestions for brands and stores in New York that have this concept.
Everlane is the brand for basics. These are the pieces that we use the most – and generally the ones we underestimate the most: t-shirts, jeans, shirts, sweaters, and even lingerie. Everything basic, neutral and high quality. At Everlane, the pieces do not follow trends. The idea is that the consumer will use the clothes for years, even decades. That’s why clothes use the best materials and factories for these timeless products. In addition, the brand is super transparent and has a rigorous process of choosing the factories. The process includes frequent visits and each factory receives a compliance audit to assess factors such as fair wages, working hours and the environment. Finally, the brand reveals the true costs behind all products – from materials to labor and transportation. Ah, remember that Everlane has men’s and women’s clothing. It also has sustainable practices: shoes that use plastic, coats with recyclable materials and more.
Address: 28 Prince St | 104 N 6th St (Brooklyn).
Bulletin – It is a female-focused startup company meshing philanthropy with traditional retail. Created as a direct response to the current political climate, Broads supports female-run businesses by showcasing 40 completely female-driven brands and featuring products made for women, by women. Ranging from graphic tees to feminist zines, every product carries a message of empowerment and celebrates individuality. From shirts that always have something to say to pins, from earrings to chains, from cards to calendars, from decorative objects to keychains: everything in the Bulletin is super empowering. And I don’t know about you, but I like the idea of buying at a store that supports small brands, which have a noble cause and whose sales are still donated for an institution. Long live initiatives like these! Prices vary a lot, but you can find items starting at $4! You can check more about prices and products on the website.
Address: 27 Prince St / 145 Wythe Avenue (Brooklyn).
Package Free – Package Free was founded by Lauren Singer – she popularized the zero waste movement through her blog Trash is for Tossers and is an expert on all things waste. All of the trash that she has produced over the past 5 years fits inside of a 16oz mason jar. she is also founder and CEO of The Simply Co., an organic, vegan laundry detergent company. At the store, the main goal is helping you to reduce your waste and finding alternatives to single-use plastic products convenient and simple. They source the products from individuals and brands with missions to create positive environmental impact. The store like to look at the overall impact of the products they are selling. The store features items that make our routine easier in a lot of ways: stainless steel containers, bamboo straw, cosmetics poufs, menstrual organic pantyliner, bamboo toothbrush – plus natural cosmetics: liquid soap, laundry detergent and so on. Click here to see the store and prices.
Address: 75 9th Ave (Chelsea Market) | 137 Grand Street (Brooklyn).
Rebag – Buying second-hand items is also a way to consume more consciously! ReBag it is a store specializing in this niche of luxury preowned handbags. The selection includes over 40 brands. Curation is critical: only bags that show minimal signs of use are accepted, with no major changes in color, strap use, blemishes, and other details that compromise the appearance of the bag. In fact, the curatorship translates into what I saw in the store: everything is perfect. And the selection is vast: there are more than 300 bags available in the store. On the website, this number rises to more than 25k. If the customer wants some bag that is on the website but is not in the store, it is possible to order with shipment to the store, at no extra cost, within two business days. It’s all original, obviously, because the curatorship is also careful when verifying the authenticity of the bags.
Address: 390 W Broadway | 575 Madison Ave | 185 Greenwich Street (Westfield World Trade Center)
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Here today, probably gone tomorrow. The Nikita Dress in Mademoiselle is back.
Reformation – ‘Make killer clothes that don’t kill the environment’ – this is how Reformation works. The brand uses only vintage fabrics and surplus unwanted, unused fabrics that fashion companies have either over-ordered or just didn’t use. Rather than tossing these out, the Reformation rescue these unwanted materials daily from NYC Fashion District companies and use them to create their clothing – and they are amazing, beautiful and stylish!
Address: 39 Bond St | 23 Howard St | 156 Ludlow St.
Moo Shoes – MooShoes is a vegan-owned business that sells an assortment of cruelty-free footwear, bags, t-shirts, wallets, books and other accessories. The first cruelty-free store of its kind in NYC, MooShoes was founded in 2001 by sisters and Queens natives, Erica and Sara Kubersky. MooShoes NYC is also home to a slew of rescued cats who were adopted from some local organizations. It is worth remembering that the shoes are made from recycled rubber and plastic bottles, vegan leather, and vintage clothing.
Address: 78 Orchard Street.
BONUS! Artists & Fleas is a marketplace for local producers – handicrafts, clothing, decoration, accessories, footwear, beauty items, thrift stores. This market brings together several vendors, in several units around the city! Buying from local producers is also a way to practice conscious consumption!
Locations: 88 10th Ave (Chelsea Market) | 490 Broadway | 70 North 7th St. (Brooklyn)
Laura Peruchi is a Brazilian blogger, author, and entrepreneur. She has lived in Manhattan with her husband since 2014. Since then, she has shared on her blog varied content about the Big Apple. From travel tips, including unusual things to do, shopping tips, etiquette, restaurants, and a lot more, her blog has become a reference in Portuguese (also available in English) for anyone planning a trip to New York City.
