Bright Friday (a less wasteful alternative to Black Friday)
PLAINANDSIMPLE (buy less, buy better!)
Around 80% of goods bought on Black Friday end up in landfills or incinerators within a short space of time, as most items are not made well, or are ‘impulse purchases’ that are then thrown away. Not only does this leach methane gas, but the clothes are likely made from oil-based synthetic fibres. Which contributes to pollution and climate change, and leaches microplastics from washing machines, into the sea.
Launder synthetic fabrics (nylon, polyester, recycled plastic bottles) in a microfiber filter (this is used to stop microplastics leaching out of washing machines, and into the sea).
As as most items are ordered online, that’s more oil from vans driving to the goods to you (and often being returned when you decide you don’t want them.
Why Black Friday really does feel ‘cheap’
To be fair, not every deal is bad. If you’ve planned for months to buy a new laptop for work, a genuine discount can help. The trouble is the surrounding pressure, because it nudges us towards overbuying, and it makes restraint feel like failure.
Watch for these common traps:
- Fake urgency: “Ends tonight” becomes “extended” the next day.
- ‘Was’ prices: A high “before” price that no one paid last week.
- Bundles you don’t need: Extra bits that will gather dust.
- Bargain logic: Buying because it’s cheap, not because it’s useful.
The real cost behind the bargain tag
A cheap jumper can carry expensive baggage. Lower prices often mean lower-grade fibres, heavy dye use, and rushed production. That can show up as bobbling after a few washes, loose seams, and a shape that never quite fits again. The result is predictable: you buy twice, then throw away twice.
A phone upgrade gives another clear example. The cost isn’t only money. It’s mined materials, factory energy, shipping, and the hard question of what happens to the old handset. Even when you recycle, parts get lost, and perfectly fixable devices get replaced because repair feels awkward.
A kitchen gadget is the quiet culprit. It arrives boxed within a box, wrapped in plastic, with a promise to “save time”. Six months later it lives at the back of a cupboard, because the old wooden spoon worked fine.
Spot the pressure tactics!
These are the tricks that push people into “yes”:
- Countdown timers and flashing banners
- “Only 2 left” stock warnings
- Email and text spam that follows you for days
- Price bouncing, where the discount changes hourly
- Buy now, pay later prompts at checkout
- “Free” next-day delivery that encourages split parcels
- Suggested add-ons that feel like savings
How to take part in Bright Friday!
Bright Friday is a simple shift, saying ‘spend for a purpose, not because you are told to. That doesn’t mean you never buy new things. It means you buy yourself or someone else a quality item, when it’s needed.
On Bright Friday you might mend a coat, replace a worn-out pan with a sturdy one, book a local class as a gift, or spend your money with a high street shop that pays fairly. You might also spend nothing at all, and still take part.
But you don’t rush to Next at 6am and go through the rails, to grab bargains for things you don’t need or even like.
There are also non-shopping ways to join in. Donate unwanted items you’ve been meaning to shift. Volunteer at a food bank or community pantry. Share a skill, such as sewing on a button, fixing a bike chain, or helping a neighbour list items on a local resale site. Value isn’t only what you purchase, it’s what you keep in use.
A Bright Friday plan for your household
Keep it plain, then stick to it:
- List what you truly need, including gifts, replacements, and repairs.
- Check what you already own, because “lost” often means “buried”.
- Repair or borrow first, from family, neighbours, or a tool library.
- Choose second-hand, from charity shops, local marketplaces, and refurbs.
- If you buy new, pick quality and ethical where you can.
- Set a budget and keep it, using a separate card or spending pot.
Some brands refuse to do ‘Black Fridays’
Will’s Vegan Shoes (London) is a footwear brand, that never has sales, let alone a Black Friday. Instead it focuses on producing quality footwear in zero waste packaging, each item sold with a whopping 365-money-back. Although it charges a bit more, it works out cheaper as these are shoes to last!
Donate unwanted clothes and shoes to small small charity shops that don’t test on animals). You can place damaged/ripped/stained cloths (including socks and undies) in textile banks. They are then shredded to upcycle into insulation, carpet underlay and other industrial goods.
