Conscious Consumption
How we spend our money is one of the most important ways we can create a better future - we call it voting with our wallets.
Here are the 6 questions we ask before we choose to offer any product in our online store:
Question #1. Will this product provide real beauty, joy, meaning, or utility to the user? First and foremost we want to make sure the products we sell will truly be valued - not end up never used and then discarded. We look for unique products that have a timeless and enduring design and quality.
Question #2. Is this product durable and was it made to last? So much of what is produced today is designed with planned obsolesce – we look for products that will last for years if not generations – kept by the original owner or passed down from user to user.
Question #3. Was this product made in a way that minimizes its impact on the planet? Was the product made from natural or renewable resources or recycled materials? Was the manufacturing process free of toxic chemicals? Has the company taken steps to reduce or off-set their carbon footprint? There is a lot to consider here – but have the environmental impacts been minimized.
Question #4. Are the people who made this product treated with respect and do they make a fair wage. There is no single criteria we use - whether it be fair trade, living wages, cooperative ownership or healthy work conditions – the bottom line question is – does a company value and fairly compensate its employees or contractors who made the product?
Question #5. Is the company run in a socially responsible way? Are they good citizens in all the communities they do business in? Do they pay their taxes? Do they support local communities? Do they give back to charity? Do they have a purpose beyond simply making money?
Question #6. Are these small business owners that we like and respect? The world is complicated and few companies are perfect – but we want to support business people with a conscience. We admit a weakness for social entrepreneurs, small businesses, and businesses run by women. We believe in the power of small businesses and engaged business owners to make the world a better place.
You can feel good about the products you buy from Simply Inspired Goods We sell great products that are consistent with our values and hopefully yours!