Green Friday is the perfect antidote to the shopping frenzy of Black Friday. While many brands slash their prices by up to 70% to clear stock, others prefer to say no to the madness. So why not take a deep breath this year and sit this one out?
Green Friday isn’t just a slogan — it’s a movement that raises awareness about the hidden costs of massive discount campaigns. According to the Green Friday collective, many low-priced products are designed to last only a short time, fueling waste and pollution. Studies show that nearly 80% of items bought during Black Friday are either thrown away after one use or never used at all.
The movement encourages us to rethink the true value of our purchases and focus on more sustainable choices — buy less, repair, recycle, or support responsible brands.
The dark side of Black Friday: the illusion of good deals
Overconsumption on autopilot
Black Friday is a bit like fast food for shopping — quick, tempting, and rarely good for your health... or the planet. Every year, it pushes millions of consumers to buy things they don’t need, often just because “it’s on sale.” The result?
- Overflowing closets.
- 80% of products bought during Black Friday are discarded after a single use.
- A mountain of waste that keeps growing year after year.
All orchestrated by a perfectly tuned marketing machine that knows exactly how to trigger the fear of missing out — that famous FOMO — turning even the most reasonable shopper into a bargain hunter chasing fake deals.
The hidden cost of discounts
Behind every heavily discounted product lies a much higher price to pay:
- Pollution and carbon emissions: mass transportation, overproduction, and excessive packaging skyrocket CO₂ levels. In 2021, online shopping during Black Friday generated more than 380,000 tons of CO₂.
- Exploited labor: a €3 T-shirt doesn’t make itself. Many large chains outsource production to countries where wages and working conditions are extremely poor.
- Impact on small businesses: in the UK, 85% of independent retailers chose not to take part in Black Friday in 2021, unable to compete with the huge discounts offered by retail giants.
While major platforms rake in billions, small businesses struggle to keep up with the race to the bottom.
While giants profit, artisans suffer
There’s another victim of Black Friday, much closer to home — small businesses. It’s almost impossible for them to compete with giants that can afford huge markdowns thanks to massive margins and optimized logistics.
This spiral drags everyone down. Consumers learn to wait for sales, companies follow to survive, and in the end, no one sells at a fair price anymore. Products lose their value — and so do the people who make them.
Boycotting Black Friday is a gentle but powerful form of resistance. Buying less is a way to restore dignity to the work of those who craft, sew, design, and package with care.
Refusing to take part isn’t sulking — it’s recognizing that a system built on overconsumption simply can’t last. And to be clear: the goal isn’t to shame anyone who shops on Black Friday — for many, it’s the only chance to afford certain items. The idea is simply to reflect on what a product is truly worth. Because no, a €3 pair of underwear isn’t a miracle.
Green Friday: consume less, but better
Origins and philosophy of Green Friday
Born in 2017, the Green Friday movement was created to counter the wave of unchecked consumption. Its message? “The true cost of fake deals.” It encourages consumers to bring meaning back to their purchases — a good deal is only good if it respects people, the planet, and the product itself.
Green Friday isn’t anti-shopping; it’s pro-choice — the choice to shop consciously, to support sustainable, local, and ethical brands.
And when it comes to “fake deals”: in Belgium, over 800 cases of misleading Black Friday advertising have been reported since 2022.
The movement’s key goals
- Fight against waste and overproduction.
- Promote transparency and fair trade.
- Protect biodiversity and natural resources.
- Give meaning back to consumption: buy less, but better.
Because in the end, buying three “discounted” boxers that shrink in the wash doesn’t change the world — supporting those who make great ones from the start does.
Brands leading by example
- Patagonia: back in 2011, its “Don’t Buy This Jacket” campaign urged customers to resist impulse buying. In 2016, the brand donated $10 million in Black Friday sales to environmental causes.
- REI: closes all its stores on Black Friday to encourage customers to spend the day outdoors (#OptOutside).
- Lucy & Yak, Raeburn, Deciem: temporary closures, repair programs, and profit donations to NGOs.
These examples prove that it’s possible to stay profitable while refusing destructive discount culture.
At Bluebuck: boycotting Black Friday as a matter of principle
No fake discounts, no gimmicks
At Bluebuck, we believe in transparency over spectacle. Our prices are fair from the start — no inflated margins, no flashy markdowns later.
No Black Friday, no Cyber Monday, no race to the lowest price. Just well-made underwear designed to last, crafted from responsible materials, with genuine respect for the planet. Products that are worth their price — no tricks, no fine print.
A concrete action for the planet
While others scramble for the last discounted items, we’ve chosen to make a real difference: 10% of all sales made during Black Friday weekend are donated to WWF France. This contribution helps:
- Protect forests and oceans.
- Preserve biodiversity.
- Support on-the-ground environmental projects worldwide.
A small gesture for us, a big one for the species that don’t have credit cards.
The Bluebuck alternative — all year long
Our vision: responsible, conscious consumption. Buying a well-made, durable, and comfortable boxer is already a small revolution. The alternatives to Black Friday are countless — offer something useful, high-quality, and made by brands that treat their workers fairly.
At Bluebuck, we believe that a good garment is one you love enough to keep for years.
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Choosing Green Friday means saying no to the chaos of Black Friday — choosing calm over consumption. For Bluebuck, this isn’t a marketing stance, it’s a belief: respect for craftsmanship, for the planet, and for the customer doesn’t need a discount to exist.
So this weekend, instead of frantically clicking “add to cart,” maybe click “close tab.” Or better yet — go outside, breathe, enjoy. The planet will thank you — and so will your drawers.