the unwash: impact

Many brands featured on The Unwash embody a vote with your dollar mentality. Every purchase we make or company we support has an impact – one that could be detrimental or one that supports local communities, climate action, minority business owners, and more. It’s up to you how you use your purchasing power. It’s up to us to take political action outside of election cycles. It can be as simple as taking power away from billion-dollar corporations that continue to fuel the climate crisis. Our favorite brands are those who are vocal with their beliefs and aren’t afraid to put their values on full display. To get out the vote for reproductive rights and climate action, we partnered with Saie Beauty, Julie, and August to educate prospective voters on local and national issues that are on the ballot.

After the overturn of Roe v. Wade, Saie Beauty launched the Every Body Campaign in partnership with SisterSong, a women of color reproductive justice collective. The Every Body Campaign is the largest beauty industry-back initiative and highlights a moment where brands of all sizes are coming together to use their platform for change. Founder of Saie Beauty Laney Crowell chooses not to shy away from political hot buttons but rather to stand firm in her and the brand’s values to use their platform for advocacy and education. With reproductive rights in a continuous limbo, emergency contractive brand Julie is pushing to reduce the stigma around reproductive care. Julie is a new healthcare brand, founded by the brains behind Starface and Futurewise, Julie Schott. Julie, an emergency contraceptive, is working to make the morning-after pill accessible for all without judgment. The brand is hoping to ensure equal access to contraception regardless of what state you reside in. The gen-z geared brand, August, took the internet by storm with their mission of destigmatizing periods. The brand’s products are completely biodegradable – a stark change from traditional period products that take years to decompose. Founder, Nadya Okamoto uses her platform to educate on reproductive disparities and reduce the stigma associated.

the unwash: impact

To think four years have passed since the last Presidential election seems unfathomable. Each year we’re hearing that this ‘election is the most consequential’ and given the severity of issues that are continually on the ballot, it’s probably a sentiment we’ll continue to hear. Understanding what’s on the ballot locally and nationally and using this knowledge to voice your vote is only part of the action we can collectively take. Daily we can vote with our dollar by supporting brands that align with our values with hopes that this can create a chain reaction to fracture the power that billion-dollar corporations have on our government. There needs to be larger systemic change to make the large-scale shifts that are needed. By working with our local communities to push for progressive politics, invest in sustainable infrastructure, and support small businesses we can spread our impact outside of election cycles. Part of getting involved on a local level is by showing up at the ballot box to elect candidates who understand what our communities need. Local office holders directly impact what is happening closest to us whether be within the school system, fixing our roads, or implementing recycling programs, and so much more. But, once again it’s time to take this sentiment to the next level by making our voices heard in the General Election. Firstly, let’s dive into what we’ll be seeing on the ballot across different states and across the county.

Climate issues, reproductive access, voting rights, and LGBTQIA+ freedoms are continually debated contenders on the ballot as issues as simple as one’s livelihood have become political hot buttons. To us, these shouldn’t be debatable topics. Access to proper health care, voting in free and fair elections, the ability to love or live your life as you choose, and taking action to preserve the environment are basic equalities that should be ascertained.

An issue that is sometimes overlooked in comparison to hot profile issues is voter suppression and voter rights. As we near election day, some states are already making it more difficult to vote and certify results including in George where the Election Board ruled that all ballots must be hand counted. Numerous states will be voting on issues regarding gerrymandering, citizenship, and rank-choice voting. In an attempt to restrict voting abilities, the Arizona ballot will include a measure that would strip voters of the right to retain or not retain judges. On the other hand, Ohio will be voting on a sweeping gerrymandering measure that would prohibit politicians, lobbyists, and political consultants from being on the redistricting commission. Gerrymandered maps have led to an extremist legislature that has attempted to discriminate against the LGBTQIA+ community and ban access to reproductive healthcare. The passing of this and hopefully similar legislation in other states would begin the process of ensuring equal access to voting and proper representation than ever before. 

Voting allows us to have a direct say in the government’s actions and ultimately how it will impact our communities. Many people don’t want to be political or don’t want to get involved in politics, but this isn’t about politics it’s about investing in our communities. Marginalized people and those outside of major metropolises are the ones that often see the largest impact, including having the government turn their backs on them, having no access to clean water or air, or having limited access to proper healthcare. All of these are issues that people deal with every day especially if you’re far outside of a major city. Many of these issues including those on the ballot are ones that you may think you won’t have to deal with the consequences of. When it comes to voting, think of your neighbor, the people around you, and the people hundreds of miles from you who are represented by the same politicians. Putting Democrat and progressive candidates in office allows us to voice our vote and in turn push for more progressive legislation that focuses on the needs of our citizens. For more information on what’s on your ballot visit Ballotpedia.

the unwash: trending

We’ve been thinking about hosting our first event for a while but were meticulous about who we would collaborate with and how we wanted to bring our community together. If we were going to start bringing our readership together IRL, we wanted to do it in a meaningful way that would cultivate connection and inspire action toward conservation in our daily lives. Our platform focuses on small changes that lead to a big impact, when you’re new to getting involved in sustainability it can be a bit daunting. We wanted our event to embody all that The Unwash is and be a space for people at every stage of their environmental journey.

Our first event brought small business owners, content creators, and people with our shared passion for the environment together for a night of inspired conversation, new friendships, and products from our favorite brands. Business owners of Black Girl Playground, Open Profile, and Isla Luna Studios were all in attendance as eco-conscious living and investment in meaningful connections are all shared ethos among us all. We created a tailored menu for the evening, custom conversation cards to spark conscious conversation, and a detailed tablescape that embodied an end-of-summer theme. Collaborating with a women-owned business and having so many female founders at the event created a moment of gratitude for the way women are at the forefront of the environmental movement. Conversation was flowing, new friendships were made, and the party didn’t want to end.

the unwash: trending

Over the latter half of the year, we’ve seen numerous of our favorite brands close or just seemingly go off the radar. Some brands have been upfront about a slow wind-down of production while others have shuttered with little warning. Brands including luxury icon Mara Hoffman, Julie Schott’s zero-waste body care line Plus, fan-favorite clothing brand Back Beat, and the latest to shutter, Common Heir are all slowly closing their doors despite being beloved by their customer base. Each of these brands we’ve seen shut their doors served a particular purpose and filled a much-needed gap in the market. It’s not every day that you come across a medical-grade zero-waste skincare brand, or dissolving body wash. This has left consumers wondering where some of their favorite brands went and why. Innovation and consumer interest are not the problem as these companies have completely reinvented their product field all while developing dedicated consumers. Developing and maintaining a sustainable business often isn’t the most cost-effective model. In a world of instant gratification where low-cost products are available at our fingertips, environmentally conscious brands must push against the grain to reign in customers and funding. 

A common critique of sustainable brands is often the high prices associated, but is the need for higher prices being overlooked by consumers? Not only are these brands producing a higher quality product with little environmental waste, but they often are also ensuring livable wages for their employees and safe working conditions, which comes with a higher price tag. When you are purchasing from a sustainable brand you are not solely purchasing the product but in tandem supporting an entire ecosystem behind the company. This is something you can’t say the same for when it comes to fast-fashion or fast-beauty companies where your purchasing is not actively supporting the people behind the product but rather the opposite. Despite this, the outcry for the need for environmentally focused brands is prominent. Consumers are ready and focused on making more mindful shopping decisions but, why are brands struggling to stay afloat?

the unwash: trending

While most consumer industries are beginning to lean into the push for sustainability, brands across the globe are no strangers to altering their course to meet the demand. Indie companies especially have been putting out products with sustainability at the forefront for over a decade. Still, now the industry as a whole is playing a game of catch-up as consumer values have shifted. Demand for sustainable products is consistently growing, and brands new and old are looking to meet the changing needs. 2023 marked a stark shift as new EU legislation around greenwashing, sustainability commitments, and transparency were passed and are now taking shape. In the past brands have been able to get away with loaded promises, lack of reporting, the uptick in greenwashing, or setting the bar too high for what is in reach when creating sustainability initiatives. 2024 seems to be the year to start putting together quantifiable, measurable changes to keep brands and suppliers in check. Lifestyle industries such as fashion and textiles have been a large target for the new legislation as fast-fashion brands like Shien and Boohoo continue to be major polluters offering little solutions to a massive problem. Innovations such as Pact, a recycling company formed in partnership with Credo to properly recycle beauty packaging are ushering in the new standard with consumers wanting hands-on change. Over the past few years, brands have zeroed in on the need for sustainable change and are now met with a crackdown on transparency, production, and marketing to make it happen.

Over the past few years, we’ve majorly seen the commercialization of sustainability spiral out of control. As the sustainability movement grows and gains mainstream attention, larger corporations follow suit but not necessarily in a good way. Consumers can’t become susceptible to mega corporations cashing in on their supposed sustainability scams. Mainstream brands coming out with sustainability collections and collaborations are only going to grow but as watchful consumers, we know better than to believe the hype. The trouble that begins from this is that the majority of shoppers don’t know what to look out for when making sustainable choices. Someone could wholeheartedly believe they’re making a great product swap but are ultimately just buying into some tactful marketing. If you recall, it’s like the Sephora ‘clean & planet positive’ sticker that most of the time is only selling people plastic. When it comes to the commercialization of sustainability there are a few ways I look at it. Glass half full perspective is that consumers are demanding better environmentally conscious alternatives that it’s catching the eye of mega-corporations. Glass half empty is that we’re catching the eye of mega-corporations that can then profit off of people’s good intentions. Regardless of the execution we should celebrate people that want to lean into sustainability and that we use this as an opportunity to educate and empower.