Falling Down the Rabbit Hole of Ethical Consumption

Mar, 27 , 25 - Ittara Bags
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Photo by Naele Souza: https://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-standing-by-the-tree-photographed-through-a-keyhole-12753709/

The terms organic, eco-friendly, sustainable, cruelty-free—they all seem to have something in common. They attract the same kind of people. People who care. People who want to do better.

Many of us, at some point in our lives, embark on this journey—to be more responsible consumers. With the intent to consume ethically, we start looking for options, learning, and educating ourselves. The dilemma with knowledge is that the more you learn, the more you realize how much you don’t know. As you go further on this journey, it slowly feels like you are opening a door to a never-ending hallway of questions, uncertainty, confusion, and sometimes—frustration.

Stage 1: Awakening

When I first learned about the cruelty involved in animal products, I started making changes. I switched to non-dairy alternatives—cashew ricotta, cauliflower alfredo, soy milk risotto. My grocery list transformed, my skincare routine changed, my wardrobe shifted to exclude leather shoes and bags.

At first, it felt great. I was making ethical choices.

Stage 2: When Solutions Become Problems

Then came the second stage—the part where you realize your alternatives have their own set of problems. Almond milk? A massive water guzzler. Soy milk? Potential hormonal concerns, deforestation, and questionable labor practices in soy farming. Even cashews—one of my favorite discoveries—came with ethical concerns, with reports of exploitative labor conditions in their production.

And then the environmental impact hit me. My beloved faux leather handbag? Made of plastic-based materials that will sit in landfills for hundreds of years. My sustainable cotton T-shirts? Cotton farming consumes enormous amounts of water. It seemed like every solution led to another problem.

Then, just when I thought I had accounted for everything, I realized another layer—the packaging. Glass or plastic? Recyclable or compostable? Bulk buying or minimalism?

Stage 3: Decision Fatigue And The Guilt Trap

It seemed like all products failed in some way—eco-friendly, animal-friendly, or community-friendly. And even those that checked all the boxes often failed to meet an all-important one—being pocket-friendly.

I remember standing in a Targe aisle, trying to find a hair spray out of the multitude of options available, wondering which one was the "least bad" choice. With the aerosol packaging, questionable ingredients, animal testing (does the brand do animal testing, what about is parent company, do they sell in China where they are required to conduct animal testing). I simply left without purchasing anything. Slowly, this became a common pattern for all my purchases. No matter what I did and how much I tried, it always felt like it wasn’t enough. Even after spending lots of additional time, energy, money towards every item, was I really making a difference?

Exhausting, right?

At some point, you start wondering—what’s the point? No matter what choices you make, there will always be trade-offs. Responsible consumption feels like a rabbit hole, a never-ending cycle where every decision has a downside.

Stage 4: Acceptance—The Journey, Not The Destination

The moment of enlightenment comes when you accept that sustainability is about the journey, not the destination. There is no perfect way to live sustainably. There’s no mountaintop to conquer where you suddenly become the perfect ethical consumer. No matter what you do, you will always take from the Earth in some way. And that’s okay.

It took me a while to accept this. But one day, I realized—doing my best was enough. I didn’t need to be perfect. I just needed to be mindful.

The was the biggest win for me - adopting a mindset of conscious consumption—the commitment to doing better, even if perfection felt out of reach. The realization that small, mindful choices accumulate into a significant positive impact over time.

Not All or Nothing

Sustainability isn’t an all-or-nothing game. Do what you can. Carry your reusable water bottle to your favorite non-vegan fast-food joint. Say no to the plastic straw and just drink directly from the glass. Even if you are not ready to make a switch to a more responsible or a home-made laundry detergent today, may be just use that towel one more time before throwing it into laundry.

Choose cruelty-free skincare, even if the packaging isn’t perfect. Pick your battles. You can’t win them all, but every conscious choice you make is a step in the right direction.

Conclusion: Gratitude Over Guilt

One thing that can help navigate the challenges of responsible consumption is to simply buy less. Use what you already have. Mend what’s broken. Borrow, or buy pre-owned. Because even the most responsibly produced products come at a great cost to the planet.

Limit waste, buy what you need, consume what you already have—with gratitude in your heart, knowing that you are respectfully taking from the planet.

You will make the best of it.

And maybe, just maybe, that’s enough.

 

Choose wisely. Use what you have. And when you need something new, explore Ittara’s cruelty-free and sustainable collection—a step toward conscious luxury. 🌿

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