Why Do Sustainable Products Usually Cost More?

As a conscious consumer, you have probably noticed that sustainable products typically cost more than their conventional counterparts. When you’re trying to live more sustainably and source your products responsibly, this can be a difficult reality to accept. But the truth is that there is a reason for these costs – they don’t just come out of nowhere. 

Let’s talk about the price of sustainable products and why they often cost more:

Why Sustainable Products Cost More

Demand

All pricing relies on supply and demand to some degree. While the demand for sustainable products is higher than ever, it is still nowhere close to the demand for conventional, plastic-reliant products. Many of these items are relatively new to the market and thus haven’t reached mass demand. Additionally, many of the creators/distributors of these products are small businesses who don’t have the capacity to produce at scale. However, this also means your purchase is all the more important. Every sustainable purchase you make adds to the overall demand and value of these kinds of goods in the global market.

Raw Materials

It’s no secret that plastic is cheap – that’s why it has permeated our lives so deeply. Avoiding petroleum-derived materials while ensuring everything is up to our standards is not always an easy or cheap endeavor. Creating ethical products has a premium to it to help cover the sustainable materials, living wages, and responsible business practices that we take great care to uphold.

Ingredients

We have high standards when it comes to ingredients. Certain components have to be fair trade or organic. Alternatives to palm-derived ingredients are difficult to find and expensive to produce. Plus, we strive to create effective products with high-quality materials, and to use those ingredients at high enough levels to actually make a difference for your hair and skin (rather than just for a marketing story).

Wages

A business focused on sustainability knows that it's not sustainable to pay people less than a living wage. There are many fast fashion companies out there that get away with poor working conditions and low wages, but we don't believe that is an ethical way to do business. We try to focus on a business that can do well for people and planet: for all Earthlings.

When You Shouldn’t Pay for Sustainable Products

There are plenty of valid reasons not to buy sustainably made items. If you already have something that suits your needs, there is no reason to go out and buy a replacement. Using products through their full lifecycle is its own form of sustainability! You also don’t need to buy sustainable products brand-new; you can always shop secondhand and still reduce your overall consumption. You should also never feel obligated to buy something that is truly out of your budget – sustainability does not outweigh what makes most sense for you and your lifestyle.

You can still help grow demand for sustainable products and live a more ethical lifestyle without spending money. 

• Follow sustainable companies online. You probably know by now how powerful social media is – support those doing good by following and engaging with their content!
• Use your goods for as long as possible. Take good care of your items, learn how to repair them as needed, and only replace them when truly necessary.
• Speak up! Businesses want their customers to be happy. So speak your mind about what you value in a product and why sustainability matters to you. You never know how much of an influence consumer demands can have. 

Sustainability at The Earthling Co

We pride ourselves on being Intentional by Nature. While making sure that the products we create have a big impact on your life and minimal impact on the planet is tricky, time consuming, and expensive – it's worth it. We sincerely hope you can see the care we put into every product we create and can feel the difference.