[Think before you buy. Try ethical consumption with International Certification marks!]

Hello I’m Rie, Borderless Creations Ambassador!

What do you prioritize when choosing products when shopping?

The values such as ”cheaper price", "things that can be used for a long time", or "things that are friendly to both the environment and society" may be a few of the things that come to mind and your priority can change depending on the situation and your need.

Today I want to talk about International Certifications, which is one way to find sustainable products when shopping.

Since I started to be more aware and mindful of sustainability, I try to buy products that are certified as much as possible. With certified products, you can understand more about the product such as "how was it made", "is it genetically modified", "is it fair trade", etc.  This way, you can be sure that the product is sustainable and therefore help with ethical consumption!

In the past, I must say I've chosen products because of its low prices, but behind these cheaper products, there are many hidden  problems such as overwork in developing countries and improper wage payments etc. There are many hidden things that we, the consumers would not know just by looking at the price tag. This kind of situation is actually happening in Japan as well. After knowing this fact, I have started to stick to and actively purchase sustainable products such, for instance organically produced bananas and oatmeal and Fair trade chocolates etc.

★ Types of International Certification marks

・ Organic certified

・ International Fair Trade Certified

・ FSC certified (Forest Stewardship Council certified)

Shopping is similar to voting; what you purchase can help enrich all living beings on the planet as much as possible and can let companies understand what is better to make and sell.

Let's all try to shop with a more sustainable conscious in mind; not only in terms of reducing waste but also in terms of what to consume and buy!