Our Black Friday fundraiser – Social Supermarket x The Earth Issue
24/11/2021
Black Friday is the most hyped shopping day of the year. But it isn’t really our jam – and we’re certain many of you feel the same Black Friday fatigue.
With deal after deal crowding our inboxes, it’s inevitably a time of overconsumption, with research from Hubbub finding the weekend of sales encourages us to buy things we don’t need.
Since it isn’t going away anytime soon, we’ve decided to turn this year’s Black Friday into an opportunity to do what we do best – create a positive impact.
We’re launching a fundraiser from Friday 26 November until midnight on Monday 29 November. During this time, 12% from every sale through our website will go to three charities, selected in collaboration with our campaign partner The Earth Issue.
That means everything you buy will have a doubly good impact: you’ll be buying from brands with a social mission and supporting three exceptional charities.
So if you fancy a Black Friday with less waste and more meaning, celebrate it here with us.
Why we’ve teamed up with The Earth Issue
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again – the social enterprise sector thrives on collaboration. And for this Black Friday fundraiser, we’re thrilled to be joining forces with The Earth Issue, an agency and environmental arts platform that shares our values.
Whether it’s art direction, photography or fashion styling, everything they do is geared towards raising awareness for the movement towards ecological sustainability and social justice. You might have seen their ecological arts magazine, activism fundraising campaigns for BLM, exhibitions or educational panels and workshops.
The Earth Issue also runs a talent agency with a unique approach. The Cultural Council matches brands and organisations with strong environmental or humanitarian missions to like-minded activists and changemakers – from climate activists to youth leaders, community builders and artists.
We’ve handed over the decision of where the money made through our Black Friday fundraiser will go to three of these changemakers. Here’s the lowdown on which charities they’ve chosen and a peek at the personal Social Supermarket collections they’ve curated…
Noga Levy-Rapoport + Surfers Against Sewage
As an activist, organiser, speaker and host, 19-year-old Noga Levy-Rapoport uses their voice to fight for climate justice. They were one of the organisers of the record-breaking international Global Climate Strike of September 2019, which they hosted in London.
It’s no surprise, then, that Noga chose an environmental charity to support through the Black Friday fundraiser. 4% of the donation will go to Surfers Against Sewage, a charity and movement fighting to clean and protect our oceans, waves, beaches and wildlife.
“I’m really excited to be directly supporting Surfers Against Sewage. As someone who grew up surfing myself, who has always loved the ocean and all it gives us, it’s so important that we have charities who are working tirelessly to keep our waters clean and our marine life safe. With a huge number of initiatives and campaigns, Surfers Against Sewage is a wonderful environmental charity benefitting all of us.”
Noga has commented on the collab: “In a culture and system that pushes us to consume so much, it’s really important to have initiatives like these that remind us that we can reimagine what sustainable consumption can look like.”
Check out Noga’s curated Social Supermarket collection, featuring products like these:
- Sustainable, cruelty-free scented candles raising money for an animal rights charity and a domestic abuse charity.
- An organic cotton tee that saves CO2 and is made in ethical conditions.
- An insulated stainless steel drinks bottle raising funds for two planet-friendly charities, including Surfers Against Sewage.
Talia Woodin + Crisis
Talia Woodin is a 22-year-old activist, photographer and aspiring filmmaker. She works with groups and movements across the climate, environmental and social justice spheres, from Fridays For Future to Reclaim the Power.
Talia has chosen to donate 4% to Crisis, a charity working to end homelessness and help people to find stable, secure homes. “Growing up Crisis was always an organisation my family supported,” she says. “And I remember going to art and dance classes in their centre in my hometown. I think that all of the resistance work that we do must first be rooted in solidarity with marginalised groups within our own context and community.”
She shared her thoughts on the problem of overconsumption too: “I’m sure I’m not the only one that finds the Christmas and holiday season daunting; the extent of consumption and waste reveals one of the ugliest sides of our society.
“That’s partly why initiatives such as The Social Supermarket are so important in encouraging people to shop mindfully and ethically. I think that if we’re going to continue consuming at even a fraction of the same scale as we are currently, then doing so through alternatives like this, is essential.”
Check out Talia’s curated Social Supermarket collection, featuring products like these:
- A face scrub made using coffee grounds saved from landfill.
- Notebooks crafted from recycled materials and supporting education projects.
- Zero-waste cleaning essentials helping unemployed and marginalised people find flexible employment.
India Ysabel + Black Minds Matter
The third Cultural Council changemaker we’re collaborating with is activist, content creator and student India Ysabel. She’s known for her honest and accessible content on antiracism, intersectional feminism and social justice.
Her chosen charity for the Black Friday fundraiser is Black Minds Matter. “Black Minds Matter are a charity that have made it their mission to connect Black individuals and families with free mental health services by professional Black therapists,” India explains. “I’ve chosen Black Minds Matter because the work they do is vital for the Black community and as someone who has struggled with their mental health, I believe everyone deserves to be listened to by a therapist that can truly understand their experiences.”
It’s a cause India is passionate about: “I’m so proud to be supporting Black Minds Matter in collaboration with the Social Supermarket this Black Friday! It’s exciting to be combining two causes I care about greatly – ethical shopping and Black mental health.”
Check out India’s curated Social Supermarket collection, featuring products like these:
- Colourful prints from a design studio run for people living with mental health challenges.
- Bamboo socks helping get essential items to people experiencing homelessness.
- Luxury hot chocolate supporting an anti-human trafficking organisation.
Triple your impact with our Christmas Hampers
Any shopping you do on our site from 26th to 29th November will include a 12% charity donation. But we’re stretching the positive impact even further with a plant-a-tree promise on our Christmas hampers this festive season too.
For every two Christmas hampers sold, we’ll plant a tree. So you’d actually be tripling your positive impact, making a serious difference for people and planet.
We’ve got hampers of all sizes to set you and your loved ones up for a delicious Christmas, with each and every product supporting worthy causes. You can even build your own gift box, so it lives up to their exact tastes and values.
Want to keep up the fairer, more ethical shopping throughout the festive season? Check these out…
