Live Conscious. Consume Ethically

Whether you are buying a surfboard, a sweater or a neoprene wetsuit, you are consuming. If the item is mass produced, most likely resources are exploited and as a consequence, the planet suffers in some way. What is happening in the current concept of consumption? Where is the circular economy we are always hearing about?

Do your ever consider why clothes are so cheap, or why you need to change your entire wardrobe every five minutes? Have you ever thought about consuming in a more ethical and responsible way? Do you want to live a sustainable and conscious lifestyle and join the fight against the excessive consumption that suffocates the Earth? These are questions that The Fair Cottage cares about.

Fast Fashion and Financial 'Savings'

As humans, we seek to satisfy our needs, basic and sometimes not so basic. From the simplest things such as buying food, to leisure activities, like hiking, through to adventure activities, like mountain-biking or rock-climbing - they all require some form of consumption.

Unfortunately, for most, the need for something new to support a leisure or adventure activity leads to mindless consumption. Quick fixes to problems, whether rational or not, in the form of fast fashion.

We’ve all bought ridiculously cheap clothes or equipment at one point or another. Whether the item serves a specific purpose, such as a sleeping bag or a tent, or it’s just that one item that finally completes your wardrobe, well, it’s not really the point. The amount you pay for goods and the certifications attached to them are good indicators of a brand’s ethical standards, and this is the bare minimum we should be considering as consumers.

Unfortunately, society is victim to the current consumption paradigm, which tempts us away from ethical decision making with the chance of financial savings. The irony is, most fast fashion products last about as long as they took to develop and hit our shelves. The consumer ends up losing out in the long run.

Live Sustainable: Know The Origins Of Your Clothing and Gear

At The Fair Cottage, we think we owe it to nature and the factory workers who produce clothing and equipment to pay more attention. To value what we buy. To know where materials come from and if people and the environment were treated fairly during the manufacturing process.

If a product contains wood, was it sourced from a sustainable forest? Were chemicals used to treat the wood, and if so, were necessary steps taken to prevent water pollution? What percentage of the materials in a product are recyclable or biodegradable?

It is clear that too many brands do not value these types of questions. But what values does we as consumers have? Most people are concerned about the environment at some level, but If we really want to take it seriously, we must align our values with our actions.

At The Fair Cottage, we propose a new recipe for ethical consumption, with ingredients that nourish our collective consciousness. Its starts with the information being provided about products and the supply chain, leads to transparency at a brand level and culminates in awareness at a consumer level.

With this recipe of information, transparency and awareness we will easily find the answers to the kinds of questions we’ve asked above. We will have the information to make carefully considered choices. We will be empowered to purchase products that are transparent and we can trust, gradually moving away from a culture of fast fashion and towards something more conscious and sustainable.

The Fair Cottage: Helping You Find Sustainable Clothing and Gear

The Fair Cottage is a platform born to help fill the information and clarity gap, to feed the consciousness of consumers. We will implement the tools that never existed before, providing a single platform where you can find information on product ethics and standards for boardsports, such as surfing and snowboarding, outdoor activities, such as rock-climbing, trekking and camping, as well as accessories and urban outwear.

We will only partner with transparent brands that share common values. Whether it's clothing or equipment, we will publish detailed information on partner brands, their product designs and material use, their manufacturing partner's methods and values as well as the environmental and social ethics of the label, allowing consumers to make value aligned choices. What’s more, by supporting transparent brands TFC and our readers will contribute towards popularising them, raising awareness and the demand for products with high ethical standards.

At The Fair Cottage we treasure the giant playground that is our planet, with all its forests and shorelines and mountains and rivers. All of these places, where we connect with nature and forge our fondest memories. Places that can bring tears to our eyes, joyous because of their beauty, or those of sadness due to their mistreatment. Those sacred places where anything and everything is possible and we are inspired to do better.

Many people still consider nature as something external to themselves, but we are part of it too! Now more than ever we must come together as one to help preserve it. Let's change the concept of consumption, make ethical decisions, promote sustainability and show nature the care it shows to us.

If you would like to join our conscious network and contribute towards change, please join our mailing list.