Anti Black Friday: hundreds of fashion brands are committed

5, 4, 3, 2, 1 ... Black Friday is launched!This day, which takes place every year, the fourth Friday in November is launching the winter season with its share of attractive discounts.24 hours that delight certain consumers.But this commercial practice directly imported from the United States, is also a cause of overconsumption, misleading promotions and pollution.It is for this reason that several French and responsible French fashion brands are mobilizing on the occasion of the 2021 edition of Black Friday.

What is the story of Black Friday?

The story that we most often read on the origins of the term "Black Friday" begins on Friday in September 1869 in the United States where the price of gold, in free fall, leads to a stock market krach whose effects are made for several years on the country's economy. In 1930, following another crisis, the great depression of 1929, traders tried to relaunch their activity by establishing 24 hours of discount in the aftermath of the Statesunian party of Thanksgiving, which took place every year the fourth Thursday in November . A few decades later, in the 50's, the term "Black Friday" appeared in the jargon of the Philadelphia police. It then designates the day of traffic jams which blocks the streets of the city center because of the consequent crowds in the shops. The name "Black Friday" is then gradually adopted by all the merchants in the country to designate these 24 hours of sales which has become a real national ritual. The goal: to launch the shopping period when approaching the holiday season.

When did Black Friday arrive in France?

It was in the early 2010s that Black Friday began to become a meeting in France.Popularized by the major international e-commerce platforms (Amazon, Asos, etc.), Black Friday is gradually being installed in the customs of French consumers.In 2021, there are 7 out of 10 to take advantage of it with an average budget of 251 euros according to a study by the PWC audit firm conducted in the fall of 2021. The problem?This discount day is added to the periods of sales already questioned by traders.Above all, as Nicolas Rohr, co-founder of the Faguo brand points out, "we do not have the same commercial calendar as in the United States. With us, the sales start in January, after Christmas".

But consumers, very happy to be able to buy clothes at barred prices and prepare their gifts for the holiday season with a little ahead (still according to the study by PWC, in 2021, consumers intend to buy30% of their Christmas gifts during Black Friday), do not skip this day of discount.A real problem for merchants, who are so lacking in selling their stocks at a high price just before the holidays.Especially since purchases are made online mainly, penalizing multi -brand stores and French claws compared to international sites accessible in a few clicks.In 2021, consumers intend to make 64% of their internet purchases against only 35% in stores according to the PWC study.

Another criticism: Black Friday is criticized because it leads to overconsumption.The substantial discounts displayed in stores influence the purchase of products that are not always essential for consumers."Brands must not" force "consumers to buy because there is a great promo that lasts 24 hours. And then, what does that mean, for a customer, that on Thursday, we sell aProduced at full price, then at -40% the next day before putting it back at a high price on Saturday? ", Nicolas Rohr notes.Besides, according to the UFC Que Choisir association, Black Friday is even an opportunity for some brands to deceive the barges thanks to an "invisible sleight of hand for consumers, which allows them to sell them the same products,At the same prices while making them believe in a good deal ".

What alternatives to Black Friday?

In France, the response is organized and more and more initiatives are carried out to raise awareness of customers and customers about the overconsumption that this period of discount.What interests them most in terms of purchase?Fashion, which represents for the 2021 50% edition of purchase intentions according to the PWC study.Logic, therefore, that the brands of the sector are mobilizing through various initiatives.

Green Friday

In 2017, the network of fifty Integration companies Envie, eco-responsible Altermundi, the Dream Act platform and the Retrier-Ressourceries network come together to create the Green Friday collective, presented as "Anti-Black Friday"."Together, let's take the power of purchase," he inscribes in his manifesto, who wants to "say stop on excessive and unreasonable production".The idea: favor eco-responsible raw materials, preach good word with our loved ones to convert them to this way of consuming, promoting local production, second hand, upcycling ... supported by the town hall of Paris, theCollective encourages brands to initiate concrete actions that day: do not promote the fourth Friday in November, pay 10% of its turnover of the day to an association, raise awareness of consumers ...

Make Friday Green Again

Lancé en 2019 à l'initiative de la marques française Faguo, Make Friday Green Again rassemble 700 griffes lors de sa première année d'existence. En 2021, elles sont 1 200 à s'engager contre cette période de surconsommation. Enseignes comme Naturalia et Maisons du monde, marques de beauté comme Horace et surtout, griffes de mode telles que Aigle, Emoi Emoi, We Are Jolies, Bonne Gueule, Luz, Maison Standards, Nénés Paris, Make My Lemonade, Chilowé, Olly, Jules & Jenn, Baya ou encore Icone Lingerie refusent ainsi de participer à cette journée de vente au rabais. Leur constat :

"You have to keep in mind that for the brands, the Black Friday is an important commercial contribution. By giving up it, we cut ourselves with a substantial turnover," recalls Nicolas Rohr. "But like us, the claws that have joined the initiative are among those who want to do for the planet and restore a certain balance rather than lament and create new drifts," continues the manager. However, there is no question of organizing specific actions to assert your positions on Black Friday day. Nicolas Rohr advises more brands to highlight all their already existing actions. In the case of Faguo, it is a question of communicating on its repair workshop, its recycling terminals, its offer to sell and buy second -hand ... for the presidential elections in 2022, Make Friday Green Again and Green Friday also joined forces to write an open letter to the future or the future president of the Republic in order to challenge her on Black Friday and to remind her of the impact of everyday consumption on climate. Their pious wishes: that the next or the next head of the state legislates on the subject.

Blue white red friday

In 2019, the Gourde Made in France Gobi brand launched blue white Red Friday.This collective of claws, whose products are all manufactured in the hexagonal borders, wishes to encourage consumers to buy from French claws which "fight 365 days a year to save local jobs and know-how".

Isolated initiatives

Some brands, without belonging to any collective, decide to transform Black Friday into a solidarity initiative.This is the case of Mr. Mustache who organizes five days of discounts on his old shoe collections from Wednesday, 17 to Sunday 21 November in his shops and on his website.The entire profits of this mini week of discount will be donated to the Allegretto association which fights against Rett syndrome, an affection of the nervous system that affects little girls.

The female ready-to-wear brand house 123 chose to donate 1 euro to each of its November 26 sales in Emmaüs Solidarité.The amount collected will be used to renovate a space of the association.

For his part, the specialist of Jean Jeanerica reverses 15% of the profits generated from November 26 to 29 to associations which protect the oceans thanks to the Milkywire platform which has the specialty of facilitating the connection between companies and non -profit organizations.An initiative followed by the Polish claw Chylak who decided to donate 50% of the profits made on his Moiré collection from November 26 to 29 at the Mare Foundation which works for the protection of marine ecosystems of the Baltic Sea.

For the eco-responsible sports label Circle, Black Friday is an opportunity to associate with the community of running heroes runners and to challenge its customers: run all 100,000 km on Friday, November 26 to plant 10000 trees with the Tree-Nation reforestation platform.Prepare your sneakers!

In another register, the online claw for women and children Balzac Paris will close its ready-to-wear site on Black Friday to push its second-hand offer and thus encourage customers to consume less, but better.An initiative that the Aigle brand, also a member of "Make Friday Green Again", also decided to take.In addition to his eshop, the label will close 48 of his shops on November 26, 2021, promoting his second -hand site, "second breath", launched everything a year ago.Or how to engage on a large scale.