The movement is back once again to transform consumption frenzies over discounted products into what fuels positive social change.
The Black for Good movement is back to give new meanings to overconsumption on Black Friday, the highly promoted sales period due to take place on the 29th of November this year. Every year since 2019, the movement has united brands to donate a portion of their profits from Black Friday to a charity of their choice. Last year, 46 brands joined the initiative, facilitating over €120,000 ($130,000) of charitable donations to 38 different organizations.
Moving into its sixth edition, the movement is launched by Ning Li, founder of Typology, a French skincare brand specializing in natural and active ingredients. When Li and his team first discussed a Black Friday campaign, they decided to pivot from a promotional period that might have been vital for a young brand like Typology. They wanted to engage in actions that would instead build a community to benefit the environment.
“The mission of Black For Good is to give meaning to the frenzy of Black Friday, bringing together French and international brands with one goal.”
Founder, Ning Li.
“The mission of Black For Good is to give meaning to the frenzy of Black Friday, bringing together French and international brands with one goal: to make Black Friday a moment of solidarity by donating to associations,” said Li.
The team at Typology chose not to boycott Black Friday or discount periods like some brands do because they acknowledged the financial constraints people may have and wanted a non-moralistic alternative. Black For Good allows customers to engage with charitable causes through purchasing during Black Friday, an event almost always synonymous with overconsumption and the tremendous environmental impact that follows.
In fact, a 2022 study by T&E shows that during the year’s Black Friday week, an estimated 1.2 million tons of CO₂ was released in the air by trucks delivering packages around Europe — almost 600,000 tons, or 94% more than an average week.
Over the years, Typology has used Black For Good to fight deforestation, fund regenerative agriculture projects, donate hygiene products to hospitals during the pandemic, and combat student poverty in their native France. Last year, Typology donated €23,000 ($25,000) of their profit over a four-day period to Wings of the Ocean, France’s leading charity in fighting ocean pollution. This fund helped collect 1 ton of rubbish, organize 22 waste collections, and set up 20 awareness-raising campaigns. This year, the skincare brand will continue its work with Wings of the Ocean and donate €2 for every order placed between 29 November and 1 December.
As of the beginning of November, 34 other brands have joined the 2024 edition of the initiative, with donations going to 32 different non-profit organizations. The roster includes brands across all sectors — leather goods, jewelry, fragrance, footwear, cosmetics — a majority of these are also Typology’s competitors in skincare. Some participating brands include YVY, Païma, and Resore, with donations going to organizations like Freshwater Challenge, Up2green Reforestation, and Doctors Without Borders.
Photo courtesy of Janko Ferlic.
