The Netflix documentary Buy Now! The Shopping Conspiracy remains an unsettling film about the power of corporations that explores the impact of consumerism on our purchasing habits. Every day, corporations manipulate us into believing that we’re missing out on the latest trends, but we can resolve this by buying more and more. Fast fashion is a significant culprit, as is the broader fashion industry. It’s drowned us in textiles we don’t need, are cheap, and candidly, worthless, which is where the circular economy comes into play.
Corporate Manipulation: The Enemy of the Circular Economy
Once you see the documentary, it’ll remind you that corporations can make a lot of money to get you to buy. We know that companies such as Apple create hardware that has system failure and “planned obsolescence” built into them as a feature. In turn, it normalizes the concept of disposability.
Of course, no industry has embraced the idea of disposability more than the fashion industry. It’s common for brands to manufacture clothing for two to four collections annually, but some brands create as many as ten collections to keep changing trends. Fast fashion company chains, such as Zara, H&M, and Shein, continually restock clothing so that, pretty much any time a shopper walks through the doors, they’re looking at new clothing and getting a dopamine hit with a new purchase.
The linear “take, make, waste” model is the opposite of what a circular economy represents. Where does the responsibility lie for the 100 to 150 billion garments annually, or 12.2 articles of clothing annually, for the 8.2 billion people on the planet? The answer lies with corporations that know this is destroying our planet.
Five Corporate Maxims That Destroy the Circular Economy
One clever way the film tells the story of corporate manipulation is by using an AI assistant named Sasha as the narrator. Sasha expertly guides viewers through the intricacies of corporate manipulation. Corporations exist to maximize profits, not to serve consumers, as many would like to tell you.
The corporate manipulation, as Sasha states, is founded on five profit maxims:
- Sell more.
- Waste more.
- Lie more.
- Hide more.
- Control more.
Technology is weaponized against consumers who don’t see the manipulation happening because behavioral psychology is used against them. It’s unclear to consumers that they’re being sold to, lied to, and controlled. But here’s the thing. We don’t have to accept that manipulative system. The circular economy offers a significantly better approach.
Embracing the Circular Economy: Key Concepts
The reuse economy takes us back to a time when manufacturing, designers, and artisans created durable and high-quality products. As it relates to fashion, clothing was made from high-quality, organic materials that were breathable and comfortable. Moreover, the clothing materials were non-toxic and biodegradable.
So, if you want to join the reuse movement, it’s essential to understand the circular economy key concepts:
- Reuse is taking an existing item and using it again for the same function without significant alteration. It is the idea behind vintage clothing or the secondhand market. Think of that favorite jacket your friend compliments every time you wear it. You know, the one you’ve had for eight years. That’s reuse in action.
- Recycling. This idea involves taking items, breaking down their materials, and transforming them into new products. For example, you can take a glass bottle, crush it, and turn the glass into a vase.
- Upcycling. This concept involves taking a product and transforming it into a higher-quality or more valuable product. An example is transforming discarded shipping containers into homes.
- Sustainability. This concept involves striking a balance between economic growth, environmental conservation, and social well-being. It means not compromising present and future generations.
- Reuse economy. I use ‘reuse’ and ‘circular economy’ interchangeably. The point of the reuse or circular economy is to create and buy products for longevity and to support sustainable businesses.
In short, the circular economy creates and supports products designed for longevity, promoting sustainable businesses. That’s the complete opposite of the current wasteful system.
Your Role in Building the Circular Economy
The reuse economy is filled with people like you and me who refuse to accept that the current unsustainable path is the only path forward. We refuse to believe that we have to destroy the planet and all living things at the altar of corporate manipulation and shareholder profit. We’re challenging corporations to be socially responsible and not bend to whichever wind blows their way to make money.
Ask yourself a question: When was the most recent occasion you experienced a sharp twinge of remorse as you discarded an item that might have been reused? When did you last buy something and, at purchase, feel as if you really shouldn’t be buying the item? That feeling—that moment of thrifty temptation—is your inner guide trying to tell you something.
The reuse economy isn’t just a concept seen in policy papers or an abstract idea that exists only in the world of corporate sustainability reports. It is, in fact, all about us and our everyday lives, and that’s the most important thing you need to know about it. The circular economy doesn’t demand sacrifice. It’s about reclaiming what we’ve lost in our dash toward throwaway culture. It means true artistry, craftsmanship, and the connection to our physical environment, the things in it, and the people we share it with in our lives.
Breaking Free: Your Vote for the Circular Economy
Whenever you choose reuse over new, repair over replace, or quality over quantity, you’re not simply conserving money or diverting waste. You’re voting for a specific version of the world. You’re pulling a kind of lever disguised as a purchase or a lapse in purchasing that signals to the people who make, sell, or govern our stuff that you care about this issue. Again, the way ahead is about taking back what we’ve forfeited to throwaway culture. Are you prepared to tackle the obstacles and contribute to the solution?
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