The difference between sustainable, ethical and eco-friendly

Have you heard the terms “sustainable,” “ethical” and “eco-friendly” flying around and wondered what exactly they meant? You’re not alone. I see these terms being used interchangeably even though they actually mean very different things so I thought I’d break down their exact meaning to help demistify the sustainability movement.

Sustainable. A company that respects the three Ps: people, planet and profit. This means their workers should be treated and paid fairly, they make significant efforts to reduce their environmental impact and, ideally, they will do all this while being profitable. The company should also be transparent about their efforts and how they could improve!

Ethical. Usually refers to a company that ensures its workers earn a fair wage in safe working conditions (e.g. fair trade), but may or may not be made with eco-friendly materials. The definition of this term is sometimes debated or used interchangeably with "sustainable," even though they do mean different things.

Eco-friendly. A company that operates and/or makes their products with either a net positive impact or minimal negative impact on the earth and environment, but may or may not have been made ethically.

I hope that helps you demystify the movement a little and helps you make informed purchases that align with your values going forward. I always say that we don’t need to be perfect or do everything sustainably. It’s totally OK to simply do what you can, when you can, and to prioritize the things that make the most sense to you or are most accessible to you.