Trying to buy your way into environmental sainthood isn’t working.

Sustainability has a branding problem. What started as a push for less consumption somehow turned into an aesthetic—and a shopping spree. Reusable, refillable, compostable, and “planet-friendly” are now slapped on everything from deodorant tubes to luxury yoga mats. But buying green doesn’t always mean living green. More often than not, it just means buying… more.
These habits may feel virtuous, but many of them come from guilt, not impact. The market knows how to monetize eco-anxiety, offering stylish solutions to problems that consumption created in the first place. That sleek reusable bottle or “zero-waste” gadget might feel like a win—but only if it’s actually reducing waste, not collecting dust. Real sustainability isn’t about curating the perfect eco-collection. It’s about slowing down, using what already exists, and getting a little more honest about why we buy what we buy. Guilt can’t greenwash overconsumption—no matter how bamboo-scented it is.