If you are an e-commerce business looking to start your journey to being more eco-friendly, MindfulCommerce is the place to be! MindfulCommerce facilitates the connection between e-commerce brands, tech solutions and service providers who are on a mission to make e-commerce more sustainable. They actively help e-commerce brands access the skills and expertise they need to build their brand with purpose and profit. Their Directory of tried and tested partners are ready to help amplify your impact on customers as well as the environment.
This week, we have a written interview with the founder herself, Krissie who is currently based in the U.K.
Before she started the MindfulCommerce directory and community, she was busy running her other online business.
Kollectify - a fantastic team of expert content marketing strategists and writers that work to position and promote Shopify Apps and Agencies.
MindfulCommerce started as a passion project to help combat the rise of fast fashion and brands such as BooHoo and Missguided (the truth in their name).
These companies made her wonder HOW on Earth they could sell things so cheaply and pay their workers well. She went down a bit of a rabbit hole and started reading lots of articles and books on fashion trends being unsustainable for the planet in terms of items ending up in landfill and polluting our environment especially in third-world countries where this has a damaging effect on the population. Not to mention the toxic materials used to make cheap clothing and the unethical marketing that makes us feel like we need to constantly buy, buy, buy. The media pushes us to think we need the next best thing, but we truly don't.
The biggest concern for Krissie is the fact that fast fashion is killing animals and polluting our oceans. “It is heartbreaking because the environment gives us so much! We see it a lot more now in the media - like the images of sea turtles with cotton buds stuck in their throats. Then there’s the fact that e-commerce is a massive contributor to [carbon] emissions and climate change. We need to reduce the amount of stuff we buy and remove the culture of more, more, and more. E-commerce has the potential to be part of the solution if we do it right and I believe technology can help with this.”
Overtime, MindfulCommerce changed from a small idea to a thriving community that helps sustainable businesses in the e-commerce world to connect.
This company has helped Krissie connect with wonderful people who genuinely want to make a difference in the world. People who care more about lifting others up and helping those who are in need. People who deeply care about protecting our planet for future generations to come and those who are developing innovative, creative products to help us all to make e-commerce a better place for consumers and brands.
For individuals looking to make their business practices more sustainable, Krissie has some helpful tips. She believes it starts with the small things and that it is important to focus on the long-term. “Try not to get overwhelmed and remember you’ve got to start somewhere, and that progress is better than perfection. There's no such thing as being 100% sustainable. If you are transparent and honest, you're winning. Do your best and ask for help. Look for companies that align with your values.”
Krissie specifically focuses on helping brands consider the impact of their websites! We might not think it, but the internet is dirty and e-commerce sites are huge, which means more energy is being sucked from the Earth.
Here are some key considerations when looking for ways to reduce your brand’s digital carbon footprint.
Your data center must run on renewable energy. Demand transparency and settle for nothing less.
Great for your page speed, healthy for the planet. This relates to images (compress, upload at correct scale) and fonts (again, compress and stick to modern formats, find a great deep dive here).
Design user journeys that bring your customers swiftly and safely through the purchase process — no excess energy needs to be expended and everyone wins.
Carefully consider your use of large images, especially video files. Look at what’s needed to achieve the effect or response that you are looking for.
Encourage your developers to embrace the challenge of simple, efficient code in all areas of your site — weed out duplications and unnecessary plugins.
People looking to make their e-commerce businesses more sustainable should look into joining Krissie's community. You can find out more about joining the community for free here.
To get listed on the MindfulCommerce Directory as an expert, you must offer a service or product that can help with the growth of an e-commerce brand, help brands save time and money. If you’re thinking “but we don’t offer a specific “eco” offering, please don’t let this stop you, all that matters is that you are mindful of your impact and that you’re keen to learn - we will help you.
You can learn more about joining as an expert here.
MindfulCommerce has a strict list of questions that helps to gauge the expertise of people applying as well as their value and ethos. The main thing that they are looking for is that the companies applying are genuine and are working to or want to start their journey to make the world more sustainable and ethical, while still going into their own niche.
If you are a brand selling products online and you’re interested in joining the community, you can join the community here. There are many amazing members in the community who want to grow together, and I think it's a wonderful place to be.
MindfulCommerce even has a section where they will match you with a company based on your specific needs. Check it out here!
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MindfulCommerce is looking to build out their community and audience so they can continue educating e-commerce businesses on the things they can do to be more sustainable and better for our planet.
They are also launching their education hub at the end of the month! It will have a rich library of resources that will help to grow sustainable e-commerce businesses. This library will provide you with articles and guides on virtual networking events and update you with podcasts featuring expert speakers.
It doesn't have to be difficult to find other growing companies that are also dedicated to sustainability. MindfulCommerce shows us this with their growing list of e-commerce businesses all wanting to make a change in their industry. If you have a company that you feel aligns with the values of MindfulCommerce, I recommend getting involved. It is possible to be a successful business and be eco-conscious-focused.
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