How to Practice Conscious Consumerism During Uncertain Times

November 10 2025, 5 min reading time

The air always starts to feel a little different in November.

It’s not just the crispness or the shift in colors around us, it’s the transition into thicker materials, longer length dresses, and the addition of scarves, jackets, and pumpkin flavored everything.

But 2025's November feels especially different. The heaviness of the world events weighs on many and affects the choices we make on a daily basis. From if our neighbor, friend, or family member gets to eat today to whether we can afford the warmer clothes.

Millions of Americans are being affected: furloughed federal workers, delayed food assistance, budget‑strapped communities. Food banks are reporting huge surges in demand. Layoffs keep coming, prices keep climbing, deportations all around, gender laws being put into question, and the average person is feeling the affect of it all.

When the systems around us feel begin to crack and show signs of being unstable, the things we can control in our lives become more vital. That includes the way we move through the world, including way we dress and where we shop. In times like this, sustainable practices matter more than ever. Shopping small matters. Showing up for others matters. And making your voice, your values, your dollar, your wardrobe - all of it matters.

But let’s be real, conscious consumerism isn’t as simple as many make it out to be. It takes energy, intention, and often a few extra dollars, which can feel out of reach when everything else is asking more of us, too. That’s why how we shop matters just as much as where we shop.

Supporting small businesses doesn’t mean spending endlessly. It means choosing wisely. It means seeing your purchase as a vote for the kind of world you want to live in. I can't tell you how to vote, I just know that my dollars are voting for a world with creativity, fairness, individuality, and heart. It’s about shifting away from convenience culture just enough to remember: we have power. Even when it doesn’t feel like it.

And so this month, I wanted to highlight a few small shops doing meaningful, value-driven work. Shops that reflect the soul of slower fashion, ethical production, and joy-infused design. These aren’t sponsored, just hand-picked recommendations from someone who believes in shopping with soul.

6 Shops Worth Supporting This Season

1. Nooworks – Joyful prints. Ethical production. Real sizing.

If dopamine dressing had a storefront, it’d be Nooworks. Based in California, they're women own, and they design and sew all their garments in the U.S., working with local artists and prioritizing ethical labor. Their size range (XS–5X) and vibrant, quirky prints scream personality and self-expression. Every piece tells a story, and it feels good to wear clothes that were made by people paid fairly to create something joyful.

2. Tradlands – Tailored classics. Thoughtful sourcing. Built to last.

Tradlands is for those who love structure, natural fabrics, and investment pieces. Think: flannel chore coats, timeless button-downs, and flowy dresses in earthy tones. Their pieces are made in small batches with an emphasis on sustainability and wearability. Bonus: They offer a Worn Well resale program that lets you buy and sell pre-loved pieces, circular fashion at its finest.

3. Thief and Bandit – Hand-printed. Stretchy. Statement-making.

If you're into bold, artistic prints and leggings you’ll want to live in, this Canadian brand is it. Their prices hover around $80–$100 for most items, but they run sales often and offer true statement pieces made from organic cotton with hand-printed designs. They also custom-make each item in-house and are fiercely committed to slow fashion values.

4. No Nasties – Planet-first fashion that feels good on your skin and your soul.

Based in India, No Nasties is a zero-waste, 100% organic cotton brand that takes ethical production to heart. Their pricing is refreshingly approachable, most pieces land under $80, and they offer everyday staples in beautiful earthy tones. Plus, they offset carbon, water, and plastic with every order. If you want clothes that support both people and planet, this brand’s got you covered, literally.

5. Yes Friends – Radically transparent pricing. Basics that are anything but boring.

Yes Friends is on a mission to make ethical fashion truly affordable. Their tees start at $20 and are made in Fair Trade-certified factories using organic cotton and renewable energy. They don’t compromise on quality or values, and their clean aesthetic is easy to build around. Great for layering, gifting, or just upgrading your daily basics without selling your soul (or your savings).

6. Quince – Luxury-level staples at prices that make sense.

Quince uses a direct-to-consumer model to offer responsibly made wardrobe essentials like Mongolian cashmere sweaters, washable silk blouses, and cotton knit dresses without the luxury markup. They partner with ethical factories around the globe and disclose all sourcing info transparently. Most pieces fall under $100, and they’re perfect for building a timeless, high-quality capsule wardrobe that still feels fresh.

These are the kinds of brands that remind us fashion can be personal and political. It can be joyful, expressive, rebellious, soft. It can push back against systems that feel too big to change by changing how we show up in our own skin, in our own choices, in our own closets.

So if you're shopping this season, consider where your money goes. It’s okay to pause, reflect, and shop slower. To prioritize intention over volume. And if shopping’s not in the cards right now, that’s okay too. Sharing a brand with a friend, reposting a small business on social media, or leaving a review for a product you love also makes a difference.