#Underconsumption Core - The Viral Trend Normalising the Normal
The seatbelt sign has been switched on — strap in people. You’re about to experience some turbulence as we fly through yet another social media trend.
Wait, what’s that up ahead?
“Underconsumption Core”?
A trend we don’t need to chase?!
Maybe this will be a smoother ride than we think…
If you’re wondering what on earth we mean by #UnderconsumptionCore, you may be more familiar with the concept than you think. Conscious consumers, you’re in for a treat.
Despite being around for a few years, referenced mainly under the term “de-influencing”, the trend has boomed outside of its environmental echo chamber and gone viral in the last couple of weeks.
This isn’t just a trend that rejects overconsumption. It has provided a stage for resourceful solutions and inspiration to enjoy sustainable living. Everyone loves a bit of occasional DIY, and tips and tricks to save us time and money. Thankfully, #UnderconsumptionCore is full of it, all whilst being sustainable.
However, no trend comes without backlash, and we hold this one under a microscope.
Through a few swipes and scrolls under the hashtag, you’ll find influencers romanticising examples of reused, repaired, and repurposed products. Before throwing them away, you’ll also find creators showing themselves to use products until nothing is left or are no longer repairable.
Isn’t it so crazy to think that we are so deep into a throw-away culture, that normalising what should already be the norm is considered a trend?
Isn’t this just normal life for a lot of people? Especially for those in low-income households, making do with what you have and repurposing products is a necessity, not an aesthetic or a trend. Many influencers are calling out this trend to be a poverty lifestyle repackaged as sustainable living, but we don’t think this is fair, nor the aim of the trend.
The importance of underconsumption methods to low-income households goes without saying. However, it is wildly damaging in today’s materialistic society to discourage the widespread adoption of simple sustainable practices because they are associated with low-income living. The underconsumption trend exists entirely in opposition to overconsumption and influencer culture, and these environmentally friendly hacks should be implemented, regardless of one's income and status.
Macro and micro-influencers alike are showcasing their everyday and household items in the most ordinary settings, mirroring most people's realities. A refreshing move away from the perfectly curated content of influencer lives, but then again, isn’t that what we long for when we turn to social media influencers? Inspiration for better? Is this the demand we drive, and the reason trends are trends?
We also came across influencers who have misunderstood the trend, throwing away *perfectly good* products, labelled as an act of “underconsumption”. Whilst they could excuse their mispractice by suggesting they are demonstrating a transition to a more minimalist lifestyle, we imagine these influencers are more than likely to go back to their over-consumptive ways because, of course, that is how they make their money.
Despite how counterproductive this is, their messaging could be a backward beginning of a new mindset shift to think more radically about whether they or their followers need so much stuff. Whether their efforts mean well or are simply to jump on the bandwagon of another trend, is this an accidental movement towards imperfect environmentalism? If it encourages people to question their overconsumptive ways, it’s at least a step in the right direction.
So what will happen when social media moves onto the next trend?
While the well-informed environmental influencers on top of the trend will no doubt continue to educate and inspire people about why underconsumption is important, education is not enough. It needs to be complimented by strategies that address practical and emotional wants, needs, and desires that influence human behaviour. For behaviour change to happen, there are psychological, social, cultural, and personal factors that must be influenced.
For those engaging with the trend for the right reasons, the natural continuation of underconsumption core leads to thinking about addressing more areas of our lives sustainably, and becoming more conscious consumers moving forward. Hopefully, those who adopted even just a couple of new habits may begin to seek out more ways to do better. If they don’t, at least they will have made changes to their life that have less impact than before.
Here are some of the freshest #UnderconsumptionCore ideas we’ve sought inspiration from this week:
Using dried flowers as diffusers using essential oils.
Upcycling food jars for almost anything - fridge organisation, storage, flower vases, candle holders, you name it!
Reusing old toothbrushes to clean.
Reusing delivery packaging to send future packages.
Using any unused, out-of-date charity clothing collection bags as rubbish bags.
Cutting old, worn clothes and towels into squares for cleaning cloth.
Using fabric scraps as toy or pillow stuffing.
Cutting your skincare and beauty products in half to access all the product!
Saving rubber bands from produce and using them to tie bags of frozen food or crisps closed.
Getting a library card to start renting books or simply swapping with friends instead of buying new ones.
As we always say, the first step to making more mindful decisions is to use what you have already. The next step is to look for investment pieces designed for longevity and sustainable use.
Our #DELAHSustainable Directory hosts responsible brands whose mission is to do better for people and the planet. For an in-depth guide to going from mindless to mindful, you can also find our recent article ‘The Conscious Consumer Starter Pack’ here.
Do you practice sustainable living and underconsumption? We’d love to hear from you and your tips and tricks!
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