Every year, the Black Friday sales seem to get bigger and bigger.

It’s easy to find yourself swept up in the discount bonanza, shopping for things you don’t really need, but buy anyway because they’re cut price. According to a  study by finder.com, one in five Brits regret Black Friday and Cyber Monday purchases – but despite this, people on average are planning to spend 18% more compared to last year.

Not everyone is getting involved in traditional Black Friday sales on November 27 though. In an effort to combat the waste of the day and give back to the environment and communities, some brands are making positive change this year. Here’s how…

Allbirds

Sustainable footwear and apparel brand Allbirds isn’t cutting prices, but raising them instead. Allbirds products will cost £1 more on Black Friday, with the brand matching each sale by £1 and donating the money to Fridays For Future – the organisation founded by Greta Thunberg to fight the climate crisis.

“Black Friday deals may satiate momentary desire, but their impact on the planet is a lot more long-lasting,” said Allbirds. “That’s why [we] wanted to do things a bit differently this year, flipping tradition and doubling down on our commitment to sustainability.”

L’Occitane

Beauty company L’Occitane is set to offer 20% off online purchases from November 26 to November 29, and will donate £1 from every hand cream sold to PUR Projet. With this money, the organisation will plant native trees across the UK.

Through money raised over Black Friday weekend and extra donations from L’Occitane, the brand hopes to give more than £46,000 to PUR Projet.

Deciem

Instead of doing a frantic Black Friday sale, Deciem has cut prices for its skincare brands (including The Ordinary and NIOD) for the whole of November. “Last November, we asked you to shop slowly. We said that skincare purchases should be based on education over impulse, and highlighted the importance of conscious consumption,” said the brand, and it’s doing the same this year, encouraging people to learn about products before buying, and offering a 23% discount throughout the month.

“Hyper-consumerism remains one of the biggest threats to the planet and an urgent change in the way that humans produce and consume products is required. On 27th November (the day formerly known as Black Friday), we will be pressing pause,” Deciem added. “Our stores and website will be closed, once again, for a moment of nothingness.”

Baukjen and Isabella Oliver

Fashion and maternity brands Baukjen and Isabella Oliver will donate their profits from November 27 to November 30 to various charities.

The two brands form part of a collective called the House of Baukjen, and will be giving to Centrepoint, which helps tackle youth homelessness; The Trussell Trust, which fights food poverty; suicide prevention charity PAPYRU ; and the Princes Trust, which helps young people enhance their employment skills.

House of Baukjen founder Baukjen de Swaan Arons said: “It’s been such a difficult year and as an ethical and sustainable brand we don’t feel it’s right to participate and encourage hyper consumerism. We believe in buying less and buying better, which is why this year, we wanted to give back and really make a difference.”