Why We Don’t Do Black Friday

It’s mid-November, and my inbox is already overflowing with “Early Black Friday” deals. I scroll, a little tired, and wonder: how did one day of anticipation turn into a months-long cycle of noise?

When I decided to bring INTENSIFY ME to Switzerland, my purpose was clear: to faithfully represent the brand’s vision; a celebration of women, craftsmanship, and integrity. A brand that honors the people and materials behind every piece.

Black Friday, with its endless discounts, impulsive shopping, and overproduction, has never felt at home in that world. And so, we don’t do it.

The True Cost of Fashion

I remember reading that the fashion industry produces 80–150 billion garments every year, and roughly 30% are never sold. Many of these clothes are burned or dumped into landfills. Every second, one truckload of textiles is lost forever.

Black Friday accelerates this cycle. The anticipation of huge discounts drives brands to produce more than the world really needs, feeding waste, pollution, and overconsumption.

At INTENSIFY ME, we choose a different path. We produce small batches, avoid fake scarcity, and honor the resources, time, and care that go into every creation.

Fair Work, Fair Value

Too often, “premium” brands offer massive discounts because the true cost of production is hidden, and workers are paid far less than they deserve. It’s a system that rewards margin over meaning.

For me, that was never acceptable. Every piece at INTENSIFY ME is crafted in Brazil under fair working conditions, and we follow a transparent pricing model.

With a 2× markup and no sales, you’re paying for quality, skill, and longevity, not just a logo.

If the “real price” of a product only appears during Black Friday, what does that say about its value the rest of the year?

Buying Less, But Better

A study by The Independent found that 82% of Black Friday shoppers regret at least one purchase. Impulse buying leads to returns, waste, and disappointment, the opposite of the relationship we want you to have with our pieces.

Every design at INTENSIFY ME is made to last, age beautifully, and carry meaning.

Slow down. Pause. Choose with intention. Buy less, but better.

A Pause Before the Noise

Black Friday no longer starts in November, it starts now. And before every screen fill with “limited time offers,” I want to remind you what matters:

• True value is not urgency, it is integrity.
• It is knowing who made your product, how it was made, and why it exists.

This season, I invite you to pause and ask yourself:

• Do I really need this, or am I reacting to a discount?
• Who made it, and under what conditions?
• Will it still matter to me in a year?

Support brands that create with intention. Choose pieces that last, not trends that fade.

Beauty, when made with care, doesn’t need a discount tag.

Because the choices of conscious consumers like you shape what the industry becomes next.

With gratitude and care,

Carina Baldi & the Intensify Me Team