12 Days of Shit You Don't Need: Day 10

The de-influencing series you didn't know you needed!

Merch

Whilst iconic tour t-shirts are not new, music merch has now become an industry in its own right. In 2018, global sales hit an astonishing $3.5bn!

And it’s not the music industry that has pivoted to merchandise sales – everyone from podcasts to public transport networks is cashing with a whole suite of products from tote bags to t-shirts to mugs and keyrings. In the era of “personal branding”, there are seemingly infinite opportunities to leverage catchphrases and slogans in the form of products to peddle. (We can probably thank Kris Jenner for that.)

This is not good for a planet already under the catastrophic strain of overconsumption. We buy so much “stuff”. This is typically low quality – produced without regard for the people who made it, the resources that went into it and how it will be disposed of. 

There are many ways to show support for artists and creatives that you love, beyond buying “things”. Engage with and share their work, and leave reviews telling them how great you think they are. PAY them - go to their gigs, buy their books and if they are digital creators find out if you support them on Patreon or Substakc, or even send them tips through a cash app like Venmo.

Stay tuned for 2 more days of Shit You Don’t need for a breezy, anti-consumerist holiday season.