What made me stop and think about my own consumption?

Occasionally, moments arise (fortunately) when the hustle and bustle of everyday life slows down for a bit, and one finds themselves looking at their surroundings in a new way. For me, such a profound moment was connected to consumption—what I buy, why I buy, and what choices I make. I can’t pinpoint just one moment, but several small signals began to accumulate until I was forced to pause.

A sea of mass-produced toys

One awakening occurred when I was looking for toys and clothes for my newborn baby girl. It had been 15 years since my previous child, and I hadn't been following, for example, toy shelves and the offerings for quite some time.

I walked down a supermarket aisle filled with plastic toys: colorful, cheap, easily breakable, and constantly changing... There were so many of them. The thought that most of them would end up in the trash before the year was out was unsettling.

I looked at the shelves from a new perspective: How much raw material, energy, and labor went into producing these? And what happens to them when they are no longer needed?

That aisle first sparked the need to examine and change my own consumption habits.

The takeover of synthetic fiber clothing

The next thought-provoking realization came from my own wardrobe and the children's clothing selection. I started examining the materials of my clothes and noticed how a large portion was polyester, acrylic, and other synthetic fibers—meaning, essentially, plastic. I also realized how much clothing I had bought simply because it was affordable—not because I needed it. My wardrobe still contains many clothes that I haven't worn much since their first use, but I haven't bought new ones in quite some time either :) Although there are, of course, many cotton options in adult and children's clothing, I began to research how much natural resources cotton production consumes and how cotton production actually happens, e.g., on a mass production scale. The answer was frankly shocking.

When cupboards and storage spaces fill with unnecessary items

The third awakening occurred at home when I had to move items to storage to make room for my daughter's essential supplies in the cupboard. That is, moving items I hadn't used in years. Boxes that I knew contained items acquired on a whim: decorative objects, clothes, cosmetics, jewelry... items that once felt like a "good buy," but whose value had evaporated as soon as the receipt was lost.

I realized then that many purchases don't add value to everyday life. They only add clutter.

Towards slower and more deliberate consumption

These insights—plastic toys, synthetic fibers, overflowing cupboards—didn't change everything overnight, but they opened the door to a new way of thinking. I began to appreciate natural materials, craftsmanship, and products made with care.

🕊️ What this means for us and why our own consumption is important

When one understands the consequences of mass production and overconsumption—textile waste, microplastics, the disposable culture, and the burden on nature—one begins to see their everyday choices in a new light. I don't want our home's cupboards to be filled with items that will soon end up in the trash. I don't want to support fast fashion or synthetic materials that will remain in the environment forever.

That's why even small decisions matter: by choosing durable, long-lasting, and natural-material products, we can genuinely lighten our footprint.

MaallinenDesign was born from this idea—the desire to show that beautiful and practical products can be made ecologically and thoughtfully, without unnecessary consumption.