What is a VSCO Girl?
A VSCO girl is somone who is active on the internet, trendy and has a laid back vibe. They are environmentally conscious (you know — metal straws, saving turtles, etc.).
A VSCO girl has a sense of empowerment and doesn't care what other people think.
Oh, but there's so much more!
Take the VSCO Quiz to find out just how VSCO you are (and what it takes to up your VSCO game).
The History
The term VSCO Girl was born from the popular photo editing and sharing app, VSCO. You might be thinking, “that sounds a lot like Instagram!”. But Instagram didn't spawn an entire subculture. VSCO did.
Where Did the Term VSCO Come From?
Although the creators of the VSCO app don't make this claim anywhere on their site, it's a reasonable assumption that the term VSCO is an acronym for Visual Supply Company. Visual Supply Company, founded in 2011, developed the popular photo app.
How Did the App Spawn the Term VSCO Girl?
The Term “VSCO girl” is a actually believed to originate on the social media app, TikTok. The TikTok app has continued to popularize the term and they now go hand-in-hand.
Instagram though, has played no small role in the development of the VSCO girl. The #VSCOgirl hashtag has been used on nearly 2 million posts.
VSCO and the Environment
VSCO girls have a voice. They are constantly bringing awareness to enironmental concerns ranging from plastic polution to turtle conservation.
Metal straws, turtle stickers, reducing waste and eating vegan are just a few of the ways these teens are starting to influence change in our lifestyles.
Metal Straws
Plastic waste is a hot button issue and has been for almost 50 years. It only gets worse as our population grows and increases the demand for plastic. The market for plastic products is growing at a rate of 3% per year. This issue isn't going away on its own.
The VSCO girl is keenly aware of the impact that plastic waste has on the environment. She supports the fight against the irresponsible use of plastic by only sipping through a reusable straw.
For a straw to be reusable, it needs to be washable. Now, we could certainly put this issue to bed by delicately hand washing our plastic straw after each use and calling it a day. But our dishwasher-spoiled population is hardly going to see that as an option.
Considering that straws were invented millenia before plastic ever existed, there must be a material equally well suited to this long, cylindrical shape. Enter the metal straw!
What metal straws lack in "bendiness" they make up for in reusability and, arguably, taste. You can hand wash a metal straw, or throw it in your dishwasher's utensil rack.
While nobody will dispute the portability of a plastic straw, can you imagine yourself carrying around your favorite plastic straw? Let's instead consider a metal straw with a trendy carrying case, which may even include a cleaning brush. Nice.
Metal straws can be purchased on so many online marketplaces, it's almost impossible to list them out. You won't have any trouble finding your perfect metal sipping buddy.
Turtle Stickers
You may have started to notice that water bottles are being covered with stickers. One of the more popular stickers being that of a turtle. So that begs the question… of all animals in need of conservation, why have VSCO girls chosen to support the turtle?
The Green and Sea Turtles are on the endangered species list. The Hawksbill Sea Turtle is listed as critically endagered.
Sea turtles have existed on Earth for over 100 million years. Over this vast amount of time, they have become an important part of marine ecosystems, as they help to maintain coral reefs and healthy sea grass.
International trade in sea turtle products is banned, but that hasn't stopped the illegal sale of turtle shells.Some of these sales have even occurred on eBay!
By decorating your water bottle with a turtle sticker, you create opportunities for conversation about the issue.
Reducing Waste
We already talked about plastic straws and their metal alternative. But there's a lot more ground to cover when it comes to waste. While plastic is number one on the list, there are other wasteful practices that concern the VSCO girl.
The manufacturing process itself produces all kinds of chemical and material waste. By purchasing a high-quality product that lasts longer, you reduce the waste generated by the manufacture of lower-quality items. Sporting high end brands is a hallmark of the VSCO girl.
Spending time outdoors, whether it be in nature or at the beach is how VSCO girls remind themselves about what nature provides them. You may think that electronics have no place in nature, but consider the value of the positive message created each time someone posts an Instagram photo of themselves on a bird walk, or with their toes in the sand at the beach.
VSCO girls give back to nature and the environment by:
- Walking / biking instead of hopping on the Uber app.
- Switching to reusable coffee cups, straws, bags, water bottles and even razors.
- Recylcling anything that can possibly be recylced.
- Saving energy by taking a shorter shower, turning off the space heater and putting nightlights on a timer.
- Going cloth over disposable paper towels.
- Buying locally produced food and other products.
- Opting for unpackaged products when shopping.
VSCO Brands
We talked about how high-quality products can lead to less waste. A high-quality product is subject to fewer customer returns (think fewer emissions due to return deliveries). Higher quality also means that the product can be passed down among siblings, or even generations. A VSCO girl knows quality and sticks by her brands.
Crocs
Crocs, originally intended as a boating shoe, have been worn by over 300 million people. Crocs are made from a closed-cell resin, or EVA foam. You may know EVA foam from it's application in orthotic shoe inserts. But what this all translates to is comfortable footware that will last a lifetime.
Within just a decade of their Crocs have been both recommended by the U.S. Ergonomics company and accepted by the American Podiatric Medical Association.