Greenwashing. Does this word conjure warning signs or does it leave you with a head-scratching feeling? If you’re envisioning a metaphorical red light- you’ve probably been exposed to the unethical business practices that falsely market sustainability and environmental consciousness to consumers. However, if you’re the latter, you are not alone. Often, consumers don’t know what greenwashing is or how prominent it can be across industries. Especially, in the ever-changing fashion industry.
With environmental issues at the forefront of consumerism now more than ever- it is quite common for businesses to advertise that they are “eco-friendly” or “sustainably focused”- when they are not. These environmental buzzwords can be quite confusing to navigate, as they all sound vaguely similar, and can further perpetuate the misinformation of the sustainability movement if not understood properly. So, once we understand exactly what these words entail, the next step is to be sure that the brands we are supporting align with our environmental beliefs.
Inspired by a conversation led by Green Story, a sustainability platform, on Greenwashing in Fashion: the Dos and Don’ts for brands“– we want to share a couple of tell-tale signs that a fashion brand is catfishing you into believing their pseudo-sustainable practices. We hope these signs can help you to better navigate your choices as a consumer and to negate terms like greenwashing and other harmful practices from fashion.
Without further adieu, here are five signs a brand is greenwashing you:
They Solely Advertise “Sustainable” Packaging
Some fast-fashion brands, like Amazon Fashion, have made it a point to advertise their efforts to minimize packaging to reduce paper and plastic waste. Have you seen something to the effect of “ship these products together so they arrive in less packing materials” when you’re browsing online? This sounds promising, as it alludes to the idea that by waiting for all of your items to arrive together, you can help reduce your ecological footprint.
However, while packaging reduction is important, fast fashion brands are notorious for supporting “throwaway culture” or the harmful practice of dumping your clothes once they no longer are in style. The quickly changing trend cycle is how fast fashion brands can keep themselves in business. Textile waste is an even larger problem globally than packaging, but said brands are hiding behind “recyclable” bags or boxes to try and distract consumers from their environmental harm.
They Claim to Use “Sustainable” Fabrics without Further Evidence
Per an article by Green Story on “How to Advertise Sustainably”- claiming that products are organically produced is a classic example of greenwashing. H&M, for example, has claimed that they are leaning towards sustainability with organic cotton and recycled polyester in their “Conscious Collection”. Organic Cotton is excellent for the Earth, but it is often labeled differently for various brands, making it difficult to spot the imposter from the undeceive. 100% Organic Cotton will always be USDA approved- which is something that H&M does not warrant.
A report on the environmental impact of H&M’s Conscious Collection noted that this new line is actually more harmful than their regular garments. There was a higher count of synthetic materials in their “recycled” and “organic” clothing- with 72% synthetic materials found in their sustainable line compared to 61% in their main line. In short, if you’re questioning whether a fabric is sustainable, make sure that it is USDA-approved. If a brand makes broad statements while publicizing their “ethical” fabrics but doesn’t have a seal of approval for those fabrics- they are probably greenwashing their customers.
They Use Terms like “Timeless” or “Passing Trends”
This is a tricky one to decipher, as we all have different definitions of timeless and trendy. But, that’s exactly how a brand could convince you that their products have longevity. Timeless pieces are often in our closets for decades because of their wearability. Maybe it’s your favorite pair of jeans, or a thick sweater, that has convinced you into keeping this piece around as a more ethical option to reduce clothing consumption. While holding onto basics rather than buying into every trend helps slow down the trend cycle, if the pieces are made from unethical fabrics or business practices- it loses its sustainability.
Back in 2016, Zara released their “JOIN LIFE” campaign, which was their spin on a sustainable collection. They announced that their clothing would have material sustainability- putting the need to replace these items to the side. Yet, Zara doesn’t disclose what these items are actually made of, playing into the previous greenwashing trope of vague sustainability promises in fabrics. Don’t let jargon like “timeless” or “essential” cloud your judgment- if a fast-fashion brand hasn’t changed its production or materials, its products are not as long-lasting as they claim.
The Fine Print Contradicts their Practices
As someone who grew up in a household that was familiar with the law and ethical practices, I’ve been told to “Read the Fine Print” at least a dozen times over. This couldn’t be more true for debunking greenwashing practices- as many companies will not include where they are sourcing their fabrics from on their website if they are unethical. Knowing how to spot the fine print might not be the easiest fete, but it is the perfect way to spot greenwashing from sustainability, straight from the source.
If you’re struggling to find a mission statement or something that could prove a contradiction between practices and facts- think of the term “Non-GMO” as an example. Some grocers who market their produce as Non-GMO use this as a catalyst for environmental change. But, it misleads consumers to an environmental choice that might not exist. Such as “Non-GMO” tomatoes. Tomatoes have never been genetically modified, so yes, they are technically Non-GMO. However, that doesn’t add or subtract to current sustainability. The same could be said for fashion brands. If they choose to include buzzwords like “eco-friendly fabrics” but don’t specify what fabrics they are using, it’s probably because they’re hiding behind these buzzwords to cover their tracks. If they’re not adding anything to the sustainability movement, then they’re just greenwashing you.
Have their Own Definition of Ethical Payment or Minimum Wage
Fair wages are something that should never be misconstrued. There is a separate term called “fairwashing” that is its own concept outside of greenwashing- it translates to covering up poor labor practices to keep a brand in business. If a brand is stating that they provide a “living wage” for their workers- it can almost always be translated to the legal minimum wage. This is not something to be congratulated on, as it proves the company is doing the bare minimum to legally employ its workers. The term living wage has a different definition in every country, making it the least effective method of payment.
The Humanity Behind Our Clothes: Why Ethical Fashion Matters
Fast fashion brands are abusers of this topic, as they often manufacture outside of the U.S., opting to provide cheaper materials for cheaper labor. Brands like Shein, for example, might try to entice you with their programs that support young designers or the #SheinCares project. But don’t let this fool you, they are still underpaying their employees to mass manufacture their clothing. If you visit a company’s website and they are not willing to disclose what they are doing for their workers (I.E. creating fair or ethical wages, uplifting local communities with their employment), they are without a doubt, greenwashing.
By educating ourselves on the common signs of greenwashing, we can become more ethical consumers. These examples are just the tip of the iceberg for greenwashing, but if we learn the basics, we can better decipher which brands are practicing true sustainability and which are not. With staying informed, we are propelling the sustainability movement forward and are maintaining longevity for ethical businesses. Keep these topics in mind the next time you’re looking to add something to your cart!