As consumers become more environmentally-conscious, many companies have started to promote their products as “eco-friendly” or “sustainable.” While an increasing number of brands make bold claims about their environmental friendliness, not all of these claims are true. But how can we be sure that they are truly committed to sustainability and not just greenwashing?
Greenwashing is a term that is being increasingly thrown out when talking about the actions of various companies recently, but what does this really mean, what is greenwashing? Greenwashing is a misleading marketing strategy that involves making inflated or overstated claims about the environmental benefits of a product or service. This can take many forms, such as claiming that a product is made from sustainable materials, or that a company has reduced its carbon footprint. However, in many cases, these claims are not backed up by evidence, or they are only partially true. For example, a company might use a small amount of recycled material in their products, but continue to produce clothing in a way that is harmful to the environment.
The fashion industry is a common place for greenwashing, as companies are under increasing pressure from consumers to be more environmentally-friendly. Many companies have started to use terms like “sustainable fashion” or “eco-friendly clothing” to market their products, but often these claims are not supported by actual sustainable practices. For example, a company might use organic cotton in their clothing, but continue to produce clothing in a way that exploits workers or pollutes the environment. Similarly, a company might promote a single eco-friendly initiative, such as using renewable energy in their factories, while ignoring other practices that are harmful to the environment, such as using dangerous chemicals in their production process. In recent years many examples of such practices have been uncovered, for example:
H&M’s “Conscious Collection” was marketed as sustainable and environmentally-friendly, but in reality, it only accounted for a small percentage of H&M’s overall product line. According to a report by the Changing Markets Foundation, H&M has been accused of greenwashing, as the company’s sustainability claims have not matched its actions. The report found that H&M had failed to reduce its overall environmental impact, and that many of the company’s sustainability initiatives were more about marketing than genuine sustainability.
The North Face’s “Reuse It” campaign encouraged consumers to recycle their old clothing by bringing it to The North Face stores. However, as reported by Greenpeace, the campaign failed to acknowledge the fact that recycling clothing is not an efficient solution, as it requires a lot of energy and resources. The campaign also ignored the fact that The North Face was still producing large quantities of new clothing, which contributes to pollution and waste.
Levi’s “Water<Less” jeans were marketed as using significantly less water in their production than traditional jeans. However, as reported by The Guardian, the campaign failed to mention that the jeans still required a significant amount of water, and that Levi’s overall water usage had actually increased in recent years. The campaign also ignored other environmental issues associated with jeans production, such as the use of toxic chemicals and the exploitation of workers in developing countries.
Greenwashing is harmful for a number of reasons. On the one hand, greenwashing misleads consumers, who may make purchasing decisions based on false information. This can result in consumers buying products that are not actually environmentally-friendly, which is not only a waste of money, but also contributes to environmental degradation.
On the other hand, greenwashing undermines the efforts of companies that are genuinely trying to be more environmentally-friendly. When companies make false or exaggerated claims, it makes it more difficult for consumers to identify truly sustainable products and companies. That being said, luckily, there are an increasing number of companies that realize the problematic nature of this and try to go against this wave. For example, many people know the activities of such established brands as Patagonia, but other novel brands, such as IsMyCity also actively advocate for a more transparent and sustainable fashion.
To avoid greenwashing, you should always look for products and companies that provide transparent information about their sustainable practices.
Importantly, fashion companies should also be more honest and accountable about their sustainability efforts.