Greenwashing the Fashion Industry: Don't Let These Brands Fool You! written by Lauren Gould
What is greenwashing? Green washing is when a brand uses environmental language to market their brand or products without actually taking steps to becoming more sustainable. At this moment, sixty percent of large fashion brands who claim to use sustainable practices are actually participating in greenwashing. It is important to know how to spot greenwashing in order to make a change!
How do I spot greenwashing Oftentimes, the brand uses terms such as “eco friendly”, “sustainable”, or “eco-conscious”, without any evidence to back this up. They will
attempt to give the appearance that they care about the environment, but it is only a marketing tactic.
Common Fashion Industry Culprits 1. H and M- a brand notorious for greenwashing H and M makes false claims of being environmentally sustainable. Looking at their website, they state that, “To qualify for a green hang tag, a product must contain at least 50% sustainable materials, such as organic cotton and recycled polyester — but many of our garments contain more than that. The only exception is recycled cotton, which can only make up 20% of a product due to quality restraints”. Doesn’t look so green now, does it? 2. Shein
15
