Greenwashing: what to know & how to spot it
Greenwashing, the misleading marketing tool that has come out of the rise of the ethical and sustainable fashion industry. The main issue that we, as so many others, have with it is that it takes away from those brands actually doing the work in order to be both environmentally and socially conscious. Ultimately, greenwashing is an attempt to capitalize on the growing compassion and consciousness consumers are beginning to show when purchasing products and honestly, it’s shameful.
If you’re not familiar with the term, let me break it down for you. Greenwashing is a marketing ploy used to portray that a certain product is more environmentally friendly than it actually is — honestly, most of the time, they aren’t environmentally friendly at all. It’s the eco-version of a white lie. These products over exaggerate their environmental prowess & social practices in order to make themselves look more sustainable and, at the worst of times, employ this strategy to divert attention away from negative labour practices or toxically dyed fabrics, for example. Greenwashing is false advertising in one of its worst forms.
SO HOW DO WE IDENTIFY IT?? Well, I have some good news to share. I’ve found that many fast-fashion businesses consistently use the same tactics to convince consumers that their “sustainable collections/products” are as environmentally-friendly as they come. We recommend looking at these 4 key characteristics of those products that make the claim of being “environmentally friendly.”
- One of the most apparent of strategies is the over-use of symbols associated with nature — no surprise there. This can include imagery such as landscapes, leaves, baby animals, trigger words such as “pro-planet” or “conscious” and the color green — a lot of green.
- Materials: The use of sustainable and natural fibers is a simple way to change the impact of a supply chain for the better and it’s also an easy way for you as a shopper to distinguish which brands are serious about their environmental impacts. A brand that has committed to a limited set of good-for-the-planet fabrics is investing both time and money in their sourcing, which indicates that they care about the environmental and social impacts of their raw materials. Take organic cotton for example, it’s a material that has been proven to be significantly better for both people and the planet than other commonly used materials such as polyester.
- Certifications: Look for legitimate certifications on labels such as, B Corp or GOTS certified. Pro Tip: Sometimes big companies state they have these certifications when they really don’t (ew) so, have a look at their website & those products claiming to hold these standards and once you know, you know.
- Transparency: Transparency is a huge indicator that a company is actually walking the walk, not just talking the talk. You can 200% be sure that if a company has put in the time and effort to abide by ethical and sustainable practices throughout their supply chain they will be sharing this this information with consumers like us and we’ll be praising them for it.
“Every time you spend money, you’re casting a vote for the kind of world you want.” — Anna Lappé
If you’re going to take away anything from this article, I hope it’s that green washed products — such those big brand “sustainable collections” — should not be supported, because they really cause more harm than good. Ultimately, you’re the consumer and you hold the power to choose which brands you invest your time and money in, but don’t let yourself be manipulated by companies that have dollar signs for eyes and show no real signs of acting in sustainable and ethical ways. Do your research, always ask questions and shop responsibly — you’ll love yourself for it and the planet will too.
