In an era of growing climate awareness, fashion brands are racing to appear sustainable. From recycled collections to carbon-neutral pledges, eco-friendly messaging now dominates ad campaigns and product labels. But how much of it is real and how much is just a marketing illusion?
Welcome to the murky world of greenwashing.
Greenwashing refers to the deceptive practice where companies exaggerate, fabricate, or mislead consumers about the environmental benefits of their products or operations. In the fashion industry, responsible for up to 10% of global carbon emissions and 20% of wastewater, greenwashing isn’t just unethical. It’s dangerous. It distorts consumer trust, delays systemic change, and allows exploitative practices to continue behind a façade of “green” PR.
As conscious consumers demand transparency, brands are under pressure to prove their environmental credibility. But navigating the truth requires sharp eyes and sharper questions.
This article breaks down how to identify greenwashing in fashion, the tactics brands use to appear sustainable without substance, and what real accountability should look like in a truly ethical fashion economy.
1. What Is Greenwashing?
The term greenwashing was coined in 1986 by environmentalist Jay Westerveld, who observed hotels urging guests to reuse towels “for the planet” while continuing to waste resources behind the scenes. Since then, the term has evolved to encompass a broad spectrum of corporate strategies that misrepresent environmental responsibility.
In fashion, greenwashing can look like:
- Vague sustainability claims (“eco-friendly,” “conscious,” “green”)
- Emphasis on minor ethical efforts while ignoring core issues
- Use of earthy visuals or language to suggest environmental care
- Highlighting recycled materials in a fast-fashion framework
2. Why Fashion Is Ground Zero for Greenwashing
Fashion is uniquely vulnerable to greenwashing for several reasons:
- Opacity: Fashion supply chains are complex and hard to trace.
- Speed: The rise of ultra-fast fashion makes genuine sustainability nearly impossible at scale.
- Consumer Pressure: As sustainability becomes a selling point, brands exploit it without true change.
- Lack of Regulation: Until recently, brands have faced little legal pressure to substantiate claims.
According to the Changing Markets Foundation, 60% of sustainability claims by fashion brands in 2022 were found to be misleading. From high-street retailers to luxury labels, greenwashing spans the entire spectrum.
3. Common Greenwashing Tactics in Fashion
Understanding how to spot greenwashing begins with learning the strategies brands use to manipulate perception.
1. Vague or Unverified Claims
Buzzwords like “green,” “eco-conscious,” “earth-friendly,” or “sustainable” are often used without explanation or proof. These terms are not legally defined, allowing brands to use them freely.
Red Flag: A product labeled “sustainable” with no information on what makes it so.
What to Look For: Specific metrics, third-party certifications, or detailed breakdowns (e.g., “Made with 90% GOTS-certified organic cotton”).
2. Selective Transparency
Some brands will showcase a single “eco” collection while ignoring the rest of their operations. This is known as “token sustainability.”
Red Flag: A “conscious edit” that represents 5% of a brand’s offering while the rest is business as usual.
What to Look For: Brand-wide sustainability goals, supply chain traceability, and efforts to scale ethical practices across collections.
3. Recycled Materials Without Context
Using recycled polyester or cotton is increasingly popular, but this alone doesn’t guarantee sustainability, especially if the garment is still made under exploitative conditions or designed for disposability.
Red Flag: A polyester dress labeled “recycled” from a brand that releases 1,000 new styles a week.
What to Look For: Lifecycle analysis, information on recyclability, and commitments to reduce overproduction.
4. Carbon Offsetting as a Cover
Brands may claim “carbon neutrality” by buying offsets instead of reducing emissions at the source. While offsetting has a place, it can’t replace real systemic change.
Red Flag: Vague “climate-positive” language with no mention of reduced emissions or energy-efficient manufacturing.
What to Look For: Concrete carbon reduction targets and verified climate action plans (e.g., Science Based Targets initiative).
5. Green Aesthetics as Disguise
Earth-toned packaging, leaf motifs, and minimalist fonts can create a visual illusion of sustainability, even if the product is not environmentally responsible.
Red Flag: Packaging that looks eco-conscious but includes no substance to back it up.
What to Look For: Actual sustainability data, not just green marketing design.
4. The Cost of Greenwashing
Greenwashing doesn’t just confuse shoppers. It causes real harm.
It Undermines Trust
When a brand gets exposed for greenwashing, it breeds skepticism across the industry. Genuine sustainable brands suffer as consumers grow cynical.
It Delays Progress
Greenwashing stalls the industry’s shift toward sustainability by allowing bad actors to thrive while appearing responsible.
It Exploits Consumer Goodwill
Consumers who want to do better end up supporting brands that don’t deserve their dollars, unintentionally contributing to the problems they’re trying to solve.
It Obscures Labor Abuse
Some brands use environmental messaging to distract from unethical labor practices, especially in the Global South. True sustainability must include both planet and people.
5. How to Spot the Real Deal: Identifying Ethical Brands
1. Look for Third-Party Certifications
Reliable sustainability credentials include:
- GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard)
- Fair Trade Certified
- OEKO-TEX® Standard 100
- Cradle to Cradle Certified™
- Bluesign®
- B Corp
While no system is perfect, certified brands are held to higher standards and undergo more consistent audits.
2. Investigate Their Supply Chain
Ethical brands are transparent about:
- Where their materials come from
- Who makes their clothes
- What wages and labor standards are upheld
- What factories do they work with
Tools like the Fashion Transparency Index by Fashion Revolution offer annual reports ranking brands based on supply chain openness.
3. Read the Fine Print
Sustainability claims should be backed by data:
- “Made sustainably” is vague. Ask: How?
- “Carbon neutral” needs proof of emissions reductions.
- “We’re working on it” isn’t a plan—it’s a placeholder.
Real accountability looks like annual sustainability reports, independently verified impact metrics, and long-term action plans.
4. Consider the Business Model
Is the brand producing massive volumes of clothing weekly? Is it promoting impulse buying, endless new arrivals, or limited-time sales? Even with sustainable materials, fast fashion is inherently unsustainable.
Better business models include:
- Made-to-order or small batch production
- Pre-orders to avoid waste
- Rental, resale, and repair services
- Slow seasonal releases
6. Greenwashing Case Studies
H&M’s “Conscious Collection”
H&M launched its Conscious Collection with claims of sustainability but was criticized for misleading labeling, lack of transparency, and minimal improvements in overall production.
A 2021 investigation by Quartz revealed that many products labeled as “sustainable” had no more environmental benefit than H&M’s regular items, and some even scored worse.
Boohoo’s “Sustainable” PR Campaign
In 2022, ultra-fast fashion giant Boohoo hired celebrity ambassador Kourtney Kardashian to promote its “sustainable” initiatives, despite releasing thousands of new styles per week and offering little evidence of systemic change.
Sustainability experts criticized the move as a textbook example of PR over progress.
Zara and Carbon Neutrality
Inditext (Zara’s parent company) has pledged carbon neutrality by 2040, yet continues operating a fast fashion model dependent on volume, speed, and outsourced labor. Critics argue that until production slows and transparency increases, these pledges remain hollow.
7. The Role of Regulation
Governments are beginning to crack down on greenwashing.
- Norway banned H&M from using vague sustainability labels without verification.
- France passed a law requiring brands to disclose the environmental impacts of products sold online.
- The EU is rolling out its Green Claims Directive, mandating evidence for eco-claims and banning generic terms like “environmentally friendly” without substantiation.
In the U.S., the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is expected to revise its “Green Guides,” offering stricter guidelines on how companies can market environmental claims.
8. What Consumers Can Do
You don’t need to be an expert to fight greenwashing. Here’s how to shop smarter:
Ask These Questions:
- What specific actions is this brand taking to reduce its environmental footprint?
- Do they share who made their clothes and under what conditions?
- Is this item built to last, or is it trendy and disposable?
- Are their sustainability claims certified or just self-reported?
Use These Tools:
- Good On You: Brand ratings for ethics and sustainability
https://www.goodonyou.eco - Remake’s Brand Directory: Transparent fashion ratings
https://remake.world - Fashion Revolution’s Transparency Index
https://www.fashionrevolution.org
Vote With Your Wallet:
Support brands that are doing the work. Reduce your consumption overall. Buy secondhand. Repair. Rent. Swap. Repeat.
9. Toward a Truly Sustainable Fashion Future
Greenwashing thrives in the gaps between what brands say and what they do, between what consumers hope and what the industry delivers. But those gaps are closing.
New legislation, consumer awareness, and independent watchdogs are raising the bar. As this shift unfolds, the most powerful thing we can do is stay skeptical, stay informed, and ask the right questions.
The future of fashion doesn’t need more green-tinted branding. It needs accountability, transparency, and courage from both companies and consumers.
References
Changing Markets Foundation, “Synthetics Anonymous 2.0,” 2022
https://changingmarkets.org
Fashion Revolution, “Fashion Transparency Index 2024”
https://www.fashionrevolution.org
Good On You, Brand Directory
https://www.goodonyou.eco
Quartz, “H&M’s greenwashing problem,” 2021
https://qz.com
Remake, Brand Ratings
https://remake.world
McKinsey & Co., “The State of Fashion 2024”
https://www.mckinsey.com
Olivia Santoro is a writer and communications creative focused on media, digital culture, and social impact, particularly where communication intersects with society. She’s passionate about exploring how technology, storytelling, and social platforms shape public perception and drive meaningful change. Olivia also writes on sustainability in fashion, emerging trends in entertainment, and stories that reflect Gen Z voices in today’s fast-changing world.
Connect with her here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/olivia-santoro-1b1b02255/
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