Greenwashing may sound like another buzzword thrown out into the universe, but it is worthy of serious discussion. What is greenwashing exactly? Well, it is when companies (for the sake of this article, clothing brands) convey a false impression that their products are more environmentally and ethically sound than they really are. Companies are essentially misleading their customers, and it is a problem. Unfortunately, this is a common practice among many fast fashion brands.
Why Do Companies Greenwash?
Over the years, many famous brands have been accused of greenwashing. To name a couple (we mean no shade): Boohoo, as well as Other Stories. As to why these companies are essentially lying to their customers; it is unknown. If we were to take a wild guess, it is because these brands are trying to appease the new consumer who is looking closer at the label, and are attempting to conceal the fact that the materials they use in production are anything but green.
How Do You Know?
There is no surefire way to distinguish the genuinely green brands from the one’s putting up a facade. However, there are some small signs you should look out for:
1. They only make limited products with sustainable materials.
If your favorite store is putting out capsule collections that are made from say, organic cotton or recycled plastic; that does not mean they are practicing sustainability company-wide. For example, Yoox released a small collection of clothing made with eco-friendly fabrics in May of this year. It cannot be said, however, if they are implementing this company-wide. Given the fact that they don’t have a sustainability section, they probably aren’t. How do you prove this? Go beyond just the small amount of clothing a brand is advertising as environmentally friendly, and evaluate the materials and processes used in the making of those items. This will say a lot about their commitment to the cause.
2. They don’t have a ‘sustainability’ section on their website.
This is a huge red flag, and a dead giveaway. If a brand is serious about their impact on the environment, they will have a special section on their website where consumers can go to view information on their supply chain, materials sourcing, etc. If they don’t have this, they could very well be hiding something.
3. They are a large corporation.
This is not always a fair characteristic to judge on, but if the company is a large corporation looking to produce mass quantities of product; they are most likely going the least expensive route. And, the materials that are the least expensive tend to be the most detrimental to the environment. Small startup brands tend to have a bit more freedom and attention to detail, so they are more likely to invest in better fabrics.
Genuinely Green Brands
Upon doing some extensive research, we found that these three brands are actually practicing what they preach. These labels may not be considered “fast fashion”, but they certainly deserve more hype.
Eileen Fisher
Eileen Fisher is dedicated to ensuring their clothing is made with only the finest, most natural fabrics. The “Behind the Label” section on their website highlights everything from the fibers used in production, to the conditions of their factories. They genuinely care about their impact, and it shows through their willingness to share information.
Reformation
Reformation claims that being naked is the number one most sustainable option, and they are the second. That statement might just be true. On their website, the brand says that they track their environmental impact through RefScale. This lets shoppers know how much C02, water, and waste that is saved by purchasing their clothing compared to other major retailers.
Amour Vert
Amour Vert not only values the fabric they use across their brand, such as modal and OEKO-TEXⓇ certified silk; they also make their clothing in limited quantities to eliminate excess waste. In addition, they have added profiles of the laborers at the factories they use to their website so customers can put a face to their purchases. What sets them apart from many other brands is the fact that they plant a tree with every purchase of their Amour Vert tee. How cool is that?
Do Your Research
If you are uncertain as to how serious your favorite clothing brands are about sustainability, we cannot say this enough: Do your homework. Look beyond just the fabric used, and take a deeper dive into their suppliers and the conditions of the factories they employ. While this may seem like a lot of work, this information should be made readily available to consumers. It is not enough for a company to call their product “organic” or “sustainable”. They must prove this in all their actions.
Learn more about transparency in fashion below: