We live in a society that is increasingly aware of the environment, a society in which curbing the consequences of climate change has become a priority. This situation makes many people avoid buying products from companies that harm our environment and our health, so companies are looking for communication strategies and different formulas to convey to the audience their values and corporate social responsibility to the environment.
Often, these formulas are only communicative and have nothing to do with the real practices of companies, which continue to produce products that pollute or do not respect the environment. This practice is known as greenwashing.
Why H&M and Decathlon Came Under Fire
Greenwashing by fashion chains has been gaining popularity among large international fashion chains as consumers' concern for the planet has grown, leading many international consumer rights organizations to take a stand against companies that have somehow disguised their sustainability efforts as part of their marketing campaigns.
In this context, the Dutch Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) investigated the sustainability claims of fashion chain H&M and sports retailer Decathlon. The practices of both companies over the past year were deemed “unclear” and insufficiently substantiated by the regulator.
The organization apparently found that H&M and Decathlon promoted their products using terms such as "conscious" or "eco-designed" without specifying what exactly makes the products more sustainable than others, but this has not led to any sanctions, as detailed in a public statement.
How Did the Companies Respond?
Both companies have agreed to adjust their practices, to adjust or even remove sustainability claims, which appear, for example, on their respective websites and on various products that are not worthy of such claims, and have also committed to inform consumers more clearly about sustainability "so as not to mislead them" from now on.
In addition, H&M and Decathlon have donated €500,000 and €400,000, respectively, to independent, sustainable causes to offset their sustainability claims.
Companies should make clear what sustainability benefits a product has. Sustainability claims should be up-to-date and substantiated with facts. Visual claims and labels should be helpful to consumers and not misleading. Comparisons with other products, services or companies should be fair, and companies are also expected to be honest and factual about their sustainability efforts.
Recycled Polyester is Marketed as Sustainable
The main argument of the lawsuit is that recycled polyester is contrary to the principle of sustainability, according to the plaintiffs. According to the plaintiffs, this is the fiber on which H&M bases the sustainability principle of its "Conscious Choice" line, which, according to the plaintiffs, is present in up to 57 percent of the total number of garments in its collections, as opposed to 52 percent in the chain's main collection.
A greater presence that would also be accompanied by an equally greater presence of synthetic materials, and therefore of a plastic nature. Fibers that in its case would come to represent up to 72 percent of the materials used in the "Conscious Choice" line, compared to 61 percent that they would represent within its main collection.
The vast majority of recycled polyester comes from recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles that have been mechanically recycled into polyester clothing fibers, with the method of converting PET bottles into polyester being a problematic process in several respects. PET bottles can generally already be recycled multiple times in a circular bottle-to-bottle recycling system if they are collected through clean pathways, such as through deposit-return systems of containers.
In fact, because mechanical recycling causes the fiber to lose its strength, clothing made from recycled PET is not guaranteed to be infinitely recyclable and often loses durability when reused multiple times.
Certification is What Sets a Brand Apart
In order to be a sustainable brand, it’s necessary to undergo an examination by an independent organization that visits the corresponding factory and issues a certificate in this regard. Among the seals and standards that certify sustainability are the ones such as:
GOTS. GOTS stands for Global Organic Textile Standard. Right now it is the world's leading certification, as it guarantees the use of organic fibers (wool and cotton basically) and natural dyes. It also certifies that no children have been involved in the production of the garments.
OEKO TEX® Standard 100: This standard ensures that every component of this article, i.e. every thread, button and other accessories, has been tested for harmful substances and that the article therefore is harmless for human health.
Bluesign®: Driven by a holistic approach, Bluesign® traces the path of each textile throughout the manufacturing process, making improvements at every stage, from the factory to the finished product.
Global Recycled Standard: The GRS is designed to meet the needs of companies seeking to verify the recycled content of their products,both finished and intermediate, and to verify responsible social, environmental and chemical practices in their production.