Greenwashing Fashion: Is Doing Something Always Better Than Doing Nothing?
individuals are slowly becoming more mindful of their actions and taking steps to live more consciously, and big brands are catching on. Rosie discusses how consumers can avoid greenwashing in the fashion market...
Illustration by Alice Hall.
Environmental activists such as Greta Thunberg and David Attenborough have encouraged members of the public to take the climate crisis seriously. Image from appaloosa, Flickr.
It would seem that caring about the climate crisis has become a profitable trend. There’s no denying that corporations are using the climate concern of regular consumers to catapult their next big ‘eco’ must-have. There are positive elements to sustainability becoming a mainstream trend; awareness, accessibility, and action to name but a few. And who knows whether it was Greta, or Attenborough, or the news of natural disaster after natural disaster that finally got more people taking the climate crisis seriously. Whatever it was, individuals are slowly becoming more mindful of their actions and taking steps to live more consciously, thereby pushing big brands to keep up and jump on the green bandwagon. It is no secret that mindful consumption can be a challenge when you live in a consumer-centric society that prioritises the economy over all else. It’s made even harder when up against household brands that insist on ‘greenwashing’.
‘Greenwashing’ isn’t a new phrase. The term was coined in 1986 by American environmentalist Jay Westerveld and defines ‘activities by a company or an organisation that are intended to make people think that it is concerned about the environment, even if its real business actually harms the environment.’ Greenwashing is present in many different sectors but it is particularly apparent within the fashion industry. It is known within the sustainable fashion community and beyond to be extremely unethical and deceitful, and yet we see it happen throughout the industry with new examples emerging almost weekly. Greenwashing occurs in both high street and designer fashion brands, but fast fashion labels appear to be the most brazen about it. We often see fast fashion brands claiming ‘conscious’ lines while using mostly unsustainable materials across their clothing range, and paying their garment workers a pittance.
Companies use ‘buzzwords’ on campaigns to imply that they use sustainable practices, even when this may not be the case. Image from Markus Spiske, Unsplash.
The problem with fast fashion labels greenwashing is that the brand intends to reap the benefits of being a sustainable and ethical company without doing any of the legwork. Simply slapping a few buzzwords on a campaign while failing to look into the ethos of the entire company undermines the sustainability message by suggesting that it is something that can be picked up and dropped depending on marketability. This is an issue for sustainable fashion and customers because when brands falsely claim sustainability they muddy the market and end up confusing those who genuinely want to shop more ethically. This begs the question, is doing something always better than doing nothing when the ‘something’ is a half-hearted marketing ploy?
The fact of the matter is that if fast fashion cared about the environmental and social impacts they have then sustainable and ethical practices would be seen company-wide, not just within specified lines. Wouldn’t it be simpler for everybody if fast fashion companies were honest about their manufacturing processes and allowed the spotlight to shine on brands with genuine sustainable ambitions? Fast fashion brands are typically incredibly affordable because of unethical money saving methods (such as underpaying workers). This means that when they release ‘sustainable’ lines they create a price line which ethical brands cannot compete with, driving companies to the cheaper options. It is frustrating to see brands using the good intentions of their customers as a springboard from which to launch misleading claims and products.
Navigating the retail sector would be much easier if all brands were transparent about their environmental impact. Unfortunately, this is not the world we live in. Many consumers are aware of this and the demand for brand transparency and impact reports is rising. A detailed example of an impact report from a fashion company is this one from Organic Basics. So, why do fast fashion labels continue to partake in greenwashing when it is damaging to their reputation and deceives their customers? It is an easy question to answer when we look a bit deeper. Fast fashion isn’t about producing high-quality products or ensuring a good quality of life for their employees; it’s about making money. Fast fashion depends on capitalising on trends. Most of the time these trends last a few weeks and then they are last month’s news. But sustainability and environmental awareness aren’t a mindset that will fade overnight and thus are a reliable ‘trend’ to exploit.
When faced with an underhand issue like greenwashing it can be difficult to know what to look out for in order to avoid it in the first place. The point is that the brands are being sneaky about their products. The main thing to remember, especially when it comes to fast fashion brands, is that the ‘sustainable’ or ‘conscious’ line of their clothing usually equates to a very small portion of the overall range. This is apparent for brands such as H&M and Pretty Little Thing (PLT). H&Ms women’s range offers a total of 6320 products, 513 of which are part of their ‘Conscious’ line. PLT offers a huge total of 24,107 products, with only 152 items in their ‘Recycled by Pretty Little Thing’ range.* The disparity between these numbers indicates that the ambition of the brands is not to be more sustainable themselves but rather to have an option for those who do with the intention of expanding their customer base. If they truly wanted to be sustainable, then they would put in the effort to make the entire company that way.
Always check the FAQ of a brand regarding its environmental intentions. If they are sustainable and ethical then they are generally proud to share this with their customers. It is worth contacting your favourite brands via email and requesting transparency if you struggle to find answers on their website. If a brand has nothing to hide then more often than not they will be happy to oblige. Brands who prioritise sustainability will want their customers to trust them and therefore they tend to lay bare their facts and figures, e.g this in-depth FAQ from activewear brand, Girlfriend Collective.
Alternatives to ‘fast fashion’ include buying second-hand, and swapping clothes with your friends and family. Image from Alyssa Strohmann, Unsplash.
There are a variety of fashion alternatives available to help you avoid brands that greenwash. It is a well-known fact that most sustainable brands tend to be on the more expensive side and this is because they pay their workers fairly and source sustainable materials. Although the clothes are an investment that is intended to last a lifetime, it is not a financially feasible option for every shopper. Charity shops, online stores like Depop and Vinted, and even eBay are all good options for affordable sustainable clothing. Additionally, you can swap clothes with family members or friends for a cost-free wardrobe re-vamp. However, the best piece of advice to remember as a sustainable shopper is that the most eco-conscious option is the item you already own. Before buying something new, don’t forget the things sitting in your wardrobe waiting to be worn. Finally, the existence of greenwashing is disappointing but it can also encourage customers to be more in touch with what they purchase and whose pockets their money is lining. Awareness of the issue is the first step to solving it. Recognising how greenwashing causes a problem for sustainable companies encourages us to look closer at brands and uncover false claims, as well as find appreciation for those that are honest and transparent. While greenwashing is obviously incredibly disruptive to the sustainable movement, it is important to put energy into lifting up sustainable and ethical businesses rather than focus solely on the deception of greenwashing fast fashion brands.
For more information on how to avoid greenwashing, check out Rosie’s helpful quick-guide on Instagram.
Thank you to Alice Hall for her beautiful illustration. You can find more of her work on Instagram @aliceburtonhall.
Rosie Ings
I’m Rosie, I’m 24, and I am a slow fashion and sustainability blogger. I studied English Literature at Cardiff University and went on to work in the TV industry. Last year, the world went on pause and the pandemic prompted me to start my blog, ‘Rosie Maya’. I have always been interested in living low-waste and limiting our impact on the environment. This blog has helped me focus this passion and served as a creative outlet.
Instagram - @_rosiemaya