Fashion greenwashing: are your clothes as sustainable as you think?

By Sahra Sancar

Greenwashing is a term that has become increasingly used by critics and environmentalists to expose the dirty side of sustainability in the fashion industry.

It can be described as “branding something as eco-friendly, green or sustainable when this is not the case misleading consumers into thinking they are helping the planet by choosing those products”, according to the BBC.

Many fast fashion brands such as H&M, Primark and Nike have all been called out for greenwashing. In 2020, H&M launch its ‘conscious collection’ where its products were marketed to be made from 100% organic cotton. However, a study found that only 20% of clothing from the collection was made from organic cotton. In fact, 96% of H&M’s claims about being sustainable didn’t hold up as they were misleading.

Capitalising on the trend

Omar Sheikh, a fashion designer, said: “Brands are most definitely trying to capitalise on the growing concerns around green issues and communication about our impact on the environment is important.

“A universal verification system would be useful to audit and measure impacts of brands that claim to be sustainable.”

He believes that sustainability is becoming a lifestyle and that it’s here to stay. In his opinion, he believes that overcoming greenwashing should be the aim of the fashion industry.

“Deceiving” customers

Simone Limbu, a Beauty Marketing and Journalism student, also agrees that greenwashing amongst brands is a big issue.

“Brands tend to deceive their customers by making them think that they are environmentally friendly whilst making choices that are clearly not.”

When asked if she still buys from brands that have been accused of greenwashing she said: “As much as I would prefer not to, I have to admit that I do. As a student and someone who likes to wear trendy pieces, I often find them either expensive or bland so I go for cheaper brands that in some way or other green washes. For me at this moment, it’s not a priority.”

Both agree that more pressure should be put on brands to stop greenwashing and be open about their production processes as this will build trust with consumers about sustainability.