How to Spot Greenwashing in Fashion Brands

How to Spot Greenwashing in Fashion Brands





Before we can discuss how to spot greenwashing, first, we have to know what greenwashing is. Greenwashing is when a company claims to be more environmentally friendly than it truly is. They often do this to attract customers who are environmentally conscious without making any changes. This is an issue because it misleads customers and takes away from brands that actually try to be sustainable. 


So, how can we spot greenwashing in fashion brands? 


1. Vague or broad phrases


Be suspicious of brands that use broad terms like “eco-friendly” or "sustainable" without having anything to back it up. Sometimes brands will throw these words around just to seem more “green”. Reliance on vague words can mislead consumers into believing they are investing in a brand that is benefiting the environment.


2. Fake certifications


Some certifications only require a small percentage of organic material to be labeled as an “organic” product. Companies that use unknown third-party certifications so they can’t be verified, participate in greenwashing. In these cases, check for well known third-party certifications and be careful of false claims.


3. Minimum wage


“Minimum wage” is the lowest amount of money a company can pay its workers. “Fair wages”, is what brands who want to appear ethical claim to pay their workers. However, failing to directly state how much they are actually getting paid deceives consumers. “Fair wages” could be more than "minimum wage”, but could be much less than the necessary amount of money to cover basic needs. That is known as “living wage”. 


4. Conflicting activity


For example: brands that have 100% polyester clothing cannot be organic. Claiming to be sustainable while wasting products, releasing new clothing daily, or having cheap clothing is usually a sign of greenwashing.


Greenwashing is a way companies make environmental claims but avoid the responsibilities behind it. We, as a society, should do our best to prevent it as much as we can.





Sources:

Hill, Madeleine. (2023, June 12). How Can You Tell When a Fashion Brand Is Greenwashing? good on you.

https://goodonyou.eco/how-can-you-tell-when-a-fashion-brand-is-greenwashing/


Capps, Ashley. (2025, September 11). Greenwashing in Fashion: Spotting and Avoiding Deceptive Practices. AC.

https://www.ac-styles.com/blog/greenwashing-in-fashion/


Shah, Trushi, et al. (2024, October 21). Unmasking Greenwashing: Avoiding Potentially Deceptive Practices. Jdsupra.

https://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/unmasking-greenwashing-avoiding-7659048/


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