FIGHTING GREENWASHING: How to spot when a brand isn’t as green as they seem

FIGHTING GREENWASHING: How to spot when a brand isn’t as green as they seem

At Good People, we take pride in our sustainable title. We hope to reach you with our honest practice and green initiatives. Unfortunately, not all brands are as genuine, and as sustainability becomes more trendy, so does green washing. Greenwashing is the deceitful practice where a company falsely advertises about, or exaggerates, how environmentally friendly their products are. This article will explain why there is an influx of greenwashing and how to avoid it, by identifying key giveaways and trustworthy certifications.

There is a spotlight on the fashion industry as the world becomes more climate aware. Shocking figures detail that the fashion industry is responsible for 2-8% of global greenhouse gas emissions; 20% of the world’s wastewater; and 9% of microplastics entering the ocean each year. It is time for change. Crucially, 71% of polled millennials say they want brands to be more environmentally friendly and ethical. Plus, with sustainability being linked to quality, many would be willing to pay more for a piece aligning with such values. Brands witness this interest and greenwash their products to captivate this audience and bring in sales.

Here are some key giveaways that a brand may not be as green as they claim to be:

  • Ambiguous buzz words: plastering terms like ‘eco-friendly’, ‘sustainable’, or ‘green’ across their products with no evidence to support such claims.
  • Vague marketing: making broad, unsubstantiated claims filled with buzz words to trick customers
  • Selective Disclosure: highlighting slightly improved products to distract from their harmful ones and create an illusion of progress, even though their products still damage the environment
  • False impressions: using green-imagery and eco-friendly marketing to confuse customers
  • Fake support: creating an impression of positive third-party endorsement when there is none
  • Suggested irrelevance: stating that an environmental claim is irrelevant to their brand, that their product is not related to the problem.

To investigate a brand, make sure to have a dig around their website. Look for information on sustainability backed up with real evidence, not just fancy language. If a brand is transparent about their supply chain and business practices, then that is a good sign they are truly sustainable – they have nothing to hide.

One more clue, which is harder to spot, is that many certification labels actually behave as decoys for brands, enabling greenwashing on a massive scale. A prominent offender of this is the Higg Index, a rating system introduced in 2011 that assesses the environmental impact of different fabrics. Despite its seemingly good intentions, it provides unreliable ratings, with many decisions being based on irrelevant or outdated studies. The Higg index favours synthetics over natural resources, an obvious sign of its inaccuracy. Furthermore, it harbours many fast-fashion brands which are impacting its reports.

Look out for qualified certifications like 1% for the Planet, Fairtrade, Oeko-Tex and the Forest Stewardship Council. If a brand is recognised by certifications like these, then that is a good indicator that their green claims are true.

It can be daunting to want to shop more sustainably when it involves having to navigate around deceiving brands. But, by putting in the effort to avoid fake brands and find those with real impact, you the consumer are also making a difference. If less people buy into underhand tactics, guilty brands will have no choice but to adopt more genuine practices to appeal to the masses.

Written by Phoebe Court

 

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