Greenwashing—Deceptive Tactics of Green Marketing
The past 20 years have seen a rise in globalization, and a societal shift to a “greener” world. To catch up to these progressive ideals, many corporations, especially in the fashion industry, are pressured to fit these “eco-conscious” consumer demands. All of the sudden, hundreds of corporations worldwide launch “sustainable” collections, using “eco-friendly” materials, and green colors or nature images to sell their products. It all happened at once? To me, it seems too good to be true.
So what is greenwashing?
In simple terms, greenwashing is when companies “commit” to sustainability on a superficial level. Usually, they do this through strategic marketing, such as the use of specific colors/imagery, or misleading language.
To catch up with the environmentally friendly segment of the market and consumer demand, companies used this deceptive advertising to target the publics’ want for “sustainable” products, ultimately increasing the value of a product to the consumer and influencing their purchasing decisions.
Over 90% of products today are pushing false claims, so it is critical to understand what to look for.
Stay tuned for some examples :)
The Major Sins of Greenwashing
Here are the major ways fashion corporations can present a “green façade”:
1) Hidden Trade-Offs
2) No evidence/proof
3) Vagueness/Worshipping False Labels
Examples (as promised)
1) Hidden Trade-Offs
Companies emphasize specific sustainable claims to hide other environmentally damaging factors the company commits when creating the product.
Ex: Uniqlo
Uniqlo advertises its linen collection with the caption, “Our linen is produced naturally and cultivated ethically” on the main page of its website. It is the very first thing consumers see and many people would immediately be impressed with the brand——
However, they fail to mention the years they have been under fire for catastrophic humans rights abuses, with reports of excessive and unpaid overtime to chemically hazardous workplace environments. It turns out that Uniqlo isn’t the “ethical” or transparent company they make itself out to be.
2) No Evidence/proof
This one is exactly as it seems. Many companies proclaim themselves to be eco-conscious even though they have no evidence of what they claim.
Ex: Nike
Do you see the small orange letters in the top right corner stating “sustainable materials”? I hate to break it to you, but yes, this is a wonderful example of "no proof” greenwashing. In the description underneath this shoe, it says that it is made out of at least 20% recycled materials, but no certifications or photos suggest that that is actually happening. False or unsupported claims such as these can be dangerous as it allows big companies to get around environmental laws or regulations. And yes, even the well-renowned companies such as Nike use these strategies.
3) Vagueness/Worshipping False Labels
Throughout any store or fashion website, consumers nowadays are flooded with labels such as “sustainable” or “eco-friendly.” But what does that even mean? Many brands throw on keywords such as these to appeal to the demands of consumers, but give no further information, making incredibly broad and unsupported claims.
Ex: Boohoo
Do I even have to explain this one?
Specific items on boohoo’s website are marked with a tag stating “ready for the future” along with an icon of a leaf. What does that even mean? These misleading and vague labels can easily persuade the public to purchase these products even if they aren’t even making any sustainable efforts at all!
Tips to Help Spot Greenwashing
(and to not get sucked into the false marketing vortex)
Ask yourself if the claims are too good to be true. If a brand is claiming that a product is made using 100% recycled materials and there is no further proof—it most likely is a false claim.
Do your research on your favorite brands to get their true sustainability reports and statistics. The brands themselves may not be transparent, but many sustainability indexes are available to the public!
Read the labels. Be aware of where your clothes come from and what materials they are made from. From this information, you will likely be able to tell if a product is actually eco-conscious vs cheaply produced for profit.
Knowing these tactics makes you a smarter consumer. Don’t let these corporations fool you.
In the following articles, I will start to highlight brands that have differentiated themselves from others solely because their sustainable claims are backed up and not just forms of greenwashing.
Make sure to tune back in soon. I look forward to it!
XOXO, Chloé
