Greenwashing Effects on the Fashion Industry, and How We Can Make a Change
Recently, the term "greenwashing" has become increasingly popular in the fashion industry; it refers to misleading or presenting an image of environmental responsibility when in reality, it is not. Multiple brands use their marketing budgets to project an image that is not true about their company or their products.
Imagine a brand that invests in sustainable packaging and claims to be sustainable, but doesn’t show any specific proof, they could be partaking in practices that go against their sustainable image, and consumers of their products would be unaware of the effect it has on the environment.
Photo credits: Kristina Alamo
Companies that care about the world around us rather than just selling products are generally more popular with consumers. Whether you are a small company or a big brand, be as transparent as possible about what you have to offer.
If we put ourselves in the shoes of the consumer for a moment, some companies in the fashion industry use labels such as "eco-friendly" or "ethically made" which can confuse them. However, in reality, such labels are mere words because there are no legal repercussions for using these words without taking action.
3 Things we can do to take action as consumers:
Photo credits: Cottonbro Studio
Research more about the brands you shop: There will be more evidence to back up a brand's claims if they are doing what they say they are. As consumers, it is our responsibility to ensure we do not fall for buzzwords in the company's marketing. Make sure you look beyond the company's website. There are times when small businesses may not have much information, but if you check all their platforms, you might find evidence that supports their sustainability efforts.
Verify their transparency: When brands strive to be transparent, they will be certified by real organizations that evaluate their sustainability practices. (For example Fair Trade, EcoCert, GOTS, or BCI.) When a brand shows a third party that supports sustainability practices on its website, research that the third party.
Invest in responsible brands: Responsible, sustainable brands may have to incur more expenses or steps in their business model to ensure that they are offering a sustainable product. Remember, you are not buying a piece of clothing that will get ruined in a year or two, you are investing in an item that will last for years and make less of a negative impact on the environment.
We know that not everyone can invest sustainably, and not everyone can take 100 steps toward sustainability in a day. While we are aware fashion is a wasteful industry, we believe conscious fashion can be achieved without always buying consciously made fashion.
How to practice conscious fashion on a budget.
About 20% of the fashion industry is dominated by fast fashion. You can describe fast-fashion clothing as low-quality, trendy, mass-produced clothing that has a huge impact on the environment. We believe that everyone who buys fast fashion has a reason for doing so. We will just suggest ways in which you can be more conscious about your consumption of fast fashion.
Photo Credits: San Lion
Stay away from trends and opt for timeless, classic pieces: As a result, you don't have to buy multiple pieces of clothing every season and you can do countless combinations with what you have in your wardrobe.
Speak up: As soon as you spot a brand that is doing something wrong against their employees or the environment, you can report it to your network. Social media makes it easy for you to spread awareness.
Donate or recycle: Even if the clothes were not produced under ideal conditions, we can still take good care of them or transform them into something useful after we decide we are done with them.
Big companies and the way they market their products won't change anytime soon, but we as consumers can start the change and the market will follow.
When advising clients about brands and how to organize their closets, we strive to be considerate of this. We can help you make your closet more sustainable or simply tidy up your closet as part of our Wardrobe Refresh service. Book a style consultation with us for more information.