It is encouraging to see how increasingly important it has become for consumers to choose products that are not only high quality, but also environmentally responsible. According to a study conducted in Mexico by software agency Capterra, 88% of respondents have reconsidered their consumption habits in order to shop more sustainably. Additionally, 60% stated they would be willing to pay up to 20% more for a product or service if it comes from a sustainable process—particularly in categories such as transportation and delivery, food and beverage, clothing, household products, cosmetics, and wellness.
Yet this shift toward sustainability also has a darker side. Truly transforming a product and its processes to make them environmentally responsible often requires higher costs—costs that many companies either cannot or do not want to assume. As a result, a deceptive practice has gained ground: greenwashing. This term refers to falsely marketing a product as “eco-friendly” when it is not—or not entirely so. And few industries illustrate this manipulation more clearly than fashion.
A Practice Rooted in the 1980s
Although the practice dates back to the 1960s, the term greenwashing was coined in 1986 by environmentalist Jay Westerveld. He identified the phenomenon after noticing a hotel sign encouraging guests to reuse towels to “save water.” Upon further investigation, he discovered that while the hotel promoted water conservation, it was simultaneously expanding in ways that threatened the surrounding environment.
The message of sustainability became a marketing tool—detached from genuine environmental responsibility.
How Greenwashing Works
To fully understand greenwashing, it is essential to recognize how it operates. There are generally two primary strategies.
The first involves highlighting one sustainable aspect of a product and presenting it as though the entire production process were environmentally friendly. For example, a coffee brand may promote recyclable packaging while sourcing beans from producers that fail to uphold fair labor practices.
The second strategy relies on vague or generic messaging. Terms such as “eco,” “natural,” “green,” or “conscious” are used without clear definitions or measurable standards. The ambiguity creates confusion, preventing consumers from accurately assessing the brand’s true environmental impact.
Greenwashing in the Fashion Industry
The fashion industry is widely recognized as one of the most polluting sectors globally. It consumes vast quantities of nonrenewable resources—particularly water—and relies heavily on mass production systems that often involve exploitative labor conditions, including underpaid workers and, in some cases, child labor.
The rise of fast fashion has intensified the problem. By labeling collections as “eco,” “organic,” or “conscious” without fundamentally altering harmful production practices, some brands leverage sustainability as a branding strategy rather than a structural commitment. The result is a façade of responsibility masking deeply unsustainable systems.
How to Avoid Contributing
For consumers, the question becomes complex: how can we avoid supporting greenwashing? Because the practice is designed to obscure truth, identifying genuinely sustainable brands is not always straightforward.
However, one principle remains clear: transparency matters. Consumers have the right to question brands, request evidence, and demand data that supports environmental claims. Certifications, supply chain disclosures, and measurable sustainability reports can offer more reliable indicators than marketing slogans.
Ultimately, sustainable fashion requires both informed purchasing decisions and corporate accountability. As awareness grows, so too does the responsibility to look beyond the label—and to understand the systems behind it.
If you would like to learn more about fashion brands engaged in greenwashing, consider exploring additional resources and investigative reports that examine the issue in depth.
