What is Greenwashing? How To Avoid False Sustainability Claims

Rising demand for sustainable products and environmentally ethical business practices signals an immensely positive shift towards more conscious consumerism. However, the demand for ethical products has also led to increased greenwashing.

Based on the term ‘whitewashing’, greenwashing is when companies use misleading marketing claims to falsely suggest the environmental benefit of their products or services. Using vague, confusing phrasing that alludes to ethical practices, greenwashing takes advantage of well-intentioned consumers who are looking to buy sustainably.

Companies turn to greenwashing because, statistically, green sells. Garnier’s recent ‘One Green Step Report’, revealed that 73% of UK consumers want to be more sustainable in 2021. While HSBC’s ‘Made For The Future’ report showed that 96% of UK businesses feel increasing pressure to become more sustainable, and 86% expect their sales to grow from a greater focus on environmental impact.

By superficially appealing to green demands, businesses can retain environmentally conscious consumers without actually changing unsustainable business practices. However, through familiarising ourselves with the language of greenwashing, we can critically evaluate its claims and more informed decisions as consumers.

1. Examples of greenwashing

Here are some common greenwashing claims to watch out for:

‘All natural’ anything

The term ‘natural’ has no true definition and doesn’t tell you anything about the product. In fact, in most parts of the world, there is no regulation on what constitutes ‘natural’ at all – the phrase is typically greenwashing and used to mislead consumers.

‘Non-toxic’ products

This phrase suggests that the product has no toxins whatsoever, but everything has some level of toxicity. These products still use chemicals and should be handled with care. You can also dig a little deeper to make sure companies are backing up this claim with an ingredient list that does not contain harmful substances.

‘Free from’ claims

This phrase is most likely to be seen on beauty, skincare and cleaning products. Brands sometimes use this claim when an ingredient would never have been in the product in the first place, or to give the impression that the product is tested for trace amounts of the substance when it is not. It’s best to approach ‘free-from’ sceptically, and seek more information from the label or online if necessary.

‘Biodegradable’ clothes or cleaning products

When applied to clothing, the term ‘biodegradable’ makes it sound as if your clothes won’t sit in landfills if you decide to throw them away. But they still take years to decompose and there are much better ways to repurpose unwanted items, such as donating them to charity shops or upcycling them into new styles.

When used to describe cleaning products, ‘biodegradable’ often refers to the liquid or powder, rather than the container it is packaged in. This can be misleading, and companies should use the label ‘biodegradable formula’ to be accurate. If you’re looking for a container that can be recycled, look for PET and HDPE materials instead.

‘Clean’ or ‘chemical-free’ beauty products

These terms allude to products that don’t contain ingredients that are unsafe, like parabens or sulfates. However, they have no real definition – anything can be called ‘clean’, whether it has been proven unsafe or not, and no product can be completely ‘chemical free’, since chemicals make up everything around us. The best way to ensure you’re buying sustainable beauty products is to check the ingredients and use the Made Safe Hazard List to learn what each one really means.

How to avoid falling victim to greenwashing

Whenever you see a product description that uses lots of broad sustainable claims, you should be sceptical. Don’t underestimate the power you have as a consumer to evaluate products and make informed, sustainable purchases. Here are our tips to avoid falling victim to corporate greenwashing:

2. Use a trusted directory – like Conscience Collective

We have a proven, systematic approach to vetting our activewear and lifestyle brands. We do the hard work for you, connecting sustainable and PoC brands with consumers who are committed to making a change for the better.

We purchase activewear from prospective brands, assessing the quality of their products and checking labels for information about how the product was produced. We also look at how the products are packaged (plastic is a big no), and information about manufacturing and delivery.

We also talk to our brand founders in great detail about their incentives and commitment to sustainable practice. The more information a brand provides us with, the more likely they are to be approved by us and join Conscience Collective. In the past, we’ve decided not to partner with brands who do not know enough about their suppliers, or who we have found out ship their product from many different suppliers.

In addition to our research and discussions with brands, we look for trusted third-party certifications that indicate a brand can be trusted. For example, Reflexone has operationalised sustainability in activewear and lifestyle clothing, achieving industry hallmarks that speak of their environmental and ethical quality.

We also understand, however, that smaller start-ups might not be officially certified, because they haven’t had the opportunity to pursue endorsements yet, and so we look beyond official certificates and are fair and transparent in our evaluation.

Hallmarks attained by Reflexone

3. Expect transparency

If a brand is taking steps to be sustainable, they will be happy to share specifics. Their website and labels should include clear explanations for all environmental claims, and offer statistics in support.

For instance CC brand The Re.Store is transparent in explaining how they create their activewear from recycled materials, and how they keep their carbon footprint low by designing and manufacturing in the UK. Their belief in slow living and eco-friendly production is substantiated on the ‘about’ page of their website, and you should always look for this transparent approach when purchasing from a new sustainable brand.

4. Check the label or website for details

Any environmental claim on a product should be explained with data and specific insights. Vague or unqualified statements don’t tell you anything specific about the product and are often misleading.

Increasingly, brands are using influencer marketing to substantiate their greenwashing claims. By using public figures who are trusted by their audience, brands are less likely to be challenged by potential consumers. We urge buyers to look beyond shiny PR partnerships, such as Maisie Williams’ recent appointment as H&M’s ‘Global Sustainability Ambassador’, and remember that a single men’s long sleeve cotton shirt from H&M takes 20,000 litres of water to produce.

5. Buy well, buy less

Even if it’s a product with great sustainable attributes, not buying it and using something you already own is the best way to decrease your impact on the environment. All products require energy and resources to develop, manufacture, and ship, so we advise buying well and buying less. Purchase high-quality, long-lasting products that you can creatively reuse and repurpose.

Conscience Collective supports female entrepreneurs, like CONTUR and Onesta who really are developing solutions for more ethical and sustainable production processes. The accomplishments and transparency of our brand founders inspire us to tackle corporate greenwashing and stay informed and conscious about the decisions we make as consumers.

Written by Caitlin - Conscience Collective