Many people are probably familiar with the marketing tactics of greenwashing and valuewashing. In this article, we'll tell you what to look for to identify fair fashion online!

What is greenwashing?

😤The goal of greenwashing and valuewashing is to use fears about climate change or the protection of human rights as topics to generate more sales. This involves portraying the brand as particularly sustainable or socially responsible, even though the company is making no real contribution to ecological transformation or to maintaining fair working conditions.

👆In short: A company makes misleading or false claims about its commitment to people and the environment.

Greenwashing and valuewashing aren't that easy to spot, but here's what you can look out for:

How do you recognize greenwashing?

Beware of misleading buzzwords without any background information. Especially when it comes to clothing, terms like "natural" or "socially responsible" can create the impression that you're consuming something "good." But not every natural raw material is automatically more environmentally friendly or even fairly produced and traded.

Find out where it is produced!

Unless you find specific information about the fabric manufacturer and their supply chain in a label's corporate communications, you should proceed with caution. Truly sustainable brands generally have nothing to hide and disclose where their materials come from and the conditions under which they are produced. If this isn't the case, just ask!

⚖️Find out about certificates

Especially in the textile industry, there are a multitude of certificates. It's worth getting an overview, because not all seals are created equal. It's especially noticeable when a brand has created its own seal. Smaller labels often don't have any. However, you'll usually find a reference to the origin of the fabrics.

🌿Pay attention to a holistic approach.

If a company truly stands behind its value proposition, this will be reflected in all of its decisions and processes, be it packaging materials, returns practices or the choice of cooperation partners.

You can find out here which sustainable and fair criteria we use to produce our octopus sweaters.

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