Greenwashing news and archive

Background: The Gore-Tex brand and the tricky business of PFAS functionality

The crackdown on PFAS in functional clothing has been widespread in recent years, particularly as their harm to both the environment and humans becomes more broadly researched. It has forced leaders in the outerwear and sportswear industry to rethink their approach to implementing practical features into their designs, and has seen many facing...

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Green claims: 20 consumer watchdogs write open letter to fashion and textile sector

A total of 20 consumer watchdogs have signed off on a letter calling for the standardisation of requirements for green claims. The letter, which can be read on the website of the International Consumer Protection and Enforcement Network (ICPEN), includes signatories from the consumer watchdogs of the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, Turkey, Spain,...

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Communicating about ‘sustainable fashion’ is greenwashing, new chatbot Josie proposes alternative

Antwerp – Sustainability expert Jasmien Wynants and solicitor Judith Bussé have joined forces to combat greenwashing. They are doing so with ‘Josie’, a chatbot that extracts vague or misleading information from your Instagram posts. According to the European Commission, half of what companies write online about sustainability is incorrect. ‘...

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Gore-Tex parent faces lawsuit over ‘greenwashing’ allegations

WL Gore & Associates, the parent firm of outerwear material brand Gore-Tex, is facing a class-action lawsuit that claims the company “knowingly concealed its ongoing use of environmentally harmful PFAS” for a number of its products. The lawsuit was filed in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Washington by law firm Hagens Berman...

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17 Brands advised to review practices as CMA outlines compliance guidelines

17 well-known fashion brands have been advised by the Competition Markets Authority (CMA) to review business practices in regards to their green claims. The move has led the UK watchdog to issue a compliance guide based on its already existing Green Claims Code, with it hoping that these further tips can help in levelling the playing field and...

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Fashion |OPINION

Where is the system change in the fashion industry?

While reading the Dutch book ‘De mens is een plofkip’ ('Humans are battery chickens'), in which writer and journalist Teun van de Keuken takes a closer look at the food industry, I was repeatedly reminded of the fashion sector. Van de Keuken argues that it is almost impossible to escape the (ultra) processed food that is constantly being thrust...

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Can a 250-million-euro ‘Circularity Fund’ make Shein circular?

It may seem strange indeed to hear ultra-fast fashion giant Shein boasting of circularity measures: The company has launched a new 200 million euros “Circularity Fund” in the EU and the UK plus a further 50 million euros for “broader ESG measures”, planning to invest a total of 250 million euros in circularity over the next five years. However,...

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Can sustainable fashion marketing truly hit the mark of accuracy?

The regulations in the textile industry are approaching like a dark cloud announcing an impending storm. However, many professionals in the sector are unsure about how, when, and through what means they will need to start addressing the requirements that European authorities are primarily emphasizing to improve transparency in the industry....

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EU tackles greenwashing with new Green Claims Directive

The Council of the European Union has adopted its position on the green claims directive, aiming to address greenwashing and empower consumers to make informed, environmentally-friendly decisions. The directive sets minimum requirements for substantiating, communicating, and verifying explicit environmental claims and labels, which companies use...

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Greenwashing, ultra fast fashion slowing down progress on eliminating fossil fuels from textiles, finds new report

The good news is that fashion companies are making progress when it comes to reducing emissions, phasing out coal and transitioning to renewable energy. The bad news is that greenwashing and ultra fast fashion are undermining these efforts. These are the findings of the “2024 Clean Energy Close Up” report by environmental advocacy group...

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Fashion

Canada's Competition Bureau investigating Lululemon over greenwashing allegations

Canada's Competition Bureau has initiated a formal probe into Lululemon's environmental claims featured in its marketing campaigns, spurred by allegations of deceptive tactics. Marianne Blondin, a bureau spokesperson, confirmed the investigation to Canadian broadcaster CBC. Stand.earth, the advocacy group at the forefront of the scrutiny, has...

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Fashion Revolution on achievements in the last ten years and future needs

In the last ten years, the fashion industry has come a long way - the simple question, “Who made my clothes?” could not be answered after the collapse of the Rana Plaza building on 24th April 2013. Rescuers had to dig through the rubble looking for clothing labels to figure out which brands were producing clothes there. Even then, brands and...