Greener Choices, Not Greenwashed Ones
In an age when sustainability sells, it’s never been easier for companies to look eco-friendly — even when their actions tell a different story. From leafy logos to vague claims about being “natural” or “carbon neutral,” greenwashing has become a marketing art form that preys on consumers’ good intentions. But behind the buzzwords and recycled imagery, how can you tell what’s genuine and what’s just green gloss? Understanding the signs of greenwashing is the first step toward making choices that truly support the planet.
What is Greenwashing?
Consumers are willing to pay more money for green products, and many are interested in supporting companies and organizations that align with those values.
How to Spot Greenwashing:
Read Beyond the Labels
Words such as natural, eco-friendly, sustainable, and non-toxic may sway consumers, but they’re vague enough to mean different things to different people. One example is toilet paper companies, which tout their products as eco-friendly because they replant trees, even though they still use virgin forest fiber from clear-cut forests to make them. Looking for specific details about how a company is being a good steward of the environment, and if it has set concrete or near-term deadlines for any promised change.
Don’t Fall for Nature-Based Imagery
Companies can dress up their products with environmental imagery—like trees, leaves, and animals — that imply sustainability without attracting scrutiny. As humans, we see images and we react emotionally to them. Companies can also quite literally greenwash by coloring a product or logo green. Try looking beyond the impression those images suggest and see if there’s any proof that the product or practice is truly eco-friendly.
Pay Close Attention to Certifications
Independent, third-party certifications can be helpful to markers of sustainability. These stamps of approval, issued by consumer advocacy or environmental groups, do the vetting for you and measure various ecological indicators, such as chemical use and carbon emissions. Learning how to spot greenwashing is a big first step, but there are other ways you can also be an advocate for truly green companies and policies.
Certifications to look for:
When looking for overall sustainability, Certified B-Corp, Cradle to Cradle, and Green American Certified.
Paper products, FSC, and BPI Compostable.
Clothing, GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard), and Blue Sign Approved.
Cleaning and beauty products, EWG Verified, Made Safe, and Safer Choice.
Look for Companies With a Cause
Learn about a company's origin story and guiding principles before supporting them. Many of the best companies in the green space are small businesses that started with a mission to be sustainable or socially responsible. When it comes to large companies, some of what they’re trying to do might be genuine, but it’s not integral to how the company was set up and run.
Speak Up
Greenwashing is a way to manipulate consumer opinion and public image. Talk to others and online about the products and businesses making misleading claims. There is always the option to file a complaint directly with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
Support Legislation
In the United States, the FTC is responsible for monitoring false or deceptive marketing claims. Support legislation that tackles false marketing and push your elected officials to pass even stricter protections. It should not be on consumers to phase out who is telling the truth or green lies.
Brands That Put Sustainability, Not Greenwashing, First:
For Days is a closed-loop fashion brand that rewards shoppers with store credit for returning their clothing items when they are no longer needed. All materials used are fully recycled, upcycled, or reused. The company also accepts any used clothing, from any brand and in any condition, in exchange for store credit via its take-back bag. This process has already enabled For Days to divert over 1.2 million pounds of clothing from landfills and collectively save more than 10 million pounds of carbon dioxide and 1.3 billion gallons of water.
Makers of the first-ever plant-based bra cups, which are composed of over 80% sugarcane. They also have a line of underwear made from recycled yarns and fabrics. Their clothes are exclusively sold at Walmart stores across the United States and online. Kindly isn’t just sustainable, but also affordable, with items retailing for under $20. Kindly was founded out of concern for the environmental impacts of factories and dye houses in China and India.
The Simple Folk started with a line of minimalist, all-natural, non-toxic, ethical, and comfortable children’s wear, later transitioning into women's wear. Their clothes are made almost exclusively with elasticated waists, adjustable straps and ties, and loosely fitted, flowing shapes that allow women to keep wearing the items throughout their lives. Driven by the desire not just to celebrate women’s bodies but also to embrace the changes that most of us experience throughout our lives: pregnancy, childbirth, nursing, and menopause. Mothers founded the Simple Folk, so it was vital for them to create from a place of reverence for the changes their own bodies have been through. They also noticed a significant lack of truly sustainable maternity clothing options, making adaptability a core value for The Simple Folk.
A Certified B-Corp and the only vertically integrated secondhand clothing merchant in the United States. Helpsy is on a mission to radically change the way we think about, dispose of, and purchase secondhand clothing. They’ve collected over 29 million pounds of clothing in the last year alone. As a company, they dream of leaving the planet better than they inherited it for their kids. Helpsy collects works with partners large and small, to manage clothing collection containers, excess inventory, returned clothing, home pick-ups, textile drives, and more.
One of the earliest sustainable fashion brands, Amour Vert, pioneered the use of new, environmentally conscious fabrics, including Modal, plant-based seed fiber, and ethical wool. They’ve always produced items in small batches instead of investing in trends that inevitably lead to the fashion industry’s notorious landfill problem. They also support a resale marketplace called ReAmour, where customers can buy and sell high-quality pre-loved styles at lower prices.
Dara Hamarneh is a sustainable handbag line that aims to create a curated selection of handbags that stand the test of time. They don’t waste any fabric in the production process, and their new 925 collection is made entirely from surplus material. Their products are produced in small quantities and don’t generate excess stock. They’ve also adopted fair trade practices, with all factory workers paid above average wages.
Dagne Dover has made a passionate commitment to environmentally and socially conscious business practices from the start. They make bags, backpacks, and wallets from mostly vegan materials, avoiding toxic chemicals and waste. Dagne Dover now has several product lines made entirely from Repreve, a material crafted from recycled plastic bottles.
As sustainability becomes a selling point, greenwashing will only get more sophisticated — but so can consumers. By questioning vague claims, researching company practices, and looking beyond surface-level marketing, we can push brands to be transparent rather than trendy. Real change comes not from catchy slogans, but from accountability and action. The more we learn to spot greenwashing, the harder it becomes for companies to hide behind it — and the closer we get to a genuinely sustainable future.
