How to Spot Greenwashing …. Shall we call it the Green Eyed Monster of modern retail?

With so many brands shouting about how "eco-friendly" they are, it can be tricky to tell who's actually doing the right thing and who is misleading you, whether that’s intentionally or just misguided goodwill. The good news? There are simple ways to spot greenwashing and feel confident about where your money’s going, because with every purchase we actively make a choice to support companies. So lets make sure that we are supporting those that are doing good and ARE aligned to our own ethics and principles.

One of the best tips we find at Our Fashion Fix is to look out for trusted certifications — these are like gold stars proving that a product or brand is genuinely committed to doing better for people and planet.

Certifications You Can Actually Trust – that we would recommend you look out for;

GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard)

If you’re buying anything made from cotton or other fabrics, GOTS is the top certification to look for. It means the product is made from at least 70% organic fibres and produced without nasty chemicals. Plus, it covers ethical working conditions across the whole supply chain.

Where you will find this- Clothing, bedding, and baby products.
To Note- Brands should show their GOTS certification number on their website -if not, ask them for it and they will provide.

OEKO-TEX (Standard 100 & MADE IN GREEN)

Ever wondered if your clothes contain harmful chemicals? OEKO-TEX Standard 100 makes sure they don’t. If a product has this label, it’s been tested for toxic substances. The MADE IN GREEN version goes one step further- showing the product is made in safe, socially responsible workplaces.

Where you will find this; Towels, bedding, underwear, and apparel.

Again you can verify the label number on the OEKO-TEX website -no greenwashing allowed!

 Fair Trade (Fairtrade International & Fair Trade USA)

I hope we are all very familiar with the Fair Trade logo these days as much work has been done on food and drink labelling over recent years and you will have seen this whilst buying coffee, chocolate, but its also applicable for cotton.

What the fair trade logo stands for -It guarantees that farmers and workers were paid fairly and worked in safe conditions — all while protecting the environment.

Where you will find it-  As we said coffee, tea, chocolate, cotton, and some beauty products.
Check if the brand is listed on Fair Trade International if you want to double check.

B Corp

B Corp isn't just about products - it’s about the whole company, its practices and its ethos. Brands with this badge have been through a rigorous scoring process for their social, environmental, and ethical business practices. If a company’s B Corp certified, they’re serious about sustainability across everything they do.

Where you will find this - Fashion, beauty, food, and homeware brands as well as services  providers.
You can search for any certified company on the B Lab website to check if a company is registered.

Other things to be mindful of

• Wording to look out for like “natural” or “eco-friendly”- if they don’t explain how, it's probably just marketing hype.

• Nature-themed packaging doesn't mean the product is sustainable. Brown paper packaging with green logos- yep seen them all!

• Look at the brand’s overall practices -token “green” products in a mass of fast fashion products is just box ticking. Example H & M Conscious Collection

• However if you see companies that are genuinely working towards Science based targets ( SBT’s) with realistic lead times and have a robust strategic plan to achieve – check annual reports for this then we should be supporting those brands on their journey.

And Finally….

If a brand really cares about the planet, they’ll be transparent and back up their claims with proof — not just labels. Trustworthy companies will happily share what they’re doing to reduce their impact.

Transparency is key- Check out Open Supply Hub for more information if companies are openly sharing their supply base information.

Got a brand you want to double-check? Let us know — We can help you dig into their sustainability claims!