About of the study
In March 2021, the Changing Markets Foundation (along with Clean Clothes Campaign, Ethical Consumer, Fashion Revolution, No Plastic in My Sea, Plastic Soup Foundation, Stand.earth, WeMove Europe, and Zero Waste Alliance Ukaine) reached out to 46 clothing brands asking questions about their synthetic fiber use and policies. Brands were mainly selected based on their high scores in the Fashion Transparency Index 2020. 83% of the brands (38 in total) responded.
The focus of the study was on the materials brands are using and their goals for the future. It is known that many known fashion brands are dependent on synthetic fibers as their production is cheaper and quicker and therefore more profitable. However, there are also significant issues with using these textiles: they contribute to global warming, pollution of microplastics, and non-bio-degradable textile waste. Virgin polyester (material widely used by fashion brands) production creates 700 million tonnes of CO2 each year, half a million tonnes of microfibres are estimated to enter the ocean annually due to clothes-washing, and in every second there is a truck full of textile waste dumped to landfills. Considering the data available about all these harmful effects, you would think the highly-rated fashion brands are taking clear steps to reduce their synthetics dependency, but it is not quite the case.
Summary of the results
The study found that 60% of the sustainability claims by fashion brands are greenwashing. It is also worth mentioning 39% of their products had some sort of sustainability claim attached to them like “eco”, “low-impact” or simply “sustainable”. The number is especially surprising considering the fact the brands were chosen based on their high scores in the Fashion Transparency Index. To evaluate what can be considered greenwashing, the Competition and Markets Authority‘s (CMA) new guidelines for avoiding greenwashing were followed. Their main principles are:
- Claims must be truthful and accurate
- Claims must be clear and unambiguous
- Claims must not omit or hide important relevant information
- Comparisons must be fair and meaningful
- Claims must consider the full life cycle of the product
- Claims must be substantiated
96% of H&M claims and 89% and 88% of Asos and Mark&Spencer’s claims were found to be greenwashing based on CMA guidelines. Moreover, H&M Conscious Collection actually used more synthetic fibers compared to its main collection and many of their labels failed to say to which extent recycled materials were used.
The brands were also asked information about the percentage of synthetic fibers they use each year, whether the use of synthetics is increasing or decreasing, and what are their long-term goals. The classifications given to brands based on their answers were “frontrunners”, “could do better”, “trailing behind”, and “red zone”. None of them received a classification “frontrunner” and most of them fell into the “red zone”(little or transparency at all). They often failed to disclose clear information or provide it online. None of them received a classification “frontrunner” as no brand confirmed they intend to phase out the usage of synthetic fibers in the future. Only six brands intended to reduce the use of synthetics in the future (part of “could do better” classification). This classification also listed brands that were transparent in their synthetics use and/or were already using relatively few synthetics (e.g. Reformation, Esprit, Dressmann, Levi’s, Hugo Boss, etc).
What also became clear was that the vast majority of recycled polyester in the textile industry comes from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles and not from recycled garments. It seems to be a good marketing strategy to be able to label the garment with “sustainable” or “responsible” as it comes from reused plastic bottles, but what brands (and consumers) fail to understand is that these garments eventually still end up in landfills and that instead, they should move towards truly circular solutions in which products are designed to be more durable, reusable, repairable, and recyclable.
Most of them also turn a blind eye towards the microplastic issue related to synthetic fibers. They either just say that they expect more research to be done in this field or rather consider end-of-pipe solutions meaning they simply expect washing machine filters and wastewater treatment to solve this issue. What they do here is just shifting the problem elsewhere.
The study also touches on the topic of gender inequality in the apparel industry. While 80% of businesses claim they have made commitments to address gender-based violence and harassment across the supply chain, less than 1/3 were able to prove it and less than 10% were able to prove they are taking active steps to address gender pay gaps in the business and supply chain.
Need for better legislation
The study clearly shows there is a strong need for legislation as the brands are currently getting away with making a sea of misleading claims about their products. They have to be challenged more and made responsible for the end of life of their products. These products should be separately collected, reused, repaired, and finally recycled in a viable, environmentally-friendly, fiber-to-fiber process.
The good news is that European Commission is currently working on two new legislative initiatives that should include measures to avoid greenwashing and make sustainability claims more reliable. These frameworks are called “Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition” and “Sustainability Green Claims“. While it’s a start, it is not enough. More organizations and governments need to address the issue of greenwashing and help consumers make better choices.
The study actually gives recommendations to fashion brands, consumers, and also to European Commission. The brands for example are told to move away from the fast-fashion business model and invest in true circularity; consumers are advised to refrain from compulsory shopping and buy from brands that have made commitments to transparency in their supply chains, to sustainable sourcing and production of materials and garments, etc. European Commission is told to introduce a tax on virgin plastic, encourage the use of non-toxic circular materials, prevent companies from making unsubstantiated green claims, etc.
If you wish to look into the study more in-depth and check all the brands involved, please click here.