When you hear the term greenwashing, you might initially think it's about ways to do your laundry in a more environmentally friendly way. But that's not the case. It has much more to do with money laundering than with clothing. In our article, we'll use many examples (gray boxes) to explain what greenwashing actually is, how you can recognize it, and why we want to take a stand against it.
What is greenwashing?
In German, we would probably best describe it as "greenwashing." Greenwashing is the false representation of a company's environmental credentials or its products. The idea is to suggest that the company or product is sustainable or environmentally friendly, while the reality is different. Companies thereby convey a green image that actually doesn't correspond to reality at all.
Often, individual aspects are highlighted, but these do not provide a reliable overall picture of the product or company. Greenwashing is a marketing tool used to target interested buyers and influence their purchasing decisions in a very specific direction.
The world is becoming more sustainable - everyone wants to keep up
People are becoming increasingly aware, thinking more sustainably, and wanting to do their part to improve climate protection. It's understandable that companies want to jump on this bandwagon. The problem is that their own behavior may still be far from sustainable. Nevertheless, they desperately want a piece of the revenue pie in this segment.
|  In 2019, a well-known fast-food chain started introducing paper straws, which they naturally marketed accordingly. There were only two crucial problems with this - firstly, countless trees had to be felled to make the paper, and secondly, it turned out that the straws were not recyclable at all (due to the other ingredients they contained). |
Unfortunately, it seems that greenwashing is a trend we won't be able to escape any time soon. The marketing departments of the giants are constantly coming up with new ways to deceive us. We must therefore learn to deal with it better and recognize greenwashing.
How do I recognize greenwashing?
Recognizing a false claim in the area of ​​sustainability is often not that easy. It's best to look at previous campaigns that have been exposed as greenwashing to become more sensitive and thus better able to spot new scams—which is why we want to include as many examples as possible in this post.
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The good news: People have become much more skeptical
Consumers are no longer as easily fooled as they may have been a few years ago. Too much has happened, and too many fake campaigns have been exposed. In addition, environmental protection and sustainability are becoming increasingly important, and people are increasingly interested in improving the situation.
By the way: Unlike greenwashing, green marketing is perfectly acceptable. So, if it involves publishing actual and true facts about a company or product regarding its environmental and sustainability policies, this is not a problem. However, both companies and consumers must be careful to ensure that these activities do not turn into greenwashing.
We also don't want to offend companies that genuinely care about the environment and sustainable practices. Fortunately, there are more and more of them. In most cases, however, it's evident in the products. Long-established companies that are now simply trying to secure their income have a harder time.
The bad: Companies are becoming more and more cunning
According to a comprehensive study by the Changing Markets Foundation, more and more companies are hiding their greenwashing behind labels and certificates that ultimately have no meaning. Unfortunately, consumers often have little opportunity to delve deeper and see what really lies behind a label or fancy logo.
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In-depth investigations as part of the aforementioned study revealed, among other things, that an incredible 96% of the statements made by a large Swedish clothing brand regarding sustainable environmental management and information about organic cotton, etc., were false. |
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An oil giant took things to the extreme at the end of 2020. The company launched a poll on its Twitter account: "What would you do to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions?" The company itself is responsible for more than 1% of global emissions. |
How Cosy Roots is taking a stand against greenwashing
At Cosy Roots, we see ourselves as a sustainable company. We do everything in our power to make our own processes sustainable and to involve our suppliers in this journey.
We have officially obtained GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) certification to see for ourselves where we've been and where we want to go. GOTS is one of the most recognized organizations in the field of sustainability.
As a children's clothing provider, our little ones are naturally very dear to our hearts. Today, we must ensure that our children find a world worth living in. We must see ourselves as our children's subtenants and must protect and preserve their legacy. Unfortunately, many people still act as if the earth belongs only to our generation and that "after me, the deluge."
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We want to make it clear that we strongly reject greenwashing. Even good companies are repeatedly discredited or questioned as a result, as consumers are increasingly hesitant about whom they can trust. This naturally affects us and other environmentally conscious companies as well.
