A Changing Markets Foundation (CMF) report found that voluntary certification schemes can contribute to greenwashing in the fashion industry. The CMF is a non-governmental company that educates about the conditions of the general market through campaign work.
The report, released in the run-up to CMF’s EU textiles strategy, reveals that some major certification bodies, such as the Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC), ignore fast fashion and use it as a cover for a brand’s true environmental impact can serve.
License to Greenwash, a subsidiary of UK-based CMF, analyzed 10 certification organizations and voluntary initiatives commonly used by brands to measure their sustainability levels for the report – including the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, The Textile Exchange and The Higg Index. During the research, CMF investigated whether these certifications capture the true impact of the industry.
The report came to the conclusion that none of the examined certification organizations adhere to high standards, nor are they obliged to account for their actions towards third parties. They are also said to “delay” progress on issues such as overproduction and dependence on fossil fuels. The research found that the SAC “has not had any measurable impact in the last ten years” – the Higg Index, which is awarded by SAC, for example, allows brands to choose the topics for which they want to get involved.
Sustainability in the fashion industry – more appearances than reality?
While it seems like many brands have started to take a greener approach to their business, CMF found that the industry’s environmental impact has actually increased – the use of polyester fibres, reliance on fossil fuels and overproduction have all increased Example doubled.
“While fashion brands are doubling down on production and destroying the environment, they’re using voluntary certification schemes as a cover,” said George Harding-Rolls, CMF campaign leader, in a statement from CMF an industry-wide lure for unsustainable practices and enables greenwashing on a large scale. We don’t need more non-binding certification organizations; they have a placebo effect and are a false promise by the industry to ‘voluntarily’ take care of sustainability. We urgently need comprehensive legislation to put the fashion industry on a greener path.”
The recommendation goes hand in hand with the argument that these initiatives give both policymakers and clients a “false sense of security,” resulting in helpful systematic reforms being deferred or delayed. In the report it goes on to say that the certification schemes offer brands an opportunity to evade accountability to policy makers.
The CMF launched a greenwashing website during London Fashion Week to help the public better understand greenwashing tactics and the problems they cause. In this way, CMF wants to contribute to uncovering the structures behind the certifications.
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This translated post previously appeared on FashionUnited.uk. Translation and editing: Karenita Haalck