We will now be reaching out to designers who have potentially false, ambiguous, or misleading product claims and you will be asked to update your product descriptions to avoid greenwashing.
The key areas we will be monitoring are:
1. The use of vague terminology and buzzwords
Using words such as ‘sustainable’, ‘ethical', 'conscious', or ‘green’ without explanation as to why this terminology has been used or how you are operating sustainably. To use the word ‘sustainable’ within your profile you need to demonstrate an ongoing commitment to implementing sustainable practice throughout your business and continuous improvement to be as responsible as possible.
PLEASE NOTE: This also includes using the above words in product titles. We do not accept ‘sustainable’ or similar product titles.
What is vague language?
Vague: ‘We use sustainable fabrics for our collection’
Best practice: ‘We source organic cotton and deadstock materials for our collection’
2. Inaccurate material information
We require all products to have a % material breakdown within the “care & info” section of the product description.
What counts as inaccurate material information?
Inaccurate: ‘We use recycled fabric’
Best practice: ‘This product contains 30% recycled polyester
You can find additional advice about best practices in communicating sustainability and ethics claims on your product pages here, and further information on what greenwashing is more generally here.