What is Greenwashing

Written by Jomi Ogunlaja

 

Is Greenwashing bad or are we just making a big deal about it?


Before we can decide if greenwashing is bad, we need to understand what greenwashing means. According to Investopedia Greenwashing is a marketing process when a company falsely claims or provides information about how their products are eco-friendly. This is unfortunate because a consumer may want to be more helpful and consider the environment by either buying fashion items or day-to-day items and just to be deceived like that, it’s not okay. 


There are companies out there even the popular ones that use greenwashing as a marketing tactic. 

Companies that greenwash.

According to Truth in Adverting.org:

  • Hefty Recycling Bags was accused of claiming that the packaging of its products are designed to handle all types of recyclables when in reality when products contaminate it would be a recyclable waste.
  • Blueland cleaning products claimed all its products packaging are 100% recyclable when certain materials are compostable, not recyclable.
  • Tide purclean claimed that the laundry detergent is 100% plant-based when the detergent is just 75% plant-based.
  • Windex marketed its products as non-toxic when window cleaners contain potentially harmful ingredients. 

According to Alex Assoune fashion brands that have green-washed are;

  • H&M with its circulose fabric.
  • Boohoo with its wool coat.
  • ZARA and its vague sustainability claims.

Why do companies greenwash?

Companies might take this marketing approach to sell their products because many people want to be more environmentally friendly so they want to gain those consumers. However, they may be deceiving the consumer because people are becoming more environmentally conscious.


In conclusion, before we buy products we should try and research more information about products that claim to be sustainable and if it would harm the environment and its ecosystems.

We know for sure the Mo.Na. gems product is biodegradable because it's made from 100% biodegradable products and we are currently running more formal tests. Find out more here

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