We like to think we try our hardest to make conscious choices for the planet. After all, according to a report by Financial Lives, 74 per cent of adults surveyed agreed that environmental issues are important to them. But that’s definitely not to say that we, as shoppers, never fall for greenwashing – no matter how much we care about the environment. 

Greenwashing works because the advertising and marketing tools that brands use can have a significant psychological influence on our unconscious minds. But why is greenwashing so psychologically effective – and how can we recognise the signs? We delve into the science behind greenwashing so you can ultimately make better choices for yourself, your wardrobe, and the planet.

What is greenwashing in fashion?

Greenwashing is the practice of making brands, products and services appear more sustainable than they are in reality by falsifying or overstating environmental claims, encouraging more consumption. Since the fashion industry is responsible for around 10 per cent of global carbon emissions, according to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, and produces 92 million tonnes of textile waste every year, this has a serious impact on the planet. 

“Brands are playing to our emotions,” says Gemma Metheringham, formerly a creative director in fashion for more than 30 years, and now a circular fashion researcher, writer and lecturer. “They are playing to all that research that suggests that most of us would like to try and shop sustainably or want to make better decisions.”

In the fashion industry, greenwashing shows up in vague labels like ‘eco-friendly’, ‘conscious’, or ‘sustainable’, without clarification or third-party verification. Key examples of this are fast fashion brands’ ‘eco’ lines – a 2021 report by the Changing Markets Foundation found that 96 per cent of H&M’s sustainability claims for its Conscious Collection were misleading or lacked independent validation.

And it’s not just fast fashion brands. Another recent example is that of Copenhagen Fashion Week – long been lauded as the world’s greenest fashion week – which, along with seven of its participating brands, is currently being investigated by the Danish Consumer Ombudsman for misleading sustainability claims.

“Psychologically, these terms trigger positive emotional responses such as feeling ethical, responsible, or doing the right thing, which can override more critical thinking,” explains Dr Carolyn Mair, chartered psychologist and fashion business consultant, who writes more about the subject in her book, The Psychology of Fashion. “Consumers may end up buying more than they need, believing their choices are guilt-free, which perpetuates overconsumption.”

How does greenwashing in fashion work psychologically?

All greenwashing – whether it's for fashion or food – works on the same principles. “[It] relies on cognitive shortcuts or heuristics, where one positive attribute (e.g. recycled materials) makes the entire product seem ethical,” explains Dr Mair. “It also taps into moral licensing: when people feel they’ve done something good (buying a sustainable item), they may feel entitled to make less ethical choices later.”

“In addition, it plays on social identity. Many consumers want to align with values such as sustainability, and brands exploit this desire to signal virtue without necessarily delivering real change. Overcoming this kind of exploitation is challenging, but entirely possible when consumers understand the psychological tactics at play and learn how to think more critically about them.”

How to bypass greenwashing in fashion

As effective as greenwashing is, psychologically speaking, you can train your brain to identify it when it happens, and thus lessen its effects. “Greenwashing often works because it appeals to our emotions and bypasses rational evaluation,” says Dr Mair. “Look for specifics: Does the brand provide transparent data, certifications, or measurable goals? Are claims independently verified? If language is vague or focuses more on storytelling than substance, it’s worth asking more questions.”

Metheringham advises downloading the Good On You app, which rates fashion and beauty brands on the impact they have on people, planet and animals. Another site is Greenwash.com, which breaks down the sustainability claims of many household-name brands. Look out for independent certifications like B Corp and the Butterfly Mark, too. 

“Awareness is the first step,” adds Dr Mair. “Understanding how our brains respond to feel-good messaging can help us pause and reflect. Training ourselves to look beyond the label, checking who made the item, how it was produced, and how often we’ll wear it, can shift behaviour over time. Building habits around conscious consumption, such as buying less but better, or using a checklist before making a purchase, helps reduce impulsivity and increase intentionality.”

It’s also important to get in touch with yourself at a deeper level, Metheringham argues, so you can identify what you really want and need from your wardrobe. “Ask yourself whether you would really care for [the item in question] or not. Ask yourself, do I like this enough? Do I know myself well?”

In short, make sure every new fashion purchase you make is grounded in the reality of yourself and your life – and not some other ideal promoted by social media or advertising. “Fashion is very good at making you want to live a fantasy,” adds Metheringham.

Avoiding the cynicism trap

Another downside to greenwashing is that it’s making us all a lot more cynical – as we often feel like we cannot trust brands’ messaging around their sustainability, with the end result of making us switch off entirely from the subject. 

“The fashion industry has become terrified of saying anything, because they'll get accused of greenwashing, and they don't want to get caught out,” says Metheringham. “And then there are some positive messages that we don't hear about.”

“We just don't trust anything anymore and I think that level of cynicism and distrust is worrying. It doesn't help you investigate or change your behaviours, because you think, ‘I might as well cheer myself up [and buy something], it's all so depressing’.”

Instead of being cynical, be sceptical of marketing spin and misleading language – and when you need to buy a new item of clothing, make it a considered purchase, do your research, and perhaps think about buying from one of the brands rated highly on the Good For You app. These include names like Pangaia, Nudie Jeans, Stella McCartney, Baukjen, Elvis & Kresse and Fanfare. 

What new fashion greenwashing regulations mean for the industry

Incoming EU and UK regulations might make it easier to shop more sustainably. In the UK, the Competition and Markets Authority introduced new fines (of up to 10 per cent of a business’s annual turnover) in spring 2025 for misleading environmental claims. In Europe, the proposed Green Claims Directive is meant to ban generic language, impose strict new labelling laws, monitor future environmental performance claims, and ban claiming climate neutrality through carbon offset programmes. 

There’s also the new Digital Product Passports, expected to be mandatory in the European Union from 2027, which will include comprehensive information about each product’s origin, materials, environmental impact, and disposal recommendations, enhancing transparency and hopefully allowing shoppers to make more educated choices about what they buy.

Ultimately, at the heart of combatting greenwashing at a psychological level is self-knowledge – and being confident enough in your own personal taste and style to not be swept up by passing trends and impulse purchases.

It’s also about educating yourself about fabrics and fibres, as well as supply chains and ethical manufacturing. Above all, it’s about choosing to invest in quality over quantity, and buying products that will last – and might even be passed down to the next generation. After all, there’s nothing more stylish than wearing granny’s old Barbour, or your father’s decades-old Northampton-made shoes. Resoled many times, but still going strong. 

Read more: Revolving door: A complete guide to all the fashion creative director moves of 2025