My Hate Letter to H&M: The Real Cost of Greenwashed Fashion
Image Courtesy: The Women’s Network
Picture this: it’s July 2021. You’re on the computer looking for a new outfit for fall tailgates (...we’re manifesting it okay). You settle on a pair of adorable mom jean shorts from H&M’s “Conscious” line. Doesn’t it feel so good to have cute clothes and save the earth at the same time?! I hate to burst your bubble, but companies like H&M don’t actually give a sh!t about the environment. Rather, they get off to manipulating consumers like you by using sexy language like “fashion with integrity,” “environmentally friendly,” and especially “sustainability.” It’s hard to find a brand that doesn’t use vague buzzwords to describe their environmental impact.
While there are some companies that actually do care about the environment, most companies just try to make consumers think they care. It sucks to hear, but nearly all of the companies and brands we love are horrible for the environment. “Sustainable” fashion is having a moment, so companies are rebranding themselves to stay desirable. This is described as greenwashing - when companies falsely market themselves and their products as eco-friendly and sustainable.
Greenwashing is everywhere. Companies love to make baseless claims that their products have a reduced impact on the environment or that they use sustainable materials. Take your H&M tailgate shorts for example. H&M’s “Conscious” mom shorts are made with 98% cotton and 2% elastane. The same style is sold outside of the “Conscious” line containing 100% cotton. Cotton takes gallons of water to manufacture, so it is conscious to have 2% less of it, right? Unfortunately not. Elastane isn’t a very conscious alternative; it isn’t biodegradable and is manufactured using toxic chemicals.
Don’t get me wrong, as much as I love hating on H&M, they are only one of thousands of brands pulling these tactics. Urban Outfitters, ASOS, Shein, and so many more companies promote themselves with a false narrative around sustainability.
Even companies which come across as very eco-friendly are lacking in other basic ethical practices. Levi’s, for example, is very public about their commitment to reducing water usage in their production process. What they don’t publicize, however, is that a good portion of their supply chain has no certifications for ethical work environments. I searched through the directories of ethical production certifications like B Corp, Fair Trade, SA8000, the Global Organic Textile Standard, and more without finding Levi’s. So although Levi’s says they’re “collaborating with suppliers on programs that improve the lives of apparel workers,” they don’t have any of the major ethical certifications to prove it. As consumers, we should look into every practice a company has before designating them as the gold standard in any one area.
The easiest change you can make to help the environment is to buy less clothing. Fast fashion culture has consumers believing that we need to keep up with ever-changing trends. The rise of Shein over the last year is a perfect example of this phenomenon. You can buy any article of clothing from Shein for the fraction of a price you would see at most other stores. Customers love this because it allows them to keep up with trends for less than the cost of a Taco Mama margarita. When prices are so low and customers are buying more, we feed into a culture that views clothing as quickly disposable.
Hasan Minhaj discusses the disposable nature of fast fashion in “The Ugly Truth About Fast Fashion.” Minhaj highlights an interview of Rent The Runway CEO, Jennifer Hyman, who shares that “the average American woman is buying 64 new articles of clothing per year, half of which are worn three times or less.”
Companies have little incentive to spend money on sustainable materials and practices for items they know will be out of style and thrown out after a few wears. Buying less clothing is one of the best ways you can help the environment through fashion and minimize the waste created by the industry.
Sticking to the same clothes can get a bit boring, but as I learned from my hours on Tiktok over the summer, “upcycling” is a great way to spice up your used clothes. Learning how to hem or embroider your old clothes into something you love again can be another great way to minimize new purchases.
Image Courtesy: Maya Cooper Evans
When you do shop for clothing, look for used pieces first. Stores like Poshmark, Depop, and Buffalo Exchange are all great places to look for quality clothing at a cheaper price point. One of my personal proudest moments was buying a used Longchamp purse for $3. Looking for used clothes is a great way to love your wardrobe without contributing to many harmful environmental practices. One crucial thing to note about shopping for used clothes is to be conscious of financial inclusivity. Thrift stores are meant to be financially accessible for all people. If you have the means to shop at Poshmark or Buffalo Exchange, shop there first.
If you absolutely have to buy something retail, do some research on companies with actually eco-friendly and ethical practices. Good On You has tons of information about ethical and eco-friendly standards and rates thousands of companies on their practices. This is a great place to quickly check how harmful a brand you like is. If you’re searching for a specific product, The Good Trade compiles lists highlighting where to get specific types of clothing from reputable retailers. Other companies, such as Done Good and Zarella do the research for you, and act as one-stop sustainable marketplaces.
At this point you might be thinking, “okay Lexi I get it, fast fashion sucks and we need to care about where we shop. But eco-friendly brands are so much more expensive, what if I can’t afford to shop there?” I hear you, and I feel you. I recently went on a hunt to find a good quality, eco-friendly, and ethically-made coat that wouldn’t destroy my wallet, and I was so frustrated when the majority of coats I found cost hundreds of dollars more than what I was willing to pay. This is the major issue with truly eco-friendly fashion: it’s rarely cheap. While I know it’s easy to buy a $30 coat from Shein, it’s crucial to think about what that low price actually means. For one, it means that the workers who actually made the coat are barely earning a living wage in return. If a company is willing to pay their workers next to nothing, do you think they’re spending money on getting the best materials they can? I doubt it. That $30 coat will probably get through a few weeks of wear before coming loose, and it definitely won’t be helpful during cold weather.
In my search for an ethical and eco-friendly coat, the cheapest ones I could find cost around $100 to $400. While I know buying anything for this much money isn’t ideal, it’s crucial to remember why ethical and eco-friendly clothing costs so much. First, you’re paying for a better quality coat. Remember that keeping clothes for longer is a great way to minimize clothing waste. Assuming you’re going to wear this coat many times and for many years, you’re paying a reasonable price for each wear. Second, workers for that company are probably making a livable wage. You can check Good On You to make sure that the coat is made under ethical and fair conditions. And third, your coat will be made in a way that has a minimal impact on the planet.
Image Courtesy: Good On You
As the consumer, you have control over which brands you give your money to, and by extension, your support. It’s up to you to put your money where your values lie. All it takes is a five minute Google search to find hundreds of brands that are doing more for the environment than H&M and Shein combined.
If I still haven’t convinced you to change your shopping practices, think about it this way. Companies like H&M, Shein, and Urban Outfitters are like a toxic ex. They say they’re working on getting better, but they never really change. Everything might seem good at first, but you continuously ignore red flags and excuse the damage they’re leaving behind. Now, imagine having the power to know exactly how toxic or healthy a partner is (their Tinder doesn’t count). Companies like Good On You can be a necessary reminder that companies, like exes, don’t always mean it when they tell you they’ve changed.
Strike Out,
Writer: Lexi Tuch
Nashville