H&M: The Retail Champions of Greenwashing

By Lucy Jones 

In discussions surrounding sustainability and fast fashion, the term 'greenwashing' is becoming increasingly familiar to the general public. Although it could be perceived as a relatively modern term, it's been around since 1986, when undergraduate environmentalist Jay Westervelt coined it in a short article written for a friend’s magazine.¹

    Since Westervelt introduced this term into the world, it has been popping up in the media ever since. Originally used in the 1980s to describe the misleading advertising campaigns of oil companies Chevron and DuPont who were seeking to promote their (non-existent) environmental efforts,² greenwashing is now more commonly used to criticize fast fashion giants like Zara, Nike, and particularly H&M.

    Although many brands fail to back up their sustainability claims, H&M is arguably the most widely criticized when it comes to greenwashing allegations.³ Perhaps this is due to the company's endless list of targets and incentives which it broadcasts with the aim of persuading consumers that it can be both a fast fashion megabrand that produces jeans at the bargain price of £20, whilst also being sustainable. Unfortunately, these two realities are truly mutually exclusive, and H&M’s lack of transparency and overall failure to provide any specific proof of its sustainability claims drives its greenwashing reputation.

    Just this week, H&M came under fire for appointing Game of Thrones star Maisie Williams as its new Global Sustainability Ambassador. This came with the news of a collaboration with popular game Animal Crossing, where avatars of Maisie Williams and H&M sustainability manager Pascal Brun will educate game players about recycling and circular fashion.⁴

    Other sustainability efforts made by H&M include their progressive new 'conscious' collection, which uses sustainable fibers such as leather alternative Piñatex,⁵ a clothing resale platform,⁶ and instore clothing recycling bins, where customers can drop off old clothes in exchange for coupons they can then spend at the store.⁷

    All of the above appears admirable, especially the 'conscious' collection, whose inclusion of sustainable fibers and uses of new biotechnology offers a quantifiable measure of sustainability;⁸ however, all this fanfare still distracts from the fact that the company continues to operate on a fast fashion business model. The brand still fails to provide evidence that it pays its garment workers fair wages, despite consistent pressure from the press and environmental lobbyists.⁹ Furthermore, a recent study following the progress of clothes collected by instore recycling bins revealed that only 35% of garments donated are recycled at all.¹ Appointment of a celebrity face as a sustainability ambassador provides nothing but a hollow form of virtue signalling, designed to mislead the public in response to the growing trend of conscious consumerism.

    The lack of a standardized or legally binding framework detailing what information brands have to disclose regarding sustainability enables them to freely portray marketing campaigns and other initiatives however they desire.² This only produces a selective or misinformed image of such companies, ultimately contributing to the ambiguity which swamps sustainability in retail. This will occur until such frameworks are enforced, meaning H&M may continue implementing its broad range of greenwashing tactics for the foreseeable future before it has to face up to the environmental responsibilities it claims to uphold.

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Sources

1. Watson, B., 2016. 'The troubling evolution of corporate greenwashing'. [online] The Guardian. Available at: <https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2016/aug/20/greenwashing-environmentalism-lies-companies> [Accessed 16 April 2021].

2. Ibid.

3. Wicker, A., 2020. 'The flawed ways brands talk about sustainability'. [online] Vogue Business. Available at: <https://www.voguebusiness.com/sustainability/the-flawed-ways-brands-talk-about-sustainability-coronavirus> [Accessed 16 April 2021].

4. Natsu, J., 2021. 'Maisie Williams Joins H&M as "Sustainability Ambassador," But Both Face Greenwashing Claims'. [online] Environment + Energy Leader.  Available at: <https://www.environmentalleader.com/2021/04/maisie-williams-joins-hm-as-sustainability-ambassador-but-both-face-greenwashing-claims/> [Accessed 16 April 2021].

5. Clothes Staff, W., 2019. 'H&M's New Conscious Collection Is Greenwashing 101'. [online] wellmadeclothes.com. Available at: <https://wellmadeclothes.com/articles/HMConsciousCollectionIsGreenwashing101/> [Accessed 16 April 2021].

6. Natsu, 'Maisie Williams Joins H&M as "Sustainability Ambassador," But Both Face Greenwashing Claims'. Environment + Energy Leader.

7. Ramaniah, Z., 2019. 'H&M's Greenwashing: Short-Sighted and Unethical'. [online] Brandingmag. Available at: <https://www.brandingmag.com/2019/12/12/hms-greenwashing-short-sighted-and-unethical/> [Accessed 16 April 2021].

8. Clothes Staff, 'H&M's New Conscious Collection Is Greenwashing 101'. wellmadeclothes.com.

9. Narr, S., 2021. 'H&M's appointment of Maisie Williams reveals the nuances of greenwashing in PR'. [online] prweek.com. Available at: <https://www.prweek.com/article/1713073/h-ms-appointment-maisie-williams-reveals-nuances-greenwashing-pr> [Accessed 16 April 2021].

1. Ramaniah, 'H&M's Greenwashing: Short-Sighted and Unethical'. Brandingmag.

2. Wicker, 'The flawed ways brands talk about sustainability'. Vogue Business.