Food for Thought: Greenhushing – The Rise of Sustainability Silence in Fashion

Sadly, “greenhushing” is on the rise among many of the leading fashion companies committed to sustainability. Credit: iStock

By Alliance Intern Kaitlyn Downer from Oregon State University ‘25

Do you feel confident in your ability to make informed purchasing decisions when it comes to ethicality and sustainability in fashion? I often don’t.

As sustainability awareness continues to gain momentum, it makes sense that fashion brands would want to keep up. However, while some companies proudly showcase their efforts to promote sustainability, others are choosing a quieter approach—a phenomenon known as greenhushing. This practice involves companies purposely withholding information about their sustainability practices, often to avoid negative repercussions from the public.

In the world of fashion, where transparency is increasingly expected, greenhushing raises important concerns about accountability and a true commitment to promoting sustainability.

Greenhushing vs. Greenwashing

You may know of greenwashing: the strategy that companies use to exaggerate their efforts in promoting sustainability and intentionally mislead the public that their product is green. Companies will often use vague language and keywords to falsify information in order to appear as allies of the environment or as investors in health-conscious choices.

In fashion specifically, greenwashing often involves making misleading claims that don’t accurately reflect the brand’s mission or production methods. H&M is a great example of this, using calculated language and marketing strategies to seem environmentally conscious, when in reality, they rely on unsustainable methods to produce clothing, according to The Sustainable Fashion Forum.

H&M clothing tag displaying information about a product's recycled content. A class action lawsuit filed in 2022 states the fast-fashion giant made "misleading and deceptive" sustainability claims. Credit: Business of Fashion

Greenhushing represents the opposite end of the spectrum: the deliberate choice to hide real actions in creating a more sustainable future. While this may be seen as inauthentic and lacking transparency by some, it’s not as simple as it seems.

This approach is often driven by a fear of criticism, as brands worry that publicly sharing their efforts might invite accusations of greenwashing or scrutiny over imperfections in their strategies, as Project Cece explains. Many companies worry about the challenges of their achieving ambitious sustainability targets. This can create uncertainty about whether they will meet their goals, leading them to avoid making public claims altogether.

The tension between climate action and fashion’s status quo will ramp up in 2025. Credit: ADWeek

Who’s Staying Silent?

In general, I’ve found those participating in greenhushing are smaller clothing brands. While checking out Good On You, a site that analyzes the integrity and sustainability of brands that produce clothing, accessories, makeup, and more, I discovered small brands with high ratings from the site that mention efforts and practices on their website, but don’t provide any solid information on their impact.

For example, Monkind has a rating of 4/5 from Good On You, and the rating site describes their practices in detail, but the Monkind site itself only briefly mentions that they use certified, sustainable materials and treat their workers well.

Are Companies Greenhushing to Avoid Potential Greenwashing?

Since certain keywords and direct language regarding environmental awareness and sustainability can be seen as greenwashing, some small brands refrain from promoting their efforts, and instead choose to vaguely highlight their contribution – if at all. This may be because they aren’t able to afford the needed testing, third-party certification or attorneys to document their claims.

Many companies find themselves in a difficult conundrum. As Wharton accounting professor Mirko Heinle said during an interview with Wharton Business Daily: “We can see how firms are maybe caught in the trap between appearing not green enough or too green at the same time. It’s just a matter of who you want to make angry a little bit.”

Wharton further laid out Heinle’s rationale for companies who are greenhushing in this paraphrase of his thinking: “If a company specifically states its ESG [Environment, Social and Governance] goals and reports its progress in hitting those targets, it could face pushback from stakeholders who find the plans aren’t ambitious enough.”

The article continues, “On the other hand, it could also face backlash from investors and politicians who believe ESG efforts undermine profits or run counter to prevailing values. For example, oil-rich Texas recently banned its municipalities from doing business with banks that have ESG policies against fossil fuels and firearms.”

Implications of Greenhushing in Fashion

Greenhushing in the fashion industry has significant implications for both consumers and the industry itself. When brands choose to withhold information about their sustainability practices, it can be challenging for consumers to make informed decisions that align with their values. They won’t know if they are supporting environmental responsibility or harm to the environment.

For the industry, greenhushing can stifle sustainable innovation that comes from healthy competition. Without open communication, brands might miss opportunities to learn from each other, slowing the overall progress toward a more sustainable fashion ecosystem, which is exactly what the industry should be working towards.

Both greenwashing and greenhushing can lead to confusion for consumers. As someone who deeply cares about the environment as well as ethical practices for workers, not feeling confident in the efforts of certain brands is incredibly frustrating and discouraging. However, when certain brands are clearly more transparent, it feels like a huge win-win-win for consumers, companies and the planet.

One brand that I love is Benoa Swim, a local, women-owned and operated swimwear line in Hawai’i. They are quite transparent about their ethical and environmentally-friendly practices in production and distribution, including everything from using carbon neutral shipping to 100% biodegradable packaging and 100% recycled fabric. Though this is not the reality for many brands, it offers a sense of hope for the future.

What Can We Do?

As consumers, we have the power to encourage fashion brands to be more open about their sustainability efforts. We can start by supporting companies that are clear and honest about how they make their clothes and their impact on the environment. When shopping, look for brands that share detailed information about their materials, production processes and labor practices.

Don’t hesitate to reach out to your favorite brands through social media or email, asking them to be more transparent about their sustainability initiatives. By voicing our concerns, we can show that consumers care about these issues. Additionally, advocate for industry standards and certifications that hold companies accountable for their environmental and social impacts.

Our actions can influence brands to adopt better practices and contribute to a more sustainable fashion industry.

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