As the demand for more environmentally-friendly home decor grows, unfortunately, so does the practice of greenwashing.
Greenwashing is when a company conveys a false or misleading impression about the supposed sustainability of their products, manufacturing, or other business practices. Essentially, they’re trying to capitalize on the positive public image a truly sustainable brand gets just to make more money.
Today, I’ll share some greenwashing examples in the home decor industry and ten ways you can determine if a brand isn’t being completely honest about their eco-friendly practices.
Related: 9 Sustainable Materials You Should Be Decorating Your Home With
Greenwashing Examples & Knowing The Signs
1: vague language
Watch out for home decor brands that use broad and ambiguous terms such as “green,” “eco-friendly,” or “sustainable” without providing specific details about their environmental practices. These terms might also appear in the form of generic-looking and illegitimate sustainable certification labels (more on certifications in a minute).
2. lack of specifics
Legitimate eco-conscious companies provide specific information about their environmentally friendly initiatives, such as reduction in carbon emissions, water usage, or waste. If a company’s claims lack concrete details, it may be a sign that they’re greenwashing.
3. overuse of green imagery without substance
Companies engaged in greenwashing often use images of nature, leaves, or other eco-friendly symbols in their marketing materials without substantial evidence of sustainable practices. A picture is worth a thousand words, but those words may not always be true, so keep an eye out for this sneaky technique.
Related: Fast Homeware: What To Know About Fast Fashion’s Unsustainable Sibling
4: no certifications
Genuine green home decor brands often seek and display relevant certifications, such as Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) for wood products or Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) for textiles. Absence of such certifications could be a warning sign.
5. no transparency
A transparent company openly communicates its green efforts, sourcing practices, and the materials used in its products. They’ll also be upfront about environmentally friendly initiatives like a reduction in carbon emissions, water usage, or waste. If it’s hard to find information about a brand’s sustainability, it may be trying to hide unsustainable practices.
6. overemphasis on a single green aspect or product
Greenwashing examples can also involve focusing on one “green” product or aspect of a product while neglecting the overall environmental impact of the brand’s entire product line. For example, a brand might go on and on about how their towels are made from organic cotton, but might be exploiting workers in the process of getting their material.
7. no third-party validation
If a brand talks a lot about how green they are, but there’s no third-party validation, customer reviews, or independent assessments to back up their claims, that’s a major sign they’re engaging in greenwashing. Look for external certifications or reviews by reputable organizations to ensure a brand is being truthful about their eco-friendly nature.
8. comparisons to non-green alternatives
Be wary of brands that compare their products to non-green alternatives, making their products seem eco-friendly even if they’re not much better than the product they’re comparing theirs to.
9. unrealistic claims & false facts
Oftentimes, home decor brands that are greenwashing will make unrealistic claims or straight up spread misinformation about the topic of sustainability. If the claims appear too good to be true or seem unrealistic, the brand may be exaggerating its efforts for marketing purposes. Additionally, if you can easily disprove a fact given by the company, that’s an automatic sign that they’re not to be trusted.
10. jargon
And finally, watch out for brands that throw around terms like “green chemistry,” “biodegradable,” or “organic” without clearly explaining the meaning or context of these terms in relation to their products.
Related: What Makes Bamboo Decor Sustainable? (And Why You Should Use It In Your Home)
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