We Need to Talk About H&M and Greenwashing

Few things spark debate in sustainable fashion quite like fast fashion...and greenwashing.

Few things spark debate in sustainable fashion like fast fashion…and greenwashing.

Both trigger outrage, defensiveness, and heated discussion, especially as more brands make bold sustainability claims and more watchdogs, regulators, and consumers demand transparency and accountability.

But what is greenwashing when there’s no industry-wide definition of “sustainable” to begin with? No universal benchmark. No agreed-upon baseline. No consistent standard for what it actually takes to be considered “sustainable.” How can we call something greenwashing when the rules of sustainability don’t even exist?

What does greenwashing mean when every brand, certifier, NGO, legislating body, and independent consultant gets to define sustainability for themselves, setting their own standards, their own metrics, and their own thresholds for what’s “good enough”?

That ambiguity makes it easy to accuse brands like H&M of greenwashing, and just as easy for them to argue they aren’t. Especially when the same third-party tools and certifications they rely on are under fire too.

Who gets to decide what’s sustainable? And how do we hold brands accountable when no one agrees on the rules?

Behind the paywall: The full breakdown of H&M’s sustainability report, what it gets right, what’s still raising red flags, and why the backlash online has been so intense. Plus: the Better Cotton controversy, the Higg MSI drama, greenwashing lawsuits, and the fragmented legal mess brands are navigating across the US, EU, and beyond.

If you’re working in sustainability, or trying to make responsible claims without getting burned, this is the clarity you’ve been waiting for.