The word "sustainable" appears on roughly 60% of new fashion collections launched in 2025. Regulations on what that word actually means? Minimal. Which means brands can — and do — use it freely, regardless of what's actually happening in their supply chain.
This isn't a fringe problem. It's the norm. And if you care about buying responsibly, it's worth knowing exactly how to see through it.
What is greenwashing?
Greenwashing is when a brand uses environmental or ethical language in its marketing without that language being backed by meaningful action. It's not always deliberate deception — sometimes it's a brand that made one small improvement and overstated it. But the effect is the same: you think you're making a better choice, and you're not.
In fashion specifically, greenwashing shows up in very predictable patterns.
The 6 most common greenwashing tactics in fashion
1. Vague claims with no specifics
"Eco-friendly." "Conscious collection." "Sustainable materials." These words are legally unregulated in most markets. They require no proof, no certification, no minimum standard.
A brand serious about sustainability says: "Made from 65% bio-based cactus leather, handcrafted in Portugal under fair wages." A greenwashing brand says: "Made sustainably."
If you can't find a specific claim with a specific number or certification behind it, treat it as marketing noise.
2. The "one good thing" trick
A brand launches a capsule collection made from recycled plastic bottles — while 95% of its production remains unchanged. The capsule gets the press coverage. The rest gets quietly ignored.
Look for whether sustainability claims apply to the whole brand or just one product or collection. A single "eco" line doesn't make a brand sustainable.
3. Vegan ≠ sustainable
This one is especially relevant for bags and accessories. "Vegan leather" only means no animal products. It says nothing about what the material actually is.
The majority of vegan leather on the market is polyurethane (PU) — a plastic derived from crude oil. It doesn't biodegrade. It sheds microplastics. And it peels within a few years.
A genuinely sustainable vegan material is plant-based: cactus leather, apple leather, cork, mushroom leather. These have a bio-based content of 50–100%. The difference is significant — and most brands don't explain it.
4. Certifications that sound official but aren't
Some brands create their own certification logos, or use certifications that have very low requirements. Others use legitimate certifications (like GOTS or Fair Trade) on one material while the rest of the product remains uncertified.
Certifications worth trusting: GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard), Fair Trade, B Corp, Bluesign, OEKO-TEX. Certifications worth questioning: anything the brand designed themselves, or certifications you can't find on an independent third-party website.
5. "Made sustainably" with no supply chain transparency
Where is it made? By whom? What are they paid? Can the brand answer these questions — or do they redirect to a glossy "sustainability page" with photos of happy workers and no actual data?
A brand that makes its bags in a factory it's never visited can't credibly claim ethical production. A brand that can name the workshop, describe the working conditions, and has been there in person — that's a different conversation.
6. Offsetting instead of reducing
Carbon offsetting — paying to plant trees or fund renewable energy projects to "cancel out" emissions — has a role to play. But it's increasingly used as a substitute for actually reducing emissions rather than a complement to it.
If a brand's primary sustainability claim is that it offsets its carbon, ask what it's doing to reduce emissions in the first place.
The questions that cut through greenwashing
Before buying from any brand that uses sustainability language:
- What exactly is the material? Not "vegan leather" — what type, what bio-based percentage?
- Where is it made, and by whom? Country, type of facility, any information on wages?
- What certifications do you hold, and from whom? Can I verify them independently?
- How long will this last? Is it repairable?
- What's your biggest sustainability challenge right now? Brands being honest about what they haven't solved yet are far more credible than brands claiming perfection.
That last question is the most revealing. A brand that says "honestly, our packaging is still something we're working on" is telling you they think about this seriously. A brand that says "we're 100% sustainable" is telling you they don't.
What transparency actually looks like
At Coneli, we use cactus leather (65–80% bio-based) and Oleatex (derived from olive oil production by-products, ~75% bio-based). We handcraft our bags in Portugal under fair labor conditions.
We'll also tell you what we haven't solved: our materials aren't yet 100% biodegradable, because plant-based leathers still require some synthetic binders. We're watching the technology closely and will update our materials as better options become available.
That's what transparency looks like — not a perfect story, but an honest one.
The bottom line
Greenwashing exists because sustainability sells, and because there's almost no cost to making claims that can't be verified. The antidote isn't cynicism — it's specific questions.
Ask for specifics. If a brand can't answer them, you have your answer.
Coneli makes plant-based leather bags — and we'll always tell you exactly what's in them. Discover the collection at conelibags.com