3 Ways To Tell if a Brand Really Is Eco Friendly
These days, it’s not enough to take a company’s word for it when they say they are eco-friendly. With greenwashing on the rise and more companies jumping on the sustainability bandwagon, it can be difficult to know which brands are serious about their environmental impact. We’ve created this guide on how to tell if a brand is eco-friendly to help you find the best clothing.
Understanding Key Terms
Some clothing brands use specific phrasing, such as “ethically made clothing” or “organic materials.” This language is a great way to capture your attention but may leave you wondering what it means. Below, we’ve defined some of these terms to help you determine whether the brand is sustainable.
Ethically Made
If a brand has ethically made clothing, it means they create garments using materials that are sourced, harvested, and produced to protect the environment and empower workers.
Organic Material
This means any materials used to make a garment had no synthetic chemicals or pesticides during growing or harvesting. It also means that the clothing is not a natural-synthetic blend. For example, materials such as polyester are not natural, but wool, linen, and cashmere are.
Sustainable Clothing
Sustainable clothing is any apparel made with natural, renewable materials and production practices. Examples include organic cotton, recycled materials, and natural fibers. In addition, sustainable clothing usually has a focus on ethical labor practices.
Evaluate the Materials
Understanding the clothing materials is as important as knowing the terminology. For example, a company may sell linen clothing but use synthetic materials to dye it. By doing this, the brand cannot claim its garments are completely sustainable. Truly sustainable brands dye fabrics using natural materials such as plant dye rather than chemicals.
The way a company sources its materials is also important. A brand that partakes in deforestation to farm cotton, linen, and other natural materials does not help care for our planet.
Company Transparency
Reviewing the business’s website is the final way to tell if a brand is eco-friendly. Do they vaguely throw around terminology or explain why their apparel is sustainable? One of the best ways to determine whether a company is sustainable is by reading the information they offer. The more transparent a clothing brand is, the easier it is to trust them. As you read through their home page, search for key information such as:
- The materials they use
- Where they source their materials
- Their positive impact on the community
Ethical brands take all of this into account while developing their business strategy.
Start Shopping
Beachwood Baby sells sustainable, ethically made linen clothes online for mamas and their little cubs. We plant a tree in the Amazon Rainforest for every Marketplace item we sell. Shop for cozy clothes from a company that prioritizes what matters most: ethical work practices, suitable materials, and comfort. Buy stylish and comfortable clothes today!
