In a world increasingly aware of the importance of sustainability, the fashion industry and all industries in general are under increasing scrutiny. Many brands claim to be "green" or "sustainable," but unfortunately, not all live up to these promises. This is where impact measurement comes into play, an essential tool to avoid greenwashing and promote truly sustainable fashion.
Image taken from Canva
In order to go deeper we must begin by understanding a very important concept… Greenwashing
This term refers to the practice of some brands to promote themselves as: sustainable, conscious, ecological or environmentally friendly (insert here the name used to refer to caring for the environment) without having solid evidence to support their claims. It is a deceptive strategy that seeks to take advantage of consumers' growing interest in sustainability and confuse them with unclear or false information.
With this definition we know what is bad, but now we are going to see tools to avoid it. For this we must first know the importance of impact measurement.
Image credits Austin Distel. Taken from Unsplash
Impact measurement is a powerful tool to combat greenwashing and promote transparency. It consists of rigorously and quantitatively evaluating the environmental and social impact of the products and processes used in a brand's supply chain. By measuring and quantifying these impacts, you gain a clear and objective view of sustainable practices, allowing consumers to make informed decisions and support companies that are truly making an effort to be sustainable.
Impact measurement involves the use of specific indicators such as: greenhouse gas emissions; The consumption of water; waste management; working conditions; among others. These indicators are based on internationally recognized standards such as: Carbon Footprint Protocol; B Corp Certification System; Sustainable Development Goals, among others. By adopting these metrics, brands can transparently evaluate and communicate their sustainability performance and stop basing their “sustainable communication” strategies on recycled PET.
With the implementation of impact measurement, benefits are also generated for consumers and the environment. Consumers benefit from having access to reliable and verifiable information about the sustainability of the products they purchase. This allows them to make more conscious purchasing decisions and support brands that are truly committed to sustainability. Furthermore, impact measurement encourages continuous improvement within the industry, because it shows the reality in which each brand finds itself, promoting an effort to reduce its environmental and social impact as demand and willingness to purchase products increases. sustainable.
Measuring impact is essential to avoid greenwashing in sustainable fashion. By rigorously quantifying and evaluating environmental and social impacts, transparency is encouraged and consumers are provided with the information necessary to make decisions.