How do brands use colours as a greenwashing tactic?
There’s a reason why sustainable fashion has typically been associated with boring, beige linen, and dull colourways. Research has shown that earth tones imply a link with nature, and that the colour green has been associated with eco-friendly products, and connotes positive meanings like “pleasantness, calmness and happiness” (Sundar & Kellaris, 2017).
So, simple psychology means something as subtle as logo colour can influence our perception of a brand. That’s literal greenwashing.
To use a tired example: a certain European fast fashion brands have always used a specific shade of green for the hangtags and branding of their infamous ‘conscious’ collection, with campaigns and ads for the line typically featuring muted tones and ‘natural’ settings.
However, for a garment to actually qualify for the line, it only has to contain ‘50% sustainable materials’. In 2019, this particular brand also claimed that due to ‘quality restraints’, items in the collection could not contain more than 20% recycled cotton. How very conscious of them!