What Is Greenwashing?
Greenwashing is when a company promotes itself as environmentally responsible, but in reality uses it as a marketing strategy to appear more sustainable. The term originated in the 1980s when environmentalist Jay Westerveld aimed to call out hotels who asked guests to reuse towels “to save the planet” while ignoring broader wasteful habits. Today, this strategy is used across various industries – fashion, food, energy, and tech. Companies use vague claims, misleading labels, or token gestures to create a green halo without making meaningful change.
How Companies Mislead Consumers
Using terms such as “eco-friendly,” “natural,” “green,” or “sustainable” gets overused without clear definition or evidence. A “natural” cleaning spray might still contain harmful chemicals, or a “sustainable” clothing line can still rely on exploitative labor and high-emission shipping. Here’s a tip: if you don’t see any third-party verification, these words are simply marketing tactics. Some companies even go further and design their own “eco” seals or logos to mimic legitimate certifications (like Fair Trade or USDA Organic). It is also not uncommon to focus on minor credentials while ignoring bigger issues. For example, a coffee brand might display a “rainforest-friendly” badge while sourcing most of their beans from deforested areas.
Brands can talk about a single green initiative—like a recycled packaging line—while their core operations consume energy or churn out waste. Fast fashion giants might launch a “sustainable collection” (1% of their output) while producing mountains of cheap, disposable clothes. A product might have badges such as “CFC-free” (chlorofluorocarbons, banned since the 1990s) or “biodegradable” (when it only breaks down under rare industrial conditions), to use as a distraction from what they’re not actually doing.
Another tactic is using colors to psychologically manipulate consumers into feeling a specific emotion. When packaging an item with leafy designs, earthy tones, or smiling planet mascots, it makes your brain think that the product is sustainable and healthy, while in reality it’s a plastic-heavy snack that was wrapped in forest-green wrappers that is headed straight to the landfill.
Some firms overstate tiny efforts to seem heroic. A car company might hype a hybrid model as “planet-saving” while its gas-guzzling SUVs dominate sales. Or an oil giant might fund a solar project worth pennies compared to its fossil fuel profits, then plaster it across billboards. There are real life example of how big companies have done greenwashing and have been criticized for it. One such example is H&M’s “Conscious Collection”. Ironically touted as sustainable, investigations revealed vague sourcing claims and minimal improvement over their standard lines, which still fuel overproduction and waste. Another example would be Volkswagen’s Dieselgate scandal, where they marketed “clean diesel” cars as eco-friendly, only for it to emerge in 2015 that they’d rigged emissions tests, spewing pollutants far beyond legal limits. Another case is BP’s early 2000s rebrand, where the oil giant adopted a green sunburst logo and the slogan ‘Beyond Petroleum,’ all while continuing to heavily invest in fossil fuels.
Why It’s a Problem
Greenwashing can be misleading and undermine trust and progress. Consumers who want to shop responsibly, end up supporting companies that don’t deliver, wasting money and goodwill. Therefore, companies prefer simply slapping “green” on a label than investing in costly innovations. Meanwhile, actual sustainable businesses—often smaller and less known—struggle to compete with the PR sharks.
For the planet, the stakes are higher. Greenwashing delays the shift to a low-carbon economy by keeping unsustainable systems profitable. A 2021 TerraChoice study found that over 95% of “green” products had at least one greenwashing sin—proof it’s not a fringe issue.
How to Spot and Fight Back
To avoid falling for the hype, try digging deeper and check claims against third-party sources like the Carbon Trust or B Corp certifications. Websites like Good On You (for fashion) or EWG (for products) cut through the noise. Constantly question vagueness, because If a company can’t explain how it’s sustainable (e.g., exact materials, emissions data), assume that it is not. Don’t forget to look at the big picture, because a single green product doesn’t absolve a dirty supply chain. Research the brand’s overall footprint. Additionally, favor companies that publish detailed sustainability reports or open their processes to scrutiny.
The Bottom Line
At RedEye, sustainability isn’t just a marketing angle—it’s built into the way we work. Operating fully remotely means we also avoid the environmental footprint of office life — from daily commuting and high energy consumption to the waste generated by single-use items like printer paper, etc. RedEye believes that creativity shouldn’t come at the planet’s expense. By operating remotely and hiring globally, we significantly reduce our carbon footprint while expanding access to diverse talent.
RedEye actively seeks to minimize ecological harm in every area we can control. While many companies focus on surface-level green gestures, we’ve made low-impact practices part of our foundation. Sustainability matters to us not just on Earth Day, but every day.
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