Greenwashing vs. Real Sustainability: How to Tell the Difference in Menswear

Walk into any high street retailer in 2026 and you will find a 'conscious' range, an 'eco' edit, or a 'sustainable collection'. Fashion has discovered that sustainability sells. The problem is that for most brands, sustainability is a marketing strategy, not an operational reality. Greenwashing — the practice of making misleading or unsubstantiated environmental claims — has become so endemic in fashion that regulators in the UK and EU are now legislating against it. As a consumer, the ability to tell the difference is one of the most valuable things you can develop.

What Is Greenwashing in Fashion?

Greenwashing in fashion takes many forms, from obvious to subtle. The most blatant version is simply lying — claiming organic certification a brand does not hold, or describing a collection as sustainable when it is made from conventional polyester. But the more insidious form is selective disclosure: a brand that makes 5% of its range in recycled materials and markets itself as a 'sustainable brand' without acknowledging that the other 95% is unchanged.

The UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) and the EU Green Claims Directive are both targeting vague, unsubstantiated environmental claims. From 2026 onwards, claims like 'eco-friendly', 'green', or 'sustainable' without specific, verifiable evidence to back them up will face increasing legal scrutiny. The era of consequence-free greenwashing is ending.

The Red Flags: Signs a Brand Is Greenwashing

Vague language without evidence is the clearest warning sign. If a brand describes itself as 'eco-conscious' or 'planet-friendly' but cannot point you to specific certifications, supply chain data, or third-party audits, the claim is marketing, not fact. Legitimate sustainability requires specificity.

A 'sustainable collection' within an otherwise conventional brand is another signal to watch. If a fast fashion retailer releases a 'conscious' line while continuing to produce thousands of new styles per week, the sustainability of those specific pieces is undermined by the overall business model. Genuine sustainability requires systemic change, not a curated edit.

Unverifiable claims about materials are common. 'Made with recycled materials' sounds good, but what percentage? Recycled from what source? Certified by whom? Without answers to these questions, the claim is incomplete at best and misleading at worst.

The Green Flags: What Genuine Sustainability Looks Like

Credible certifications from independent bodies are the gold standard. Look for GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) for organic claims, Bluesign for responsible chemical management, Fair Trade certification for ethical labour, and B Corp certification for overall business conduct. These certifications require ongoing audits and can be verified independently — they cannot simply be purchased.

Named supply chain partners are a strong positive signal. A brand that can tell you which factory made your garment, in which country, under what working conditions, is demonstrating genuine transparency. This information should be findable on the brand's website, not buried or absent.

Repair programmes and end-of-life thinking separate brands that take product longevity seriously from those who do not. A brand offering garment repair, resale infrastructure, or take-back recycling is operating with a different logic to one selling disposable volumes. The former wants you to keep your clothes for decades. The latter needs you to replace them next season.

What DRIMAE Believes

We built DRIMAE on a simple belief: that if you cannot show your work, you have no right to make the claim. Our sustainability is not a marketing layer applied to a conventional product — it is the foundational brief from which every garment is designed. Responsibly sourced materials, named manufacturing partners, fully traceable supply chains, and design for longevity are not add-ons. They are the minimum standard.

We also believe in honesty about what we do not yet know or have not yet achieved. Perfect sustainability does not exist in fashion. Every material choice involves trade-offs. Every supply chain has areas to improve. The difference between a genuine sustainable brand and a greenwashing one is not perfection — it is honesty. We would rather tell you where we are on the journey than pretend we have already arrived.

Three Questions to Ask Every Brand

Before buying from any brand that claims sustainability, ask: Where exactly was this made, and by whom? What specific certifications cover the materials or labour, and where can I verify them? What happens to this garment at the end of its life? A brand with nothing to hide will have answers. A brand with something to hide will give you a brochure.