With the rise of greenwashing, it can be difficult to find brands that are truly committed to these values. Brand research is needed to look into claims.
In today’s world, we are becoming aware of the impact our choices have on the world around us. This includes both the planet and the people. This has led us to want to support brands with ethical and sustainable practices. In this post I’ll go over what to look for when shopping for brands that share your values. I want you to be able to make informed decisions for yourself and support the brands that share your values.
Brand Research Step 1: Check the Brand’s Website
Start by going the brand’s official website. If they have ethical and sustainable operations, they want you to know it.
Sustainability Reports and Mission Statements
Sustainability reports and mission statements often state what a brand does. They focus on having a positive impact on the world around them. You might need to look around a bit. Look under the menu and at the bottom of the page for links to pages that provide more information.
A few other options would be to check in their blog or news section. Lastly, look for annual reports as these often include the brands current practices. By looking into these areas, you can get a glimpse of a brand’s commitment to sustainability and ethical practices.
Transparency in Supply Chain and Sourcing Information
A brands claims may not be the honest truth. Honest brands will provide clear and specific claims backed by numbers and reports. Below are some questions to keep in mind when looking into a brand.
Some key points to look for:
Do they list what values and issues are important to the brand?
Do they have clear goals for improving its green practices?
How do they communicate with customers, workers, suppliers, and the community?
Are they part of Fair Trade, GOTS, B Corp, etc…(more information below)?
Do they have visuals like charts and graphs?
Do they display their energy and water usage?
How do they treat their workers, help the community, and promote diversity?
How is the company set up, how does it behave ethically, and do they follow the rules?
Are they honest about challenges and areas needing improvement, not just successes?
By following these steps, you can better assess the accuracy of a brand’s sustainability claims and make informed decisions.
Brand Research Step 2: Certifications and Labels
It’s important to note that certifications are optional. While they provide a standard that can be trusted, each one has a large fee. Brands will select what works best for them.
Importance of Certified Labels in Brand Research
Certifications and standards are important for making sure the fashion supply chain is clear and easy to track. Here are some ways they help:
Establishing Clear Criteria:
They set rules that brands and suppliers must follow. This ensures they are seen as honest. Their process is easy to follow. These rules cover things like environmental impact, social responsibility, labor practices, and where raw materials come from.
Verification and Compliance:
They involve independent third-party organizations in their analysis. These groups look at how brands and suppliers work to make sure they follow the rules. They do this by looking into operations and going over documents to confirm that the chain is honest and easy to follow.
Consumer Trust and Confidence:
They help consumers easily find brands and products that are honest and easy to follow. When you see one of these labels on a fashion item, you can trust it was made with care for the planet and social responsibility.
Supply Chain Visibility:
They often make brands and suppliers share details about their supply chain. This includes where raw materials come from, how products are made, and working conditions. This openness shows the product’s journey from start to finish. By making the process clear, companies can spot and fix problems.
Continuous Improvement:
These groups push brands and factories to keep improving. They give everyone a way to check their work, find areas that need work, and make things better. Regular check-ups make sure everything stays honest and easy to follow.
Industry Alignment:
They help fashion companies work together towards common goals. They give brands, suppliers, and others a shared way to talk and work towards sustainable and easy to follow supply chains. This teamwork encourages sharing knowledge and best practices, leading to positive changes in the industry.
Environmental Considerations:
They often have rules that protect the environment. They cover things like water and energy use, waste management, chemical use, and carbon emissions. Making brands and suppliers follow these rules, certifications, and standards helps lower the harmful impact on the planet of making fashion products.
Social Responsibility:
They also focus on social responsibility in the fashion supply chain. They cover worker health and safety, wages, and working hours. Making sure brands and suppliers follow these social rules and standards helps protect workers’ rights and well-being.
Supply Chain Mapping:
They may require brands and suppliers to map out their entire supply chain, from gathering raw materials to the final product. This gives a clear picture of all the steps and people involved in making the product. It helps spot problems before they happen, like unfair treatment of workers or hurting the environment. If a problem is found, they can take steps to fix it and make things better.
Collaboration and Partnerships:
These rules create a team effort with clothing companies, factories, even special helper groups [NGOs] all working together. They create a space for talking, sharing ideas and helping everyone aim for the same goals. The more people working together, the smarter the solutions we can find that are good for people and the planet!
Consumer Education:
They help explain to buyers (us) why being open and easy to follow is important in fashion. They highlight the environmental and social impacts of making and buying clothes. Through labels and communication, they help consumers make smart choices and support brands that care about responsible practices.
Global Alignment:
They help fashion companies worldwide follow the same sustainable practices. They give everyone a common set of rules that can be used everywhere. This makes things simpler and ensures everyone expects the same level of honesty and easy to follow supply chains.
Innovation and Technology Integration:
They promote new tech and ideas that make production clearer, more efficient, and easier to track.
Government Regulations:
They often influence policies for fashion companies. Governments might use these standards and guidelines when making laws or regulations to encourage responsible practices.
Recognized certifications
Here are some popular certifications to look for:
Fair Trade Certified:
This certification shows that the brand follows strict rules for social, environmental, and economic practices. It means workers get fair pay, work in safe conditions, and no child labor is allowed. The Fair-Trade Certified label means the brand supports workers’ rights and fair-trade values.
World Fair Trade Organization (WFTO):
Brands in the WFTO follow the 10 Fair Trade rules. These rules ensure fair pay, safe workplaces, gender equality, and environment safe. WFTO-certified brands focus on improving the lives of workers and their communities.
SA8000:
The SA8000 standard was created by Social Accountability International (SAI). It ensures good working conditions, fair pay, and workers’ rights.
Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI):
The ETI is a group of companies, trade unions, and NGOs that work together to support ethical trade. Brands in the ETI agree to follow the ETI Base Code, which includes rules for fair pay, safe workplaces, and workers’ rights.
Worker Welfare Standards:
Some brands create their own rules for worker welfare that are better than the usual standards. These brands set high standards to make sure workers are treated fairly and are well taken care of throughout their supply chains.
B Corp:
Certified by the non-profit B Lab, B Corps aim to balance making money with doing good. They must pass the B Impact Assessment, which looks at their effects on workers, customers, the community, and the environment. B Corps must legally consider how their decisions affect everyone involved. This helps them build trust with customers, attract and keep employees, and support long-term sustainability.
Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS):
GOTS is a top certification for organic textiles. It makes sure that high environmental and social standards are met from gathering the raw materials all the way to through production to the buyer. It lowers harmful chemicals and ensures fair wages and safe working conditions. GOTS involves on-site inspections and yearly checks by third-party groups, so we can be sure the product is truly organic.
Certifications and standards are key to making fashion brands honest and easy to follow. They guide brands and suppliers to follow good practices, earn buyers trust, and keep improving. By following these rules, brands can become honest, responsible, and sustainable.
Brand Research Step 3: Review Third-Party Ratings
Here are some websites that have their own rating systems to score how a brand performs with regards to ethical and sustainable practices.
- Good On You: This platform provides thorough ratings for thousands of fashion brands based on their impact on people, the planet, and animals. It’s a trusted resource for buyers looking to make ethical fashion choices and is my personal favorite.
- Remake: Remake’s Sustainable Brand Directory rates brands based on their environmental and social impact. This helps buyers find and support ethical fashion brands.
How to interpret these ratings
- Research and Compare: Use ratings and reviews to get an in-depth view of a brand’s green practices. Comparing ratings across different sources can provide a more balanced perspective.
- Understand the Criteria: Familiarize yourself with the criteria each platform uses to rate brands. This helps you understand what is being evaluated and allows you to select a brand that aligns with your values.
Use your own values to direct your final decision. Some resources are very strict, you may not be. You are allowed to purchase whatever brand you feel comfortable with, no matter what their score, just stay true to YOUR values.
Brand Research Step 4: Scour News and Articles
Read news from different sources. Some might twist facts for entertainment. Look at how the brand treats its workers, like fair pay, safe conditions, and labor rights. Articles about community work and social projects are also important.
Check for any problems or complaints the brand has had with its green practices. This gives a clear view of their efforts and what needs improvement.
Look for reviews and opinions from consumers and experts. These can show the brand’s reputation and how well their sustainability efforts work.
Importance of staying updated with the latest information
The fashion industry is constantly changing, with new tech and innovations every day. Regularly check the ratings and updates to stay informed about any improvements or complaints in a brand’s practices
Brand Research Step 5: Social Media and Consumer Reviews
Watch the brand’s social media for customer reviews and their responses. Notice their posts about the planet or world and how they talk to their audience.
See how the brand answers questions and reviews about their practices. Honest brands will give detailed replies with specifics.
Does the brand work with people who care about the environment? Do they join campaigns to help the planet? These things can show you if they’re really serious about being sustainable.
Brand Research Step 6: Direct Communication
Reaching out to a brand to ask about their ethical and sustainable practices is a good way to get direct answers. By following these tips, you can talk to brands and learn more about their ethical and sustainable practices.
Steps
- Visit the Brand’s Website: Find the “Contact Us” page. It usually has email addresses, phone numbers, or contact forms. Some brands also have special sections for questions.
- Use Social Media: Try messaging them on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook. They usually answer messages pretty fast on these platforms.
- Email the Customer Service: Send a clear email to the brand’s customer service. Be specific about what you want to know about their ethical and sustainable practices.
- Attend Events or Webinars: If the brand hosts events, webinars, or live Q&A sessions, these are great chances to ask questions directly.
Questions to Ask
- Can you tell me more about where your materials come from and how you make your products?
- Do you have any certifications like Fair Trade, GOTS, or B Corp?
- What do you do to lower your carbon footprint and help the environment?
- How do you make sure your workers get fair pay and work in safe conditions?
- Do you use organic, recycled, or eco-friendly materials in your products?
- What do you do to cut down on waste when making your products?
- Are your products cruelty-free?
- How do you help local communities and artisans?
- What are your sustainability goals and how do you check your progress?
- Do your ads and marketing show your green practices?
- What new things are you doing to help the environment?
- How do you teach and involve your customers in your green efforts?
Tips to Remember
- Be Clear and Specific: Clearly state your questions and the information you are seeking.
- Be Polite and Respectful: A positive tone can lead to more open and helpful responses.
- Identify Yourself: Introduce yourself and say why you are interested in them.
- Use Multiple Channels: Use different ways to communicate, like email, social media, and contact forms on their website.
- Follow Up: If you don’t get a response soon, send a polite reminder.
- Engage Publicly and Privately: DMs work well, but asking questions on social media can get faster responses since brands want to look good in public.
- Show Appreciation: Thank the brand for their time and any information they give.
Checking how Clear and Detailed Their Answers are
Checking how clear and detailed a brand’s answers are about their sustainability practices involves a few key points.
- Details Matter: Look for clear answers with real examples and numbers, not just talk.
- Open Book: See how honest the brand is about how they do things and any challenges they face. A good brand will talk about both the good and bad.
- Same Story Everywhere: Check if the info they give you matches what they say in reports and other stuff. Consistent messages mean you can trust them.
- Proof: Look for facts and figures, like how much less pollution they cause or waste they reduce. Bonus points if they have independent checks or certifications.
- Engagement: See how they respond to your questions. Quick and detailed answers show they care about theirs and your values!
- Honesty: Notice if the brand admits to any issues in their sustainability efforts. Honesty goes a long way.
Red Flags to Watch For
- Be careful of claims that are true but not important. For example, talking about a small positive part but not the bigger issues.
- If the brand uses a lot of marketing buzzwords instead of real actions and results.
By looking at these points and watching for warning signs, you can better judge how clear and detailed a brand’s answers are and make smarter choices about their sustainability practices.
Brand Research Step 7: Collaborations and Partnerships
Ethical partnerships are important for showing a brand’s values. By working with ethical partners, brands can show they truly care about doing the right thing. This helps attract and keep customers who care about values. Here are some key points:
- Similar Values: Partnering with companies that have similar goals shows they’re serious about social responsibility and sustainability.
- Builds Trust: Working with ethical partners makes them more reliable to people who care about buying from good companies.
- Makes a Difference: These partnerships can lead to projects that help communities and the planet, proving you’re committed to positive change.
- Open and Honest: Ethical partnerships are built on openness and taking responsibility, which makes them appear more reliable.
- Long-Term Focus: These partnerships are about working together for the long haul, not just quick wins, which shows a commitment to sustainable practices.
Certifications and standards put together events for knowledge sharing between fashion companies. These events help businesses get together, share what they know, learn from experts, and collaborate on sustainable practices. They spread ideas, encourage discussions, and promote positive changes.
- Webinars
- Online Seminars
- Networking Events
- Roundtable Discussions
- Workshops
- Training Programs
- Trade Fairs and Expos
- Awards and Recognition Programs
Every time you buy something, it’s like a vote for the kind of world you want. By doing a little research and choosing brands that care about the environment and treat people fairly, you can be a voice for good! So, get out there, explore, and empower yourself (and the planet) with informed choices!
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