DAfter an analysis of the 30 online fashion shops with the highest turnover, the consumer center Rhineland-Palatinate has warned three companies for misleading advertising with the term sustainability. Two providers, Fashion ID GmbH & Co. KG, operator of the Peek & Cloppenburg online shop, and Popken Fashion GmbH, known for the Ulla Popken brand, among other things, agreed to a cease-and-desist declaration. On the other hand, the successful Dutch laundry chain Hunkemöller, which operates five branches in Frankfurt alone, did not follow the request, as the consumer advice center announced on Tuesday. She now wants to have the court clarify whether some of the articles she complains about may be advertised as sustainable.
Unlike the term “organic” in the food industry, statements such as “sustainable”, “climate neutral” or “environmentally friendly” are not legally defined for textiles. There are no regulations as to which requirements must be met if companies generally advertise with the terms. According to information from Jennifer Häußer, a consultant in the “Collective Redress” department at the consumer advice center, they are always vulnerable when specific articles are presented as sustainable and this claim turns out to be untrue, or when information is withheld from the customer. In the case of Peek & Cloppenburg’s online shop, for example, a lack of transparency was the reason for the warning. Popken had been accused of using a label to certify the absence of harmful substances for the sustainability promise.
How much “greener” cotton?
According to Häußer, the underwear company Hunkemöller justifies the advertising of sustainable products with its membership in the “Better Cotton Initiative”. According to their regulations, members must cover at least ten percent of their cotton from sustainable cultivation, but are allowed to mix it with conventionally produced cotton in the supply chain. However, it is completely arbitrary in which garments the “more environmentally friendly” cotton is actually found. “And it is not at all certain that the articles advertised as sustainable are actually made of more environmentally friendly cotton,” criticizes Häußer.
“Sustainability is an emotional topic and has become a purchasing criterion for many young people,” she says. Consumers are willing to spend more money to have a clear conscience, but they may buy products under false assumptions. “With our lawsuit, we want to contribute to more transparency in advertising with sustainability.”