Greenwashing in Apparel Industry

Green washing   In Apparel & Home Textile Industry

                              By: Piyush Jain

Roll No 955

PGDM-RM 09-11

Definition:

*(http://searchcrm.techtarget.com/sDefinition/0,,sid11_gci1272594,00.html)

Green washing is the practice of making an unsubstantiated or misleading claim about the environmental benefits of a product, service, and technology or company practice.

The practice can make a company appear to be more environmentally friendly than it really is. It can also be used to differentiate a company's products or services from its competitors by promising more efficient use of power or by being more cost-effective over time.

Why is Green washing a Problem?

*(http://www.greenwashingindex.com/why.php)

Seems like anything and everything has “gone green” these days. Airlines, car companies, retailers, restaurants — heck, even networks and stadiums. Thankfully, more often than not, that’s a good thing. It‘s only bad if it’s green washing — that’s bad for the environment, consumers and, ultimately, for the very businesses doing the green washing — whether they mean to or not.
    • Environment: At its very worst, green washing is bad for the environment because it can encourage consumers en masse to do the opposite of what’s good for the environment. At its most benign, green washing makes claims that are neither good nor bad for the environment — it’s just making green claims to sell more stuff.
    • Consumers: We’ve all heard of lemon laws and bait-and-switch. Nobody likes to be taken advantage of, especially when it comes to money. So, the next time you see an environmental claim, ask yourself about “The Truth, The Whole Truth, And Nothing But The Truth” before you buy. The last thing you want to do is spend money on a product or service you believe is doing right by the environment, but in reality is not — or not as much as the ad might lead you to believe.
    • Businesses: Smart businesses are finding out that doing...