Challenge

Greenwashing is rife in the fashion industry, with major brands using a variety of tactics to mislead consumers into believing that their products are sustainable. In reality, fast fashion is a major contributor to climate change, through the use of fossil fuels to create synthetic materials and by causing huge amounts of waste at the end of life.

Changing Markets Foundation works with NGOs, other foundations and research organisations to accelerate and scale up solutions to sustainability challenges by leveraging the power of markets.

The NGO came to Higginson to create a strategic media campaign to launch its new website Greewash.com, bringing attention to this critical environmental issue.

Solution

Higginson worked with Changing Markets Foundation to launch a strategic campaign that combined media relations with a disruptive in-person event at London Fashion Week. By utilising clever leaflets and branding created by Changing Markets for Greenwash.com, Higginson was able to establish a physical presence even including a life-size washing machine, outside the LFW venue capturing video and imagery to support media outreach.

This provided rich content for social media and the opportunity to engage with fashion influencers and journalists in person.

Outcome

As a result of this campaign, Higginson went on to secure interview opportunities in publications including Vogue UK to launch the website.. Greenwash.com was also featured in publications such as the Telegraph and Green Queen.

Changing Markets Foundation successfully revealed misleading tactics being used by the industry calling for the necessary steps towards making real sustainable progress in fashion.

“When fashion brands greenwash it’s more than just marketing. Greenwashing dupes customers into thinking they’re making sustainable choices when they’re not. Worse still, greenwashing can deceive us into thinking that progress is being made and prevents systemic action to alter the destructive trajectory of the fashion industry.”

– George Harding-Rolls – Campaign Manager at Changing Markets Foundation