Let’s be real. These days, it’s hard to walk down a store aisle or scroll through your feed without seeing the words “clean,” “natural,” “green,” or “planet-safe.”
Everything’s got a leaf on the label. Every brand says they care. Every box claims it’s doing something “better.”
While some of them are legitimate, more often than anyone would like to admit, brands are more concerned with scoring sales (while using a cause to lure people in) than making a tangible difference.
That’s where greenwashing comes in. This article is not here to guilt you, but to help you spot the difference between a brand that cares and one that’s faking it.
Greenwashing is a marketing move. One that’s often more about looking responsible than actually being responsible.
It’s when a company makes claims about how environmentally friendly their product or practices are. Usually, to gain trust (and your dollars).
The term popped up in 1986, thanks to Jay Westerveld. He pointed out that a lot of hotels were asking guests to reuse towels “for the environment” while doing nothing to address their actual environmental footprint. It was performative. A distraction. A PR move pretending to be progress.
Fast-forward to now, and the same kind of thing happens constantly, but in sleeker packaging and prettier fonts.
Greenwashing is tricky because it plays on hope. On the fact that you want to make good choices, but might not have the time (or energy) to investigate every label. It thrives in the gray area, where brands use the right words, the right aesthetics, and just enough truth to get by.
But here’s the problem: When companies fake sustainability, it makes it harder to see the ones who are actually doing the work. It confuses people. It slows down change. And in the end, it makes us all a little more cynical.
Let’s be honest—we want to believe the good story. If a product says it’s better for the planet, and it looks the part, it feels like a small win. You check the box. You made the responsible choice. Right?
Greenwashing thrives on that emotional satisfaction. A splash of sage green. A tree silhouette. Soft fonts. All designed to whisper, “You’re doing the right thing.”
It works because it makes us feel good, not because it’s always true.
Psychologists call this the "halo effect": When one good trait (like recyclable packaging) makes us assume everything else about the brand is good, too. It’s sneaky. And brands know it.
So no, you’re not naive. You’re human. We all want to make quick decisions that feel meaningful. But greenwashing counts on that impulse and uses it to sell products that don’t live up to the promise.
Once you know what to look for, you start seeing the pattern. It’s everywhere. And it’s often just subtle enough to slip by unnoticed.
Let’s walk through the most common tricks.
If something says it’s “eco-conscious” or “earth-friendly,” ask yourself: Compared to what? What does that mean?
A lot of these buzzwords aren’t regulated. There’s no universal definition for “clean,” “natural,” or even “sustainable” in most industries. So companies can throw those words around without explaining what makes them true.
Maybe the bottle’s recyclable. That’s great. But what about the product itself? Or how it’s made? Or the materials come from?
Sometimes companies fixate on one improvement, like swapping to paper packaging, while ignoring much bigger issues behind the scenes (Think high-emission manufacturing, toxic ingredients, exploitative supply chains).
That’s like bragging you ran a mile while ignoring the fact you drove there in a gas guzzler.
Green leaves. Brown Kraft paper. A hand-drawn tree. Earth tones. Soothing language.
All of it is designed to make you feel like products are organic and clean.
The reality? Sometimes the packaging is covering up something far less wholesome. This is especially common with cleaning products and personal care items. They look green. But the label says otherwise.
Some brands slap made-up certifications on their packaging or logos that look official but aren’t connected to any third-party standards.
It’s the equivalent of giving yourself a trophy and saying, “See? We’re certified.”
Unless it’s from a legit organization, like USDA Organic, Fair Trade, Energy Star, B Corp, or FSC, it might not mean much.
“Uses 30% less plastic!” sounds impressive. But less than what? If the original design used way too much plastic to begin with, a 30% cut still might be pretty bad.
Progress is great. But cherry-picking stats to make a tiny step sound like a giant leap? That’s classic greenwashing.
If a brand keeps things vague or only talks about their wins without ever mentioning what they’re still working on, that’s a red flag.
The most trustworthy companies are open about both the good and the work in progress.
Let’s look at a few big-name examples, just so you can see how this stuff shows up at scale.
Remember when VW sold “clean diesel” cars and got into hot water?
Turns out, they installed software that faked emissions test results. These cars were polluting far more than advertised, violating legal limits by a lot. Once the truth came out in 2015, the brand got hit with billions in fines and a massive public fallout.
Fast fashion and sustainability don’t usually mix. But H&M tried to position their Conscious Collection as a greener option.
The catch? The language was vague. The impact wasn’t clear. And they didn’t change much about their core model of overproduction and fast turnover—two things that contribute heavily to fashion waste. Critics weren’t impressed. And for good reason.
Back in 2001, British Petroleum tried a major rebrand. New logo and new slogan: “Beyond Petroleum.” Very fresh and green.
Except it was still an oil company. A huge, polluting company.
And when the Deepwater Horizon oil spill happened in 2010, which is still one of the worst environmental disasters in U.S. history, the contrast between the branding and the reality couldn’t have been more obvious.
Food packaging does this all the time. “All-Natural” sounds healthy. Safe. Earthy.
But in truth, it's code for, “The food in this package is semi-healthy, and thankfully, we don’t have to tell you why.” Foods labelled All-Natural aren’t regulated like those that earn Certified Organic distinctions. Sometimes “natural” is just marketing. Nothing more.
You might think, “Okay, so it’s a little misleading. But it’s still a step, right?”
It might seem harmless at first. Just a bit of clever branding. But peel back the label, and the consequences run deeper than you'd expect.
Greenwashing doesn’t just confuse shoppers—it disrupts trust, hinders real progress, and skews the entire conversation around sustainability.
Not always. In fact, greenwashing has ripple effects, and none of them are good.
When people realize they’ve been misled, it’s hard to believe the next claim. Or the next one.
It creates a distrust where even the good actors get lumped in with the bad. You start second-guessing everything. And that’s a big problem, because it means truly sustainable brands have to work even harder just to be seen and believed.
Eventually, everything starts to sound like marketing spin, even the brands that are trying to do things right. That’s a big problem.
Brands that really invest in sustainability in ways like cutting emissions, paying fair wages, sourcing clean ingredients, and so on, often take on higher costs.
Meanwhile, the greenwashers get to ride the wave of eco-conscious consumerism without doing the work. They get the benefits. The real ones get buried.
It also discourages innovation. If cutting corners gets more attention than doing the right thing, there’s less incentive for companies to actually improve. Why overhaul your operations if a green label and vague language will do the trick?
Here’s the big one: Greenwashing creates the illusion that things are getting better when they are not.
If people believe that their choices are already solving the problem (when they’re not), it takes the pressure off companies and governments to make actual systemic change. That illusion of progress is dangerous for everyone.
It also saps momentum from real climate efforts. When public perception says "we're on the right track," it becomes harder to rally support for big policy shifts or infrastructure changes.
Greenwashing doesn't just waste time, but it actively slows down the kind of action we need most.
It Can Get Companies in Trouble
Greenwashing isn’t just shady, it’s risky. As public awareness grows, so does legal scrutiny.
Regulators are starting to take a harder line, and companies caught misleading consumers can face serious consequences.
Beyond fines or lawsuits, there is also long-term reputational damage. Once a company loses public trust, it takes a long time, and a lot of effort, to earn it back.
Regulators are starting to catch up. The FTC has guidelines around environmental claims (called the Green Guides), and the EU has been rolling out stricter rules for transparency in product labeling. Lawsuits have already hit companies for misleading eco-labels.
So while greenwashing might win short-term sales, it can backfire hard.
Greenwashing can be sneaky. But there are ways to cut through the noise. Here's how to shop smarter without turning every purchase into a research project.
Look for Legit Third-Party Seals
Real certifications have names and standards behind them. Think:
If it’s not from a recognized org—or if it looks made up—do a quick check.
Don’t stop at the front label. Flip it over. Check the ingredients. Go to the website.
Do they actually explain what makes their product “clean” or “eco-conscious”? Or are they just repeating feel-good phrases?
Real transparency usually comes with real detail. Not just poetic copywriting.
Does the brand mention where it sources its materials? Its factory conditions? Its carbon impact?
If they only talk about packaging and nothing else, it’s fair to be skeptical.
Use Tools That Dig Deeper
You don’t have to do all the homework yourself. These tools can help:
If you’re not sure about a brand, email them. Ask about their sourcing. Their labor practices. Their carbon goals. Companies that care won’t dodge the question.
For example, brands like HeySunday are clear about what’s in their laundry sheets, dryer sheets, and dishwasher sheets. They publish sourcing info, keep packaging low-waste, and don’t bury their claims in jargon.
Greenwashing isn’t an accident. It’s a strategy.
One that plays on hope, distraction, and design to make us feel better about our choices, without changing the systems causing the damage.
But here’s the good news: Once you start seeing it, it’s harder to fall for it.
And the more people push for real transparency, the more we shift the market. Away from performance. Toward progress.
So yes, read the label. Ask questions. Be annoying if you have to!
Real change doesn’t come from a label. It comes from what we all do next. Start with products that actually walk the talk. Begin with HeySunday.
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