Shades of greenwashing

Have you been greenwashed?

If you’ve ever bought Lululemon clothes that were supposed to soften your skin, you certainly have. The Vancouver-based brand of yoga clothes got caught greenwashing last week, when the Competition Bureau of Canada asked the company to remove health and environmental claims from tags on clothes made of SeaCell, a seaweed fibre purported to have skin-moisturizing effects.

In fact, the competition bureau revealed it’s watching the entire field of eco-friendly textiles, a trend that has emerged in recent years in a fashion industry that’s always hungry for the next big thing.

But the issue of greenwashing extends well beyond a few fancy fabrics. If you’ve purchased everyday items such as toilet tissue, wall paint, hand soap or light bulbs that claimed to be environmentally friendly, you’ve probably been greenwashed, too.

Read the Toronto Star’s full report…