ASOS and Boohoo Are Being Investigated For Greenwashing
An oversight authority in the U.K. is looking into the marketing of "eco-friendly" fast fashion lines.

Marketing is at the heart of the fashion industry, and it moves and changes fast to keep up with the current trends. Sometimes, that means putting out a bunch of hot pink clothing because "Barbie" is trending, and sometimes it means making sustainability claims because people want their clothing to be better. Even fast fashion brands making huge amounts of clothing have gotten on the sustainability movement, creating eco-friendly lines and recycling programs.
For a few of those brands, namely Boohoo, ASOS, and Asda, those claims may land them in trouble with the U.K.'s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). According to BBC, the authority is concerned with the vague language of the brands, which could potentially lead customers to think the clothing is more eco-friendly than it actually is.
In a statement posted to BBC, Sarah Cardell, interim chief executive of the CMA, said, "People who want to 'buy green' should be able to do so confident that they aren't being misled. Eco-friendly and sustainable products can play a role in tackling climate change, but only if they are genuine."
Holding brands accountable to the claims they make may seem like an obvious solution for the problems in fashion but unlike other commerce, the standards are often unenforced. Greenwashing is rampant throughout the industry, especially with the brands creating the worst damage. Without consequences, it will continue as long as it's making them money. All three brands involved in the investigation have agreed to cooperate, and hopefully, if they are found to be overstating their greenness, they will change.
However, I think the issue is so much bigger than just a few marketing campaigns. There needs to be regulations in place for them to even make a claim in the first place. A consumer shouldn't be expected to be an expert on fashion marketing, but right now, if you want to shop better, you have to be.
This story will be updated.