How parents can fight against greenwashing—and find quality kids’ clothing in the process

It was always difficult for me to find good clothes for my kids. It’s been a journey that led to me launch my own sustainable clothing business and share what I’ve learned with other parents on how to avoid greenwashing.

For me, “good clothes” means pieces that are durable, timeless and safe to wear. Clothes that are made with minimal environmental impact and only a positive impact to the people who make them. 

Until relatively recently, I ran into the same problem every time I shopped: I could easily find a huge range of price points and cute styles. But none of the labels or brands could tell me the true origins of their fabric, the composition of their dyes or how and exactly where the item was made.

A few years ago, many brands launched lines claiming to be environmentally conscious, clean and non-toxic. However, it was hard to prove these claims, despite hours of my time spent on research. (Time that I didn’t have as a busy corporate mom.)

Eventually, I decided to take action and create transparency in the ethical kids’ clothing space. During the Great Resignation of 2021, I dropped out of corporate America and set about figuring out how to help parents shop better for their kids. 

This led to creation of The Green Kid, an online shop for ethical, high-quality fashion for kids. I curate brands that share my values, from fair wages to sustainable fabrics. These brands are vetted against stringent criteria—certifications, fabric composition and more—and each are labelled on the site so that the shopper can shop by the causes or criteria most important to them.

Related: 30+ eco-friendly & sustainable swaps for products you use every day

I’m also launching my own brand, Treehouse, this summer, so parents can follow the journey of your kids’ garments from farm to factory to your little one’s closet. 

After my research as a parent and then a business owner, I wanted to share with other parents what I learned about sorting through marketing claims and finding quality products for our children. 

Here’s what I think every parent should know about how to avoid greenwashing.

What is greenwashing? 

“Greenwashing” is a marketing tactic that makes a product appear more environmentally friendly than it is. Greenwashing often shows up as unsubstantiated claims about sustainability or being eco-friendly.

It frequently goes hand in hand with other statements regarding issues such as social impact. Additionally, greenwashing takes advantage of people wanting to do the right thing and diverts their money away from impactful businesses to businesses trying to exploit consumer concern. This money is then used to support damaging practices.

Greenwashing is also largely unregulated. While the EU is introducing legislation to curb greenwashing, the US has yet to create its own standards.

How to avoid greenwashing 

As busy parents, it can feel overwhelming to do a thorough investigation before buying a single pair of socks. And brands are getting more sophisticated and subtle in their greenwashing efforts. So here are five ways to avoid greenwashing in the kids’ clothing market.

1. Look for transparency 

There is no such thing as totally eco-friendly and 100 percent sustainable. Instead, consider seeking out brands that champion ethical kids’ clothing and transparency. And transparency might not always sound glossy—it might look like a brand letting go of the fluffy language and sharing plans to improve incrementally.

2. Go beyond the basic claims

It’s easy to get won over by marketing terms (like “clean”) or Instagram hype. To find evidence if a business is really sustainable, it’s helpful to consider:

• Is there an “About Us” section on the site with information about the company’s mission? If so, look out for certifications from respected organizations such as GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard), OEKO-TEX or Fairtrade.
• How detailed is the fabric composition information provided?
• Where does the brand make its products and who are the products made by? Is any information provided on the location of the factories, working conditions or company policies?

If there’s something you’re not sure of, reach out to the brand via the “Contact Us” page or DM them on Instagram and ask questions. If they stand by their claims, they’re likely to be excited about the opportunity to share more information with you. 

Reading reviews and news articles about the company’s sustainability practices (some major companies are being accused of greenwashing) can also help consumers go deeper.

3. Use available tools and resources

These days, you don’t have to do all of your own research to avoid greenwashing. There are a whole host of websites, apps and listings to help you on your journey. You can start with sustainable ratings agencies, such as Good On You, or the directories of organizations such as the GOTS and Fairtrade directories.

4. Join the movement 

Consider joining Facebook groups and parent communities built around sustainability to learn more. These spaces serve as amazing resources for finding small, ethical kids’ clothing brands and individual artisans and peer-to-peer learning and information sharing. They often feature BST (Buy Sell Trade) forums for selling pre-loved items from sustainable brands you love.

Related: 10 eco-friendly baby care items that will keep the planet (and baby) happy

5. Take small steps

Remember there is no perfect product or brand offering the ideal blend of ecology and economy. Start with the causes that concern you the most and take it from there.

At The Green Kid, we’re trying to bring our community on the journey with us, sharing the decisions we are making with our customers (and why), consulting with our base and working together toward the next goal. For us, it’s about an incremental journey towards better, step by step, every day.

A version of this post was published February 9, 2023. It has been updated.