Why fashion is changing how it talks about sustainability

Sustainability in fashion has undergone a significant shift. Once a badge of honour loudly displayed across campaigns, packaging, and product tags, sustainability has now become a more delicate, even cautious, part of brand communication. 

Today, consumers are increasingly sceptical of brands that appear to overstate their eco-credentials. Green marketing fatigue has set in, and with it, the rise of a new phenomenon: greenhushing.

This first article in our three-part series explores why the tone of sustainability marketing is changing in UK fashion, what brands are doing in response, and how subtle, transparent messaging is helping regain customer trust.

Why fashion brands are turning down the volume on sustainability

According to Business of Fashion, even long-standing sustainable brands have begun shifting their sales messaging. Instead of placing eco-values front and centre, they are allowing product design and quality to speak for itself. This pivot stems from a growing consumer backlash to overtly moralistic or self-congratulatory campaigns.

Many shoppers now respond negatively to marketing that feels preachy or self-righteous. In fact, 31% of consumers no longer trust environmental claims, with many viewing them as marketing spin. This climate of distrust has bred a new scepticism, often referred to as 'greenwashing fatigue', where shoppers are wary of any message that feels more like branding than action.

This puts fashion brands in a difficult position: those genuinely committed to sustainability fear being mistaken for greenwashers, while staying silent risks losing relevance. The solution? Find a middle ground built on authenticity, humility and detail.

Why consumers no longer buy into bold eco-promises - greenwashing

Hand-in-hand with the evolution of sustainability messaging is a growing cynicism among consumers. Shoppers have been bombarded with green claims for years: organic this, recyclable that, 'eco-conscious' collections at every turn. Many have started to question how much of this is real? And frankly, much of it wasn't. Regulators in the UK certainly found reason to crack down.

In 2022, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) investigated fashion retailers over misleading green claims - targeting ASOS, Boohoo, and Asda's George line.

By 2024, these brands had to agree to change their ways. They pledged to use only clear, accurate eco-claims and to spell out the criteria for any product touted as 'sustainable'. No more ambiguous language or green leaf icons unless you can back them up. The CMA even made them promise not to use vague terms like 'Responsible' or 'Eco' without solid info to support it. This was a wake-up call to the whole industry: greenwashing is being taken seriously.

The cost-of-living squeeze: ethics and affordability

Amid all this, let's not forget the economic backdrop. The past couple of years have seen UK consumers facing rising inflation, energy costs, and economic uncertainty. When wallets are squeezed, even the most well-intentioned shopper might choose the cheaper option out of necessity. This is the sustainability paradox in 2025: people say they want to support ethical, green fashion, but many feel they can't afford to.

Recent surveys bear this out. A majority of fashion consumers (57%) do want the industry to be more sustainable; they care, at least in principle. Yet 61% admit they will prioritise price over sustainability when budgeting for clothes, given the current cost-of-living pressures. Over half also believe that sustainable fashion is often just too expensive for them.

This gap between ideals and practical choices is something every brand has to reckon with. It's not that consumers have stopped caring about the planet or ethics, it's that their purchasing power has limits. As one report succinctly put it, many Brits worry that financial constraints 'will prevent them from making sustainable choices when shopping' at all.

The rise of greenhushing: Hiding values to protect credibility

Greenhushing describes the practice of deliberately downplaying or omitting sustainability messaging for fear of backlash. While it may help avoid scrutiny, it also means many positive efforts go unnoticed, missing an opportunity to build brand loyalty.

Instead, forward-thinking brands are opting for a more understated and honest approach. 

A great example is Patagonia. This is a brand that practically invented modern sustainability in fashion – from using recycled materials to encouraging customers to repair, not replace, their gear. However, you won't see Patagonia plastering 'eco-friendly' on every jacket. Instead, they weave their values into the brand story and even their product design. (Their famous 'Don't Buy This Jacket' ad campaign proved this as a bold anti-consumption message that actually won them customers' respect and boosted their sales by 30%.

Patagonia's approach is to lead by example and talk about sustainability in a matter-of-fact way, not as a marketing ploy. The result: they come across as authentic, not opportunistic, and consumers feel that honesty.

Other UK brands are following suit. UK outdoor apparel maker Finisterre, for instance, embeds sustainability into its products (like recycled fabrics, repair services and take-back schemes) but markets them by highlighting quality and adventure, not just virtue. Similarly, Rapanui, the Isle of Wight-based eco-fashion brand, focuses on on-demand manufacturing and a circular supply chain – yet the tone of its messaging is upbeat and product-focused, rather than lecturing.

The narrative is shifting from 'look how green we are' to 'here's a cool jacket, oh and by the way, it's made responsibly if you want to know more.' This subtlety feels more genuine to a savvy audience.

From bold claims to quiet confidence

The shift away from shouting about sustainability does not mean silence. It means being specific, transparent and tone-aware. Instead of saying “we’re sustainable,” brands are now weaving the message into product-level information, storytelling, and behind-the-scenes content. 

This helps avoid accusations of virtue signalling and allows consumers to engage at their own pace. Those who care can find the detail; those who do not are not turned off by heavy messaging.

Importantly, the most effective brands communicate progress, not perfection. Consumers are more likely to trust brands that admit challenges and demonstrate ongoing improvement than those that claim to have solved sustainability entirely.

Key takeaway

The way fashion brands talk about sustainability is changing. Loud declarations are out; quiet credibility is in. To resonate with today’s consumer, brands must build trust through facts. The brands that win loyalty will be those that show their values, rather than just state them, and that use storytelling, not sales language, to connect with audiences.

Ready to build trust through transparent, purpose-driven digital experiences? Book a call with our eCommerce consultants to explore what's possible.

Next in the series: Part 2: Fast fashion’s hard lesson: What Shein, Temu, and ASOS are teaching UK shoppers