The textile industry is expecting major regulatory overhaul with the aim of increasing transparency and curbing greenwashing. The nature of these regulations, according to European Union officials, remains uncertain for many professionals in the field.
Two dominant directives are changing the picture. The directive on empowering consumers towards a green transition that has been in operation since March is designed at enhancing sustainable consumption through informed purchase choices by customers. Green Claims Directive which Council is ready to negotiate with European Parliament intends to safeguard customers against deceitful environmental claims that must be substantiated by reliable information.
These two directives lay down guidelines for how companies should deal with environmental claims that must be supported by recognized scientific evidence. Nevertheless, there is no specific methodology given about data verification standards and means used for affirming such statements.
Green claims remain dubious in their truthfulness because there are no standardized methods. Although there are ways of measuring environmental impact of products like Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) as developed by European Commission, it’s not obligatory to use them.