Please resize your window or rotate your device.
Identify environmental claims that risk breaching the rules for fashion and apparel brands in the EU, UK and US — from the EU Empowering Consumers Directive to the UK CMA code and the US FTC guides
Check your fashion marketing copy
A free greenwashing checker for fashion and textile brands
Environmental marketing is under more scrutiny than ever. Regulators across the European Union, the United Kingdom and the United States are cracking down on greenwashing — vague, exaggerated or unproven environmental claims that make a product look better for the planet than it really is. The rules are strict, they differ by market, and the penalties are real.
This tool helps professionals at fashion and textile brands catch the risky wording before it ships. Paste a product description, an ad, a landing page or a packaging line, choose the markets you sell into, and the checker highlights each environmental claim a regulator would question — with a plain explanation and a stronger way to say it. It reads the words on the page only, so treat every flag as a prompt to review, not a verdict.
What counts as green washing?
Greenwashing rarely looks like an outright lie.
Far more often it’s an everyday marketing habit. A word that sounds just right but with nothing behind it. A truth stretched just a bit too thinly. A claim that your competitors are using that you don’t quite understand the details about but decide to use anyway.
All of these are examples of greenwashing, and our checker looks for these patterns as well as:
Vague, feel-good terms
“Eco-friendly”, “green”, “sustainable” or “conscious” — fluffy words with nothing to back them up.
Carbon-neutral and net-zero claims
Neutrality claims that rely upon offsetting rather than real, measured emission cuts.
Unqualified recyclability
“Recyclable” or “biodegradable” with no mention of where or how — misleading consumers by omission.
Future pledges with no plan
“Net zero by 2030” with no public roadmap, milestones or independent verification.
Self-made labels and certifications
Marking your own homework with in-house “certified” badges that imply approval that no recognised scheme gave.
Overstated comparisons
“Greener than” or “more sustainable” claims with no basis of comparison shown.
The environmental claims legislations, market by market
The same phrase can be judged very differently depending on where you sell. The checker grades each claim separately against the law in each market you choose.
European Union
The Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition Directive (EU) 2024/825 amends the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive and applies from 27 September 2026. It bans a list of practices outright — including offset-based carbon-neutral claims and unbacked generic terms.
United Kingdom
The CMA’s Green Claims Code sets out six principles for honest environmental claims, backed by the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 — under which the CMA can fine businesses up to 10% of global turnover.
United States
The FTC Green Guides, enforced under Section 5 of the FTC Act, set expectations for substantiation and disclosure. Many claims are allowed — but only when they’re clearly qualified and backed by evidence.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this legal advice?
No. It’s a free educational tool that gives general information about environmental-claims rules. It doesn’t assess your evidence or your specific situation. If you want to be doubly sure, we recommend that you speak to a qualified adviser.
Is the copy I enter into the checker private?
Yes. All the analysis happens in your browser. Your pasted text is never stored or logged — so you can safely check unreleased campaigns and product copy. When you create a report, the text is sent to our private server to create a PDF, which is only sent to the email address that you specify.
Does a clean result mean my copy is compliant?
No. A clean result means we didn’t match common risk patterns — it isn’t a compliance sign-off, because the tool checks wording, not the evidence behind your claims.
Why is the same phrase flagged differently by market?
While theanti-greenwash legislation across the markets serve the same intent, the laws differ slightly. “Carbon neutral”, for instance, is on the EU’s always-unfair list, treated as high-risk-if-unsubstantiated in the UK, and permitted with clear disclosure in the US.
Who is this tool for?
Marketing, e-commerce, brand and sustainability teams who write or approve product copy — anyone who needs a fast first check before an environmental claim goes live.
Fix the problem at the source
Reviewing and changing copy line by line is not scalable for fast-growing brands, yet the risks for having infringing copy are real.
Bergstrand runs workshops and trainings to ensure every one that works with your brand and products knows what to say and what not to so you don’t get flagged by regulators.
Workshops are a powerful way of introducing your team to new concepts in a practical, energising way.
As trusted by
Build sustainability practices that work towards your ambitions.
You need practical solutions for your sustainability initiatives from experts that specialise in fashion and textiles — not randoms that think sustainability is the same across sectors.
Tell us where your brand stands today and we work with you to figure out what initiatives will shift the needle for your business.
Thank you for your enquiry.
A member of our team will get back to you within 24 hours.
If you’re curious to see how we’ve helped our other clients, feel free to browse our Case Studies.
Stay ahead of the latest sustainability and compliance developments
Requirements for brands are constantly changing.
Subscribers to our newsletter receive a monthly update on the latest topics that concern fashion, textile and apparel brands.
Subscribe now to stay on top.
