Stop Buying Their Lies: How Cancel Culture Can Dismantle Fast Fashion’s Greenwashing Empire

Recently, I scrolled past an Instagram reel that had racked up millions of views. In it, a creator flaunted her “sustainable haul” from a well-known fast fashion brand (you can guess which one!), holding up a $5 tank top made from “recycled materials”. The comments section was a battleground: some praised her for making eco-friendly choices, while others exposed the brand’s record of exploiting workers and polluting ecosystems. The video left me thinking: how did we get to a place where sustainability is just another marketing buzzword, stripped of its meaning? And more importantly, how can we, as consumers, reclaim it?

Fast fashion has perfected the art of selling us lies wrapped in cheap, trendy clothes. It’s built an empire of $10 tees and throwaway OOTDs, convincing us it’s okay to trash the planet as long as our closets stay fresh. What lies behind the flashy ads and influencer collabs? A whole mess of environmental destruction, worker exploitation, and toxic production practices. Oh, and the renowned trick? Greenwashing.

These brands love to slap words like sustainable and eco-friendly on their collections while quietly continuing business as usual. Spoiler alert: the planet isn’t buying it, as it suffers from tenacious textile waste, considerable CO2 emissions, and woeful water pollution — and neither should we.

So, what can we do about it? Enter: cancel culture. The same energy you used to drop that problematic TikToker can now be channeled to hold these brands accountable. Gen Z and Millennials already have a social media presence; it’s time to use this power to force sustainable progress.

The Scammy Reality of Greenwashing

Greenwashing is fast fashion’s not-so-secret weapon. It’s how brands convince you that you’re saving the planet by buying their clothes — when really, they’re just making their profits look good. Case in point: H&M’s "Conscious Collection". This line was marketed as eco-friendly but came under scrutiny for its sketchy claims and a lack of transparency. A lawsuit against H&M sparked public backlash, confirming that 96% of sustainability claims violated Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) guidelines.

But it’s not just one brand putting up a green façade. According to a Changing Markets Foundation report, 60% of sustainability claims by fashion companies are either exaggerated or straight-up false. And the European Commission confirms that almost half of those cute little eco-labels are outright lies. These tactics don’t just fool shoppers — they divert money away from companies actually trying to do better.

Greenwashing isn’t just annoying — it’s downright dangerous. It lets brands profit from our seemingly-good intentions while doing nothing to fix the problems they create. Fast fashion’s resource-guzzling, waste-spewing production practices remain intact, even as they slap meaningless labels on their products.

For us, the climate-conscious leaders pioneering a better future, this is a slap in the face. We care about sustainability — and we expect brands to back their words with measurable actions. If they can’t, it’s up to us to call them out.

Why Cancel Culture Works

Fast fashion brands are obsessed with their image (and their profits). Public outrage hits them where it hurts: their bottom line. “#BoycottH&M” is a prime example of cancel culture that prompted corrective action; the company now commits to disclosing all available information — good or bad. Nike dealt with similar backlash by publishing detailed sustainability reports and cleaning up their act. Patagonia and Eileen Fisher went even further, adopting circular economy practices like designing clothes for longevity and recycling. This wasn’t just a random act of environmentalism — it happened because consumers demanded better, 71% of consumers, to be exact.

Cancel culture gives us a megaphone. When we collectively refuse to buy into the lies, brands have no choice but to change. If we can cancel celebrities with ease, forcing them to rethink their words and actions, why don’t we cancel brands, too?

And The Critics?

It’s true that cancel culture has a bad rep. People say cancel culture is too harsh and goes too far, arguing that it silences brands and discourages them from discussing sustainability, a phenomenon known as “greenhushing”. And sure, that’s a risk, but here’s the thing: when it’s done right, it’s not about tearing brands down — it’s about holding them up to the standards they claim to meet. Trailblazing brands like Stella McCartney prove that accountability doesn’t have to be scary. Transparency and dedication to measurable commitments should become an industry standard, not an exception.

It is also important to note some unintended consequences: cancelled brands and collections contribute to increased textile waste. In the EU alone, 20% of unsold stock is sent for destruction — at best recycled, at worst incinerated or sent to landfills. Luckily, this year, policymakers have introduced a strict ban on the destruction of unsold textiles, with minimal exceptions. The results from this legislation are to be determined, but it demonstrates how proactive action can mitigate such limitations.

So, What’s the Move?

Thus, cancel culture, when used purposefully, is one of the most powerful tools we have to reshape the fashion industry, forcing companies to show receipts for the claims they make. It’s not just about calling out bad behavior — it’s about creating a world where sustainability isn’t a choice but a compulsion.

As consumers, you can start by doing your homework. Support brands that actually walk the talk, like those certified by the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS). For those with tighter budgets, thrift stores and secondhand platforms, like Depop and Poshmark, offer affordable ways to incorporate sustainability into your shopping habits. Thrifting, in particular, is inherently anti-waste, giving clothes a second life while keeping them out of landfills. Alternatively, participating in clothing swaps—whether organized locally or through initiatives like Swap Society—can refresh your wardrobe without contributing to the waste cycle.

Use your voice on social media. Sign petitions. Participate in boycotts. Every action matters, especially when we act collectively.

Fast fashion has already drawn so much from the planet. Let’s channel our comment-section frustration into action and reclaim what’s been lost — one canceled collection at a time. Together, we can turn sustainability from a buzzword to a movement.