What is greenwashing and how can we avoid it?

We pour our heart and soul into creating eco-friendly products that are the real deal. That’s because we want to make it easy for everyone to adopt a more zero-waste approach. What’s more, we think it’s truly incredible when people like you try to do your own bit for the planet. And this is exactly why we really don’t like greenwashing.

You’ve heard of whitewashing, right? Greenwashing is kind of the same thing. This is where companies brand their products & services as environmentally-friendly. They promote their products as being kind to the environment in order to solicit trust from consumers. But, behind closed (factory) doors, their products are mass-produced. It’s deceitful & deeply unethical, and as a company who proudly works directly at the source of the raw materials and who knows their supply chain inside out, we disapprove when we see the dishonesty.

Woman holding a heart desert
HOW TO SPOT FAKE ECO-FRIENDLY PRODUCTS
What companies are greenwashing?

Sorry, but we’re not here to blow any whistles. However, what we can tell you is how to spot greenwashing. In order to help you see the common signs of companies guilty of greenwashing, we’ve created a handy checklist of things to look out for.

Is the brand totally transparent?

The number one tell-tale sign of an authentically sustainable company is transparency. Most eco-friendly businesses have a cracking tale to tell, and love to share the story behind how they were conceived. Take it from us, we love telling our friends, family, customers and anyone else who will listen about our bamboo straw workshop in Thanh Hoa Province!

Before ordering a product, scan over the company’s website and track down their backstory. Where are the products sourced from? Do they list a specific region? Are there any photos or videos of the farm or the workshop? If the information is vague, they’re probably coming from a factory.

Psst, you can read more about the production of our reusable bamboo straws here.

What do past customers say?

Seek out reviews from both customers and trusted bloggers. Filter out reviews from the top rating to the lowest, and look for red flags. Repeat customers are a good sign.

Be mindful that natural products don’t always look exactly like they do in the photos. Be even more mindful of the fact that natural materials (like bamboo, coconut shell) are much more durable than manmade materials. So responsibly sourced products shouldn’t fall to pieces within a few months. If users report this… red flag, red flag!

PLASTIC FREE PRODUCTS
Do they use plastic-free packaging?

Imagine ordering a beautiful set of reusable bamboo cutlery and it rocks up on your doorstep in plastic. Well, sadly, that’s the sign that the company you ordered from isn’t legit. Always check that a sustainable products company ships with plastic-free packaging that you can then recycle.

Are the products certified?

Anyone can promote their products with terms like ‘biodegradable,’ ‘natural’ and ‘organic’. But that doesn’t always mean they are legit. Have a look for any official logos on the company website. Then, Google the organisation so you know exactly what the certify. For example, organic coconut bowls by Jungle Straws are FDA approved and certified by SGS. That’s the world’s largest independent laboratory group.

Photo theballerina.foodie on Instagram
Photo theballerina.foodie on Instagram

Are they aligned with a charity?

What knits eco-friendly businesses together is the desire to do good by the planet. Of course, an authentic zero-waste business is already doing that by how they source and produce their products. The next step up is pledging some of the profit to a charity or foundation.

We are a proud member of the 1% for the Planet movement, which means that we pledge 1% of our profit to this organisation. This donation is then distributed to environmental charities whose ethos aligns with our own.

What about carbon-neutral shipping?

It’s all very well using plastic-free packaging, but what do you reckon to the promise of next-day delivery? It might sound great if a birthday has slipped your memory, but unfortunately, express delivery is not kind to nature. Look instead for a company who offers carbon neutral shipping. It might

HOW TO AVOID GREENWASHING: A RECAP
And that is essentially how you can spot an ethical business and avoid greenwashing. To recap – these are the main attributes that you want to pay attention to when browsing for a sustainable products company:

Zero-waste, every step of the way: The whole package will be zero-waste, from the product to the packaging. We use every single piece of bamboo that we farm. Furthermore, all our organic coconut bowls are sourced from reclaimed coconut shells that would otherwise be burnt!

Good ethics: Look for a company who put the products over profit. You want to know that they are delivering fair wages to their suppliers, manufacturers, and not inflating their costs to consumers. Find out whether they donate to charities as well.

Transparent branding: A truly authentic company is an open book. They’ll provide heaps of information about their products via their website, blog and any social media channels.

Before you visit the Jungle Straws shop to browse our beautifully ethical products, check out some other British brands committed to saving the planet. Also, head on over to our friends at Project Greenify for some great eco tips!