A formal complaint has been lodged against Copenhagen Fashion Week (CFW) and seven participating Danish fashion brands, alleging greenwashing practices. The Danish Consumer Council, in collaboration with anti-greenwashing expert Tanja Gotthardsen, filed the complaint with the Danish Consumer Ombudsman. They have called on the Danish Consumer Authority to assess whether CFW's "Sustainability Requirements" can legitimately be marketed as such, given concerns about their effectiveness in driving substantial sustainability progress and their authenticity as genuine requirements.
CFW introduced its Sustainability Requirements in 2020, aiming to set minimum standards for participating brands across various focus areas, including strategic direction, design, material choices, working conditions, consumer engagement, and show production. These standards became mandatory for inclusion in the official show schedule starting January 2023. However, the recent complaint highlights concerns about the enforcement and impact of these standards.
The Danish Consumer Council and Gotthardsen argue that CFW's sustainability rules are insufficiently stringent and lack proper enforcement mechanisms. They point out that many participating brands continue to make vague or misleading sustainability claims without clear evidence to support them. For instance, brands have been accused of using terms like "sustainable," "responsible," and "eco-friendly" without providing substantiated proof of their claims.
Winni Grosbøll, director of the Danish Consumer Council, expressed concern that CFW's reputation as a "sustainable" fashion week influences the entire industry. She noted that other fashion weeks are emulating its framework, and major fashion media have dubbed it "the world's most sustainable fashion week." Grosbøll fears that if CFW is not effectively enforcing meaningful sustainability changes, it could mislead consumers and set a poor example for other industry events.
In response to the allegations, CFW's CEO, Cecilie Thorsmark, stated that she had not yet seen the complaint but refuted the accusations of greenwashing. She also remarked that CFW cannot control how the media characterizes its sustainability efforts.
The seven Danish brands named in the complaint—Baum und Pferdgarten, Berner Kühl, Forza Collective, Herskind, OpéraSport, Stine Goya, and Won Hundred—are accused of making misleading sustainability claims. Examples include asserting that organic cotton significantly reduces CO2 emissions and referring to certain synthetic fabrics as "green." Some brands have acknowledged these concerns; for instance, Baum und Pferdgarten admitted to falling short on their commitment to eliminate virgin polyester, while Berner Kühl agreed that some of their marketing could be confusing and pledged to remove ambiguous language. Other brands, such as Stine Goya and OpéraSport, have not provided responses.
This development raises important questions about the effectiveness of self-regulatory sustainability frameworks within the fashion industry. It also underscores the need for robust enforcement mechanisms to ensure that brands' sustainability claims are genuine and substantiated, thereby protecting consumers from potential misinformation.
