midsummer
Beauty / Society

Sustainability claims in beauty: Is it all smoke and mirrors?

By Johanna Ljunggren

Photo: Benjamin Tarp

With reports often more opaque than transparent, here is a guide to analysing and verifying sustainability claims in beauty

While concern about climate crisis increased during the pandemic, interest has dwindled since the world reopened. In theory, the topic is still at top of mind, but the industry is far from reaching promised targets. And as fashion month closes, environmental advocates and journalists were left wondering why sustainability was a virtual no-show on the catwalks. Fashion and beauty are separate entities but ripples through one always tend to influence the other.

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Sustainability reports are generally more opaque than transparent, leaving even the experts wondering how to adopt sustainable shopping habits. To address greenwashing, legislators globally are issuing new rules and guidance demanding that damaging environmental, human rights, or governance issues are disclosed. The problem is – can we interpret these disclosures?

Greenwashing — a frequent concern of consumers — means delivering false information on ESG (environmental, social and governance) guidelines to show off a responsible public image that hides harmful business procedures. The most common answer from consumers as to why they don't buy a climate-conscious product is that it's too problematic to understand the information or, quite frankly, too hard to find.

Hopefully, raising these questions can open the conversation on how reporting can become more accessible. Some companies are taking the cue - focusing exclusively on education and providing statements on the product pages of brands.

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Photo: Benjamin Tarp

Companies like Provenance offer transparency software, whereas Carbon Calories enables companies to calculate their carbon footprint accurately. Berlin-based tech company Planetly provides investors with tools to manage sustainability KPIs across their investments, counting Finnish beauty brand Lumene as one of their clients.

Without concrete definitions for clickbait terminology like circular, eco-friendly, ethical, responsible, and transparent - the interpretation of these concepts is left to the brand or consumer's preference. Although not perfect, certifications and symbols are what we must go on - start by checking if they are shared.

To quote Carbon Calories founder Alexander Franzen, "if a customer knows what to ask for, they will demand that brands provide evidence they are following through on sustainability claims — what gets measured gets mitigated." He continues, "Be highly sceptical of any company claiming zero-carbon or zero emissions without using the term 'net.' A company can achieve net-zero emissions, while its products are not net-zero over the entire production and consumption lifecycle."

‘Sustainable’ is perhaps the most misused word, as it is entirely up to the company to set its criteria, making them easy to meet. And when they don't, there are little to no repercussions. To put it into context, it depends on what is sustained and for whom. In short, a brand should be non-toxic to the environment and people, which applies to the whole production chain.

Which words should we look out for?

Claims such as natural, clean, green, and blue have no actual definition and can be misleading — however, it helps to know their loose meaning.

Natural products use natural ingredients rather than synthetic ones, although not all ingredients are non-toxic. Some minerals and plants are unsafe, and the term is not regulated, so any brand can claim to be natural but still use synthetic ingredients.

'Blue Beauty' brands ensure their products are safe for the environment by being ocean-safe, limiting plastic waste, and making recycling easier. They also protect the oceans from chemicals in beauty products, such as sun lotions.

Organic products take 'natural' several steps further, made with non-GMO ingredients. Also grown, harvested, manufactured, and preserved without chemical herbicides, pesticides, fungicides, or antibiotics.

Cosmetics made from biodynamic plants go a step beyond organic. Biodynamic farmers will use methodologies that protect the earth's natural state and treat the farm as a self-contained and self-regenerative organism.

Vegan and cruelty-free are not synonymous. A vegan product doesn't contain animal by-products such as milk, beeswax, or honey. Finally, cruelty-free products can't be tested on animals - none of these labels means the product is non-toxic, natural, or clean.

As you see, there are heaps of terms that unfortunately have been stretched, tampered with or even tainted thanks to overuse or unregulated application, nonetheless, it’s also up to us to learn, dig into our favourite brands and become the ultimate filter to our own purchases and products.