What Comes After Greenwashing?
Ushering in a new era of consumer trust
By: Katie Richter
Several weeks ago, my millennial co-workers and I couldn’t stop talking about one headline: Shein, the fast-fashion brand, had acquired Everlane.
I’ll admit that I laughed out loud when I read the news. It felt almost satirical. Everlane built its reputation on “radical transparency,” ethical factories, and selling consumers the promise that they could buy better. Shein, meanwhile, is the poster child for ultra-fast fashion, questionable environmental transparency, and unethical labor practices.
2026 has given us plenty to feel frustrated about, so why did this seemingly standard acquisition stir up office-wide indignation?
When a brand committed to environmentally-conscious and ethical practices can be sold to the highest bidder, what does a “commitment to sustainability” even mean anymore?
As consumers, we are inundated with sustainability marketing. Every product seems to come with a new badge, certification, or sustainability claim. Packaging promises to be “eco-conscious.” Marketing campaigns spotlight recycled materials. Limited-edition collections donate a percentage of proceeds to environmental causes. On the surface, it all sounds great.
But when a brand that led the 2010s charge of values-based commerce submits to the almighty dollar, it’s easy to lose faith. If certifications and sustainability marketing are becoming harder to differentiate and, frankly, harder to trust, what should consumers be looking for next? And how do we separate meaningful action from clever messaging?
Like it or not, it feels like we’re ushering in a new era of consumer trust:
Certifications = Baseline
Transparency = Expected
Advocacy, conservation funding, repair programs, circularity, and measurable impact = Proof
Certifications Still Matter, But They’re No Longer the Whole Story
The irony of this Everlane news is that it doesn’t make certifications or sustainability initiatives any less important. It tells us that consumers (myself included) still want products that are responsibly made. Third-party certifications, impact reporting, recycled materials, and ethical sourcing all play an important role in creating accountability that helps shoppers make informed decisions. But what’s greenwashing, and what’s not?
In his CNN Underscored guide to sustainable shopping, Kai Burkhardt shares tips on how to avoid greenwashing, including looking out for unverified terms (like “eco-friendly” or “natural”) and for a lack of transparency or evidence supporting sustainability claims. The article struck me because its very existence perfectly captures my own growing frustration as a consumer.
Why do I feel like I have to do FBI-level sleuthing to make sure I’m not being duped by clever marketing?
It’s true, third-party certifications establish credibility, but they aren’t enough to build consumer trust. We’re looking for something more substantial, proof that values-based practices are embedded into how a company operates, not just how it markets itself.
The Next Frontier: Proof Over Promises
If certifications and transparency have become the baseline of expectations, what actually earns consumer trust in 2026?
I’d argue that it’s not a single badge or a singular marketing campaign. It’s time-tested evidence that a brand’s values are consistently reflected in its business decisions.
To start, it’s brands openly sharing where they’re making progress, admitting where they still have work to do, AND providing an action plan. It could also mean investing in repair programs and/or resale platforms, tweaking supply chains, or designing products to last longer instead of encouraging constant replacement. It may even take a form of advocacy that’s built directly into the business itself.
So who, in my opinion, is walking the walk?
The Landmark Project is one example. Since day one, the outdoor lifestyle apparel company has embedded conservation giving into its business model, contributing more than $1.5 million to organizations protecting public lands.
Rather than treating conservation as an Earth Day campaign or seasonal marketing initiative, it’s become part of the company’s identity. Through the brand’s official licensing of Smokey Bear, it has generated over a quarter million dollars for the U.S. Forest Service, which provides wildfire prevention and fire safety education.
Youer is another example. The small-batch women’s outdoor apparel company challenges the industry’s production and consumption model by making fewer, longer-lasting garments, manufacturing domestically with partner factories, and building resale into the product lifecycle. The result is a cult-like following that has created a level of consumer trust that larger companies should be taking notes on.
LOWA takes a similarly long-view approach to sustainability. Rather than centering its messaging on a single initiative, the heritage footwear company has published a comprehensive sustainability roadmap with measurable goals, from developing sustainability standards for every new product by 2027 and expanding repair services that extend the life of nearly 40,000 pairs of boots annually, to reducing emissions through renewable energy investments and strengthening supply chain accountability through the Fair Wear Foundation. The report doesn’t present sustainability as a finished achievement. Instead, it openly communicates where the company is today, where it wants to go, and how it plans to get there. Read the report here.
While there’s no one-size-fits-all approach, each of these brands exemplifies the distinction consumers are beginning to recognize. The specific initiative matters less than the consistency behind it. Whether it’s conservation, circularity, transparency, or repair, the brands earning trust are the ones whose actions reinforce their values year after year, and even when it’s not trendy.
Consistency is the Key to Consumer Trust
Looking back at the Everlane conversation—the acquisition wasn’t upsetting because one company bought another. It struck a nerve because it challenged the assumptions many consumers have made about what sustainability looks like, and reminded us that values are only as meaningful as the decisions that reinforce them over time.
As consumers, I don’t think we’re asking brands to be perfect. We’re asking them to be honest, consistent, and willing to back up their promises with action. The companies that will earn lasting trust won’t necessarily be the ones with the most certifications or the loudest sustainability campaigns. They’ll be the ones that make their values visible through the way they design products, invest in people and places, communicate progress, and make business decisions year after year.
Maybe that’s the real shift we’re witnessing. Sustainability is no longer the differentiator—trust is. And in an era where every brand has a story to tell, the ones that stand out will be those with the proof to back it up.