Are Europe’s Fashion Brands as Green as They Say?

An In-depth Investigation by DW, November 24, 2025

Summary

Europe’s fashion brands aim for strong green and social targets as sustainability grows key. DW and EDJNet checked these claims closely. They found that only half of the promises are met. Many targets stay unclear or unmet.

Fashion Industry and Environmental Impact

• The fashion industry now produces between 2% and 7% of world greenhouse gas emissions. This rate is similar to aviation’s 2.5%.
• Emissions rise from making raw materials. Fiber growing, yarn spinning, and fabric dyeing each add to these emissions. They also require much water and cause chemical pollution.
• Synthetic fibers release microplastics. They contribute 35% of the plastic in oceans. This harms marine life.

Progress on Sustainability Commitments

• DW and EDJNet studied 468 green promises from 17 major fashion brands. They reviewed more than 200 reports.
• Almost half of these promises set deadlines in 2025 or later.
• About 50% of the promises with past deadlines have been met.
• Thirty-three percent of the promises have failed, while the rest remain unclear.

Company-Specific Performance

• Zalando missed many of its targets. It failed on 10 of 17 promises. For instance, it reached only 10.5% of its sustainable product goal by 2023, even though the target was 25%.
• Zalando claims that stricter product rules slowed progress. It reset its green targets in 2024 with new, science-based goals.
• Brands like Mango, Primark, and OVS show numerous unclear or missed targets. Mango, for example, did not cut hazardous substances by 2020 as promised.
• Many luxury brands make few public green promises. They stay silent on progress, which raises concerns over transparency.

Transparency and Ambiguity in Reporting

• Half of the promises were clear and had set deadlines. For example, Primark aims for recycled packaging by 2030.
• Some promises remain vague. Hermès, for instance, said it would recycle 100% of textile scraps and study biodiversity. These vague targets make accountability hard.
• Experts warn that unclear goals can lead to greenwashing.

Focus on Sustainable Cotton

• Cotton production brings its own challenges. It uses a lot of water, relies on pesticides, and faces labor issues.
• H&M began using organic cotton in the early 2000s and beat its early targets. It phased out conventional cotton by 2020.
• Adidas and H&M joined the Better Cotton Initiative. This group works to set better, responsible standards for cotton sourcing.

Conclusion

Some European fashion brands mark clear progress in green practices, but many do not—mainly due to deep supply chains and vague promises. The investigation calls for:

• Clearer, standard reporting on environmental and social targets.
• Stronger enforcement of green practices in all market segments, even among luxury brands.
• Active watch by consumers and policy-makers to ensure that green claims show real change instead of empty rhetoric.

For detailed data and ongoing updates on sustainable fashion, visit DW’s dedicated coverage on the environment and climate.
Source: DW Article – Are Europe’s fashion brands as green as they say? (Accessed November 24, 2025).

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