DEFINITION: Colorwashing is an umbrella term for the profit-driven practice of companies and brands to deceptively communicate unsubstantiated values in products and services in order to appeal and market them better to socially and environmentally aware consumers.
As a woke generation is on the rise more and more fashion brands see the need to stay relevant it becomes increasingly important to know how to differentiate true purpose from superficial intention.
DISCLAIMER: There are terms that evolved over time to include different meanings. Pinkwashing, for example, once meant the practice to deliberately appropriate sexual liberation movements but today also refers to the LGBTQIA+ movement and the women empowerment movement. Our definitions below do not mean to neglect any of these meanings but for the sake of clarity on Sustainable Fashion Matterz we use the terms as defined below.
GREENWASHING
Greenwashing is when misleading claims are made on ones own sustainability standards. This is characterized by brands presenting themselves as more environmental friendly than implementing the equivalent amount of sustainable practices internally.
PINKWASHING
The promotion of the female empowerment through advertisements, product messaging or further brand communication while hiding ones own exploitative and/or unequal practices towards women.
BROWNWASHING
Trying to appear as being supportive of Black, Brown, Indigenous and People of Color while not implementing anti-racist and/or BIPoC empowering circumstances into the own business.
RAINBOWWASHING
Trying to appear as being supportive of LGTBQIA+ movement while not empowering LGTBQIA+ individuals inside of your own business.
WHITEWASHING
The attempt to stop people from finding out the true facts about a situation, for example brands which do not take responsibility when tragedies like Rana Plaza happen, yet are at the core of the system.
