The fashion industry's greenwashing problem has taken a significant hit as three major brands – Adidas, Calvin Klein, and Uniqlo – have had their online ads banned by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) for making misleading 'recycled' claims. This move marks a notable escalation in regulatory efforts to tackle exaggerated environmental assertions, with 14% of all ASA cases now focused on greenwashing.
Adidas's UK arm was specifically targeted over its use of the term 'recycled' in a Google ad promoting 'Adidas recycled running shoes'. However, upon investigation, the sportswear company clarified that it does not operate a dedicated range of fully recycled running shoes. Instead, Adidas incorporates recycled materials into certain products across its collections. The ASA expected evidence that all shoes in such a range would be entirely made from recycled material, which could not be provided.
Calvin Klein Europe faced censure over an identical issue regarding a Google advertisement claiming 'Calvin Klein tops for women. Responsibly sourced collections – recycled, organic & more.' The regulator concluded that consumers would reasonably expect all tops within this collection to be made entirely from recycled fabrics and that the fashion firm failed to supply sufficient information regarding their actual composition.
Japanese streetwear brand Uniqlo also had a Google ad banned after being found to mislead consumers by implying that all fleeces pictured were made entirely from recycled materials. While the main body fabric of these items did indeed contain recycled polyester, non-recycled components such as zips and labels were also present.
These recent enforcement actions are not isolated incidents, with similar bans issued against Lacoste, Nike, and Superdry late last year for making misleading environmental claims. Miles Lockwood, the ASA’s director of complaints, reiterated the importance of clear evidence to support absolute terms like 'recycled', warning that without it, consumers risk being misled.