Don’t Call Yourself a Sustainable Fashion Brand Unless You Can Prove It

In today’s market, being recognized as a sustainable fashion brand requires more than just a label – it demands transparency, accountability, and measurable action. A truly sustainable fashion brand takes responsibility for its environmental and social impact at every stage of the product lifecycle – from design and material sourcing to manufacturing, distribution, usage, and end-of-life.

Unfortunately, claiming sustainability without proof is nothing more than marketing. A recent case with Adidas highlights this perfectly. In December 2024, the German Environmental Aid (Deutsche Umwelthilfe, DUH) filed a lawsuit against Adidas, challenging its “climate neutral by 2050” pledge for lacking transparency and concrete steps. Despite modifying its advertising after a warning, Adidas had to remove the claim entirely after a German court ruled that bold promises require clear evidence. What emissions will be cut? Which actions are measurable? Without answers, it’s just a slogan.

Even if your business already incorporates sustainable practices, it doesn’t automatically make it fully sustainable. Proving sustainability across every link in the supply chain is challenging – but one unsustainable decision can seriously harm your reputation. Fashion brands usually manage to achieve some sustainability in production, but they often fail to do so in product usage, where instead of trying to deliver the right size, they just optimise the return costs.

So, what should a sustainable fashion brand do?

For example, a brand that promotes sustainability but has a 40% return rate and no personalized size recommendations is still generating waste. High return rates indicate a fit problem, likely due to a lack of customer sizing data – a key area where technology can help.

This is where tools like SizeSense come in. SizeSense helps sustainable fashion brands reduce returns by providing accurate sizing recommendations for customers. It’s available for Shopify stores directly from the Shopify App Store and can also be integrated via our API for other platforms. By reducing unnecessary returns and associated waste, SizeSense helps your brand move closer to genuine sustainability.

Brands interested in seeing how SizeSense can enhance sustainability can schedule a demo or contact us via chat to learn more. Integrating smart sizing solutions isn’t just about sales—it’s a measurable step toward being a truly sustainable fashion brand.

Remember, sustainability isn’t just a label – it’s something you must be able to prove. From sourcing to returns, every decision counts. Implementing transparency, accountability, and smart technology like SizeSense ensures your brand isn’t just claiming sustainability – it’s living it.