Consumers are becoming increasingly conscious of sustainability in fashion and are rejecting clothing brands found to be making misleading claims about their products' organic status, according to a recent poll conducted in the UK.

Organised ahead of the first-ever Organic Textile Week, the survey polled 2,000 people across the UK. The results showed that 70 per cent of respondents would be less likely to purchase from a brand found to be falsely claiming their products were organic.

Moreover, nearly 60 per cent of respondents expressed anger or disgust upon discovering that some clothing brands claiming to be organic might still use hazardous synthetic pesticides and other chemicals. Nearly three in five respondents (57 per cent) said that they prioritised genuinely sustainable clothes and textiles, as per the survey.

The poll also underscored the prevalence of greenwashing—companies making false or exaggerated claims about their sustainability efforts—in the industry, with consumers showing little interest in buying from companies engaging in such practices.

However, there was a lack of understanding about what certified organic textiles truly entail, with over three quarters of respondents unclear about the definition. Almost a third were not even aware that organic textiles or clothing existed. Over half (56 per cent) did not know how to identify whether clothing or textiles were certified organic.

To help raise awareness and educate consumers about organic textiles, Organic UK and the Organic Trade Board (OTB), in collaboration with the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), launched the first UK Organic Textile Week. Various brands, including People Tree, Natracare, Bamford, My Little Green Wardrobe, Greenfibres, de Le Cuona and Organ(y)c, joined forces to celebrate and promote certified organic textiles and educate consumers about identifying truly organic options.

Furthermore, 70 per cent of those surveyed believe it should be a legal requirement for clothing brands to adhere to a clear organic textile processing standard to label their products as organic, mirroring the regulation for organic food. This would aid in identifying instances of greenwashing.

While 24 per cent of respondents were aware of the term ‘organic textiles,’ the concept still remains unfamiliar to many. Organic textiles are based on organic natural fibres, grown without the use of chemicals, pesticides, and fertilisers, and processed according to strict environmental and social standards under GOTS certification.

Despite the majority of organic fibres worldwide being cotton, hemp and linen also serve as sustainable alternatives that consume less water. Encouragingly, over half of the respondents (54 per cent) said they would actively look to buy more organic hemp and linen clothing products certified to GOTS, the survey added.

Christopher Stopes, GOTS UK representative, said: “The aim of the standard is to define world-wide requirements that ensure organic status of textiles, from harvesting of the raw materials, through environmentally and socially responsible manufacturing up to labelling. This provides a credible assurance to the end consumer and protects the market from greenwashing, which is prevalent in the textile sector.

“These statistics show it’s important to people that they buy genuine organic textiles to ensure sustainability.  An aware consumer and the use of our GOTS standard will ensure brands don’t get away with greenwashing for long.”