Hi Hey there!,
Wow. April was intense. Between Fashion Revolution Week and Earth Month, the sheer quantity of sustainable fashion content made me feel quite conflicted. On one hand, it's important that the media is starting to promote more ethical brands – we need to have greater access to better shopping choices. But with a rise of sustainability content comes an unavoidable uptick in greenwashing – I'm looking at you, publications that include H&M's conscious line in your sustainable fashion round-ups.
This month I've been wondering, what makes someone an expert? And who gets to decide? In this space, personally, I think the more you know, the less you know. But that's the tricky thing about the mainstream sustainable fashion movement – it's still burgeoning, so anyone can claim the title of an expert (and be treated like one by the industry) despite having very little expertise, qualifications or lived experience. What we're actually doing is conflating "expert" with "influencer", a dangerous mistake to make. Case in point, H&M's newest Global Sustainability Ambassador, the actor Maisie Williams.
If you read one piece from this month's newsletter, make it The Case against the Sustainability “Influencer” by Shefalee Vasudev. She argues that self-appointed experts are actually hindering the movement. Influencers undoubtedly reach a far wider audience than say, an environmental scientist studying micro-plastic pollution caused by polyester, yet that power comes with very little responsibility or accountability. Influencers are not held to the same standards as a sustainable brand or organisation, despite playing a significant role in spreading information and impacting the consumption habits of their audience.
This isn't to say that influencers don't have a place in the movement. To create change, we need both influencers and experts, but we should recognise that their roles are quite different. Influencers create awareness, and experts – the scientists and activists – create deeper change that is largely behind the scenes. To confuse the two is harmful, especially when it's so easy to share inaccurate information far and wide.
As the movement grows, I imagine there will be infinitely more "experts" jumping on the proverbial bandwagon. It's important that we use our platforms mindfully, do the research, think critically about what brands tell us, define our standards, and when in doubt defer to the bona fide experts, or we risk further diluting the message and adding to already rampant greenwashing.
Until next time, hit the reply button to share your thoughts or feedback!
Meg X
