by Emine Jaeger, Leuphana University of Lüneburg, Germany.
Can fast fashion ever be truly sustainable? That is a question I often ask myself when I see the latest “Conscious Choice” Item in my nearest H&M store.
Within a world of rapid changes and markets that are becoming more and more saturated the topic of sustainability is centering itself not only in society but also economy.
Sustainability is becoming increasingly relevant, particularly in marketing. The focus is now shifting towards a new form of marketing that is considered as more durable and normative. This is because the discourse on sustainability not only creates challenges, but also opportunities for companies to differentiate themselves. As we all know, we are living in the age of digitalization, and now more than ever, it is easier to implement marketing strategies quickly and efficiently. This is because digitalization increases visibility.
Companies emphasize recycling programs, sustainable materials, and climate goals, but at the same time, new collections are appearing at ever-shorter intervals. With this gap between aspiration and reality, we return to the situation described at the beginning. Take a walk through your local H&M. Not really a place where you would talk about sustainability in a positive sense, right? Yet, sustainability has been a buzzword for H&M’s marketing team for quite some time.
In the case of H&M, this tension between communicated sustainability and the associated expectations of transparency and credibility is particularly evident. With initiatives such as the “Looop” recycling system, the “Conscious Choice” label, and digital campaigns in collaboration with influencers and video games, the fast-fashion company is attempting to establish sustainability as a new part of its overall brand identity. The message is clear: H&M really wants to be perceived as a responsible company.
At the same time, however, the company has repeatedly been confronted with accusations of greenwashing. Among other things, it has been criticized for false sustainability labels and scorecards, whose validity has been publicly questioned. Such discussions spread quickly. Consumers, journalists, and NGOs analyze, comment, and evaluate in real time. This makes it clear that digitalization not only amplifies marketing messages, but also criticism.
The problem here lies less with individual campaigns and more with a general structural tension. Fast fashion is based on rapid production cycles and high sales volumes. Sustainability, on the other hand, requires long-term thinking, resource conservation, and, above all, transparency. If sustainability communication cannot be closely linked to measurable progress and fixed structures, there is a high risk to credibility.
Sustainability can therefore be strategically useful and relevant to competitiveness, but it requires consistent integration into business models, processes, and communication. In digital markets, it is no longer enough to use sustainability purely as an image tool. For marketing managers in particular, this means combining strategic positioning with ethical responsibility and ensuring that communicated sustainability claims are consistent with actual implementation. Ultimately, it is not the message alone that counts, but also its credibility. How do you rate sustainability promises in the fashion industry? I look forward to hearing your assessment.
