How to Spot Fair Trade brands (and Avoid Greenwashing)

Fair Trade Month is one of our favorite times of year. We love to see everyone celebrating the revolutionary fashion movement toward fairness and dignity for all people.

During the month of October, we’re spotlighting some of our favorite fair trade traditions and techniques. Over on the Instagram, you’ll see why we’re so enamored with ikat weaving and block printing. Here, we’re sharing something equally important: how to tell if a brand is truly fair trade or just pretending.

There are a whole lot of companies out there making convincing dupes, using language like “ethical,” “eco,” and “responsibly made” to appear sustainable, even when their practices don’t match their marketing. This tactic is called greenwashing, and it’s more common than you’d expect. Here’s how we look for the difference.

Remember these three words: people, planet, proof. These are your keywords to discovering if a brand is truly ethical, or if what they’re doing is greenwashing. If aligning your purchases with your values is important to you, this simple, honest (alliterative!) framework will help you separate real fair trade from companies using buzzy marketing words with nothing to back them up.

Check one: People

Real fair trade starts and ends with people. Fair trade is all about providing true living wages, stability, and the dignity all people deserve. When you’re checking into a brand, look for living-wage commitments, reasonable hours, and safer workplaces. If the brand has real artisan and workshop photos or maker stories, that’s a great sign.

Green flags:

• Transparent information about who makes their clothes and where they’re made
• Real artisan or workshop photos and maker stories
• Mention of living wages, reasonable hours, and safe conditions

Red flags to look for:

• Vague language like “responsibly made” with no specificity about who makes their clothes, in what conditions, and with what materials
• No mention of where the clothing is made
• Silence about wages or working environments

When in doubt, look for human connection. Fair trade brands celebrate the people who make their clothing at every opportunity.

Materials matter. If a brand truly cares about people, it must also care about the planet they live on. Materials should be clearly labeled; most fair trade brands spotlight their use of organic cotton, eco-dyes, or recycled fibers. Fair trade brands prominently post care and repair guidance, which is a sign that they expect their clothing to last – not end up in a landfill after a few wears.

Green flags:

• Clearly labeled materials such as organic cotton, natural dyes, or recycled fibers
• Guidance for care and repair, or takeback programs for pre-loved garments
• Transparency about small-batch or low-waste production

Red flags:

• Any sustainability buzzwords like “eco” or “green” with no fiber content listed
• Frequent markdowns on “new” items (this is often a marker for overproduction)
• Prices that seem too low to reflect fair wages or quality materials

Check three: Proof

One major quality fair trade brands have in common is accountability. We don’t just talk about it; we show our receipts. At our core, we are honest, transparent, and ready to share anything you want to know about our processes. If a brand pays fairly and uses eco-friendly materials, chances are very high that you’ll easily find the details on their website and social media.

Be on the lookout for information about their partner commitments – are they long-term? Passion Lilie has been working with the same team for over a decade, for example. This is important because fair wages only really work if they come hand in hand with stability.

Check for third-party audits or certifications, like Fair Trade Federation, GOTS, or Fairtrade International. These organizations hold brands accountable by ensuring their supply chains are compliant with rigorous social and environmental standards. 

Green flags

• Annual reports and measurable sustainability goals
• Third-party certifications that match the product type
• Long-term partnerships

Red flags to look for:

• No information about where, how, or by whom clothes are made
• Sustainability language without data or specifics
• Certifications that don’t match the product category.

Quick Buyer’s Checklist

When you’re out shopping, use this fair trade buyer’s checklist to avoid greenwashing and find truly ethical brands. Take a screenshot to have it handy.

1. I can see where it was made and who made it.
2. Wages and conditions are mentioned beyond buzzwords.
3. Materials and care instructions are clear.
4. There’s evidence of long-term partnerships.
5. The price seems consistent with fair pay and quality.
6. There’s a plan for longevity: repair, resale, or take-back.

Why price matters

Your little red flag should start waving when you get ads for $10 t-shirts and $19 maxi dresses. Clothing that cheap simply can’t cover living wages, safe facilities, quality fabric, and transportation costs.

Fair trade builds those real costs in. Your clothes might be more expensive upfront, but you’re getting a garment that will last longer and treats people with dignity.

Brands like Shein, Target, and the odd combinations of letters on Amazon are producing fast fashion – cheaply made clothes made at the expense of people and the planet. In this economy, it’s easy to see the appeal of inexpensive, cute clothing. Choosing fair trade fashion is a small act of resistance. It’s a way to align your purchases with your values and help build a more equitable world.

How Passion Lilie Does It

At Passion Lilie, we’re proud to be part of the fair trade movement. Our partnerships with artisan studios in India are long-term and built on mutual respect. We’re a Fair Trade Federation member, ensuring fair pay and safe, healthy working conditions for every artisan we work with.

We prioritize organic fabrics, eco-dyes, and small batch production to make sure we’re creating pieces you’ll love and wear for years. We’re constantly trying to improve our sustainability – most recently, we launched our Pre-Loved platform to help us achieve circular fashion.

This information and more details are easy to find on our website, on Instagram, and in our annual impact report.