Stop Saying Your Brand Is “Eco-Friendly” (Unless You Can Prove It)

Regulators are tightening the screws on sustainability claims, and if you’re still writing the same “green” copy you were six months ago, your brand could be on the wrong side of the guidelines.

And here's the kicker: Conscious consumers will sniff it out before the FTC even gets involved.

Let’s get into it, yeah? In this issue, you’ll get:

✅ Why vague environmental claims is no longer enough
✅ What regulations marketers often overlook
✅ How conscious brands are adapting (with real examples)

At some point in 2024, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) was supposed to release its revised Green Guides. That never happened. My guess is as good as yours, but the official Green Guides updates are increasingly unlikely to happen under the new administration. Womp, womp.

But here’s the thing, since the update never happened, brands are free to construct environmental claims in any manner they wish, right? Wrong.

Parallel regulation in the EU and Canada is now in force. What does that really mean?? Any company placing products on the North American and/or European markets must align its environmental marketing claims with global standards that are now the de facto US benchmark.

The Green Guides already restrict superficial environmental claims. Take terms like “eco-friendly,” “green,” and “clean beauty.” Marketers often make these claims on packaging or in advertising, assuming they are so vague that they don’t require factual substantiation.

The updated Green Guides would provide more clarity and potentially increase fines and litigation risks for brands that continue to use these labels without real substantiation. However, the recent updates to Canada’s version of the Green Guides were significant. New guidance builds upon the notion of “adequate and proper testing” of green claims — extending this requirement not only to products but also to a company’s overall sustainability-related communications, e.g., Corporate Sustainability Reports and ESG Reports.

Unless you can prove how, in what way and compared to what, don’t make the claim.

⚠️ The risk isn’t just reputational. It’s legal. Just in 2023, the U.S. saw a 40% increase in greenwashing lawsuits.

In today’s rapidly evolving landscape, sustainability is not just a brand messaging tool; it’s a business imperative.

As companies face mounting risks from regulatory fines, consumer-driven backlash on social media, and within the context of accelerating climate disasters, integrating sustainability into core operations is essential for long-term success. Conscious consumers, particularly Gen Z and millennials, are driving the demand for accurate transparency, and viral exposure of brand missteps can damage reputations in an instant.

Moral of the story: Regulators and conscious consumers are watching you.

Although, as of 2025, the FTC Green Guides haven’t been updated as planned, you’re still subject to global compliance. And the problem isn’t that you can’t talk eco. Not at all, if anything, it suggests approaching your messaging with clear intention and aligned action. Here are a few considerations.

The conscious consumer doesn't care about your buzzwords. They care about your actions. I’ve mentioned this before, consumers are watching you closely.

For example, take one of my clients: A handmade natural-fiber handbag company using recycled materials. The term eco-friendly meant nothing without context.

So we shifted the messaging to:

It’s not just “greener,” it’s speaking their truth.

Data-backed claims outperform vague ones: According to IBM, 72% of consumers say they’re more likely to buy from brands that provide verified sustainability information on products.

One DTC beauty brand we consulted wanted to promote their new line as:

But their sustainability efforts didn’t support that claim.
🚫 No third-party certifications.
🚫 Incomplete lifecycle assessments.

And “environmentally friendly” was a term that didn’t pass FTC muster.

We reframed it as:

✅ Specific. Auditable. Defensible.

If you can’t back it with data, don’t publish it. Run every claim through the FTC and global Green Guides or a legal/compliance advisor before it goes live on your website or feed.

Here’s the thing: Gen Z and Millennials will search your claims on the spot.

One recent Deloitte report found that 64% of Gen Z and 54% of Millennials have researched a brand’s sustainability practices before making a purchase. And 1 in 4 will stop buying from a brand they believe is misleading.

If your copy doesn’t stand up to scrutiny, it will not stand up at all.

Conscious brands aren’t afraid to link directly to sourcing reports, third-party audits, or visual representations of their production processes. Essentially, transparency isn’t just a tactic.

If you’re a marketer or content creator responsible for brand story-making, start with what you can prove, not what sounds good in a presentation deck.

Before you publish, ask yourself:

Until then, keep your story-making honest.

🌀— Camila
Author + Publisher, Conscious Voices

This is what we do. Brand messaging clarity audits and story-making strategies to implement in your content and PR efforts.