Chapter 2 — full chapter
2.3 Greenhushing
What is greenhushing?
While greenwashing involves saying too much and greenwishing focuses on communicating aspirations without sufficient evidence, greenhushing occurs when organisations deliberately communicate too little about their sustainability efforts.
In recent years, increasing public scrutiny and concerns about accusations of greenwashing have led some organisations to reduce or avoid sustainability communication altogether. Even when meaningful action is taking place, organisations may choose not to share their progress because they fear criticism, regulatory attention or reputational risk.
Although this approach may seem like a safer option, remaining silent also has consequences. Sustainability communication helps stakeholders understand how organisations are addressing environmental and social challenges, enables knowledge sharing across the industry and contributes to greater transparency. When organisations choose not to communicate their progress, opportunities for collaboration, learning and consumer engagement may be lost.
Greenhushing is therefore not the opposite of greenwashing - it is another communication challenge that can slow collective progress. The issue is not silence itself, which is sometimes appropriate when evidence is incomplete, but unnecessarily withholding substantiated information or avoiding transparent communication because of fear.
Why does greenhushing matter?
Fashion's sustainability transition depends not only on better practices but also on greater transparency. Organisations learn from one another by sharing successes, challenges and emerging solutions. Consumers also rely on credible information to make informed purchasing decisions.
If organisations avoid communicating sustainability efforts altogether, it becomes more difficult for stakeholders to recognise genuine progress or understand which approaches are proving effective. Silence may unintentionally reinforce scepticism by creating the impression that little action is taking place.
At the same time, communicators should avoid feeling pressure to communicate perfection. Transparency includes acknowledging uncertainty, explaining limitations and demonstrating continuous improvement. Honest communication about work in progress often builds greater trust than either silence or exaggerated claims.
Common characteristics of greenhushing
Greenhushing may include:
- Choosing not to communicate verified sustainability achievements.
- Removing sustainability messaging because of fear of criticism.
- Sharing sustainability information only through mandatory reporting rather than accessible public communication.
- Avoiding discussion of progress until every target has been achieved.
- Treating sustainability communication exclusively as a reputational risk rather than an opportunity for stakeholder engagement.
Legitimate concern or greenhushing?
A brand has introduced a repair service and switched part of its denim range to organic cotton. It is deciding what to communicate.
The difference is not whether a brand communicates less, but why. Holding back a claim because the evidence is not ready is responsible. Withholding substantiated progress because of fear is greenhushing.
In practice
Before deciding not to communicate sustainability progress, ask:
- Is the information supported by evidence?
- Can the claim be communicated clearly and transparently?
- Have both achievements and remaining challenges been acknowledged?
- Could sharing this information help customers or industry peers make more informed decisions?
- Are we withholding information because it lacks evidence or because we fear criticism?
Responsible sustainability communication is not about saying more or less, it is about communicating honestly, proportionately and with appropriate evidence.