Advertising vs. reality: when greenwashing takes over!

In advertising today, we're inundated with incredible slogans, ever crazier promises and arguments, each one more powerful than the last.

Marketing departments tell us that we're living in an increasingly awesome world, that we're eating healthier and healthier products, and that our clothes are traveling less and less. In short, that thanks to our purchases, the Earth is getting better and better. 

Yet a number of scientific studies tend to prove that our economic model is not so good. Neither for us, nor for the planet.

So one of two things: either the scientists have got it all wrong (but even so, they must be bloody hopeless at maths, because there's a whole bunch of them coming to the same conclusions!)

In short, it's a great job to be a marketer! And even more so after re-reading 99 Francs to prepare this article, believe me.

What is greenwashing? 

Greenwashing is a marketing tactic designed to make customers and audiences believe that a company is green, when in fact it is not.

Are brands greenwashing?

Yes, you've guessed it, the geniuses of advertising are laughing (a little) at us!

And very often with our consent, we're not going to lie. It's so much nicer to tell ourselves that we're buying an organic product (so healthy, my friends!) than to look at its carbon footprint. Our conscience remains untouched and our habits unchanged.

How to counter Greenwashing?

With Maison FT, we're trying to respond to this problem in our own small way. In a simple, sober (and hopefully effective) way. It starts with the way we make our clothes. We select our suppliers for the quality of their cotton or wool, their century-old know-how and their rigor.

Quality is important to us. No compromises. Despite proposals from Asian manufacturers offering us stratospheric margins. It's what makes clothes last over time, and ensures that you'll still be wearing your sweater or T-shirt in 5 years' time.

Let's not forget that it takes 5,000 liters of water to grow one kilo of cotton.

We might as well tell you that every item of clothing we don't buy represents a considerable saving in water consumption. And a truly responsible sweatshirt is one that can be worn 100 times without moving, without having been replaced by a new one because it's already deformed.

The benefits of being truly ethical

Our garments are made in Europe: in France and Portugal. This geographical area can be seen as a constraint, since it limits the number of manufacturers available and manufacturing costs are much higher than elsewhere. 

In fact, we see it as a blessing. For two reasons.

It takes about two months of work to set up a production of 5000 clothes. Two months during which we meet to launch a project, and exchange ideas by e-mail and telephone. Setting up a meeting without thinking about the 8-hour time difference, sharing a common vision of fashion and discussing technical points in your native language are essential if you want to make clothes that last. Not to mention the urgent trips back and forth because of a problem with the sewing of the labels (I've been there!).

This geographical, temporal and cultural proximity with our suppliers has opened our eyes to one thing: we have no choice but to produce close to home, in Europe. Apart from the carbon footprint, we need to be close to our manufacturers to be able to react quickly. The short circuit may seem like a restrictive choice, but it's actually a strength, enabling us to respond flexibly and sustainably to your expectations and ours.

 And that's just as well, because I hear it's good for Mother Nature too. Just goes to show, sometimes you can combine business with pleasure. Or to be more precise, you can do beautiful things well.

Without saying that everything is perfect, we'd fall back into those famous marketing pitfalls).

By being aware of where we need to improve (especially on water), looking for sustainable alternatives and continuing to work to develop this vision.

To make tomorrow better than yesterday.

Wouldn't that make a great slogan? 😜

One of the questions we're often asked, by journalists in particular, is what makes us different from other brands.

Just like at a job interview, you'd better be original, relevant and punchy. Show how your company is better than the others.

If you don't, you can quickly be relegated to the status of a "classic brand". One of many traditional companies whose journalists can't remember who advised them to write about you. In short, you're screwed.

AND BAM.

That's where we come in, and where we have a role to play. No marketing, no "we're going to save humanity with our clothes", but a sincere message: Maison FT is simply well made, with a lot of Love, period.