Some of the world's biggest fashion chains are based in the Nordic countries, but their success is creating ever greater environmental problems. The fashion industry keeps increasing production volumes, often using materials with a short lifespan, and a large share of textile products ends up in landfill. Although brands tend to advertise their products as sustainable, critics warn of widespread false “green” advertising – so-called greenwashing. It is becoming increasingly difficult for consumers to work out what really is the environmentally friendly choice. Faced with this situation, the question is not only what needs to change; we also have to ask – who is responsible for what.
The Nordic Council has unanimously adopted a recommendation aimed at making the fashion industry more environmentally friendly. It calls on national governments to provide consumers with better information, to tackle misleading marketing and “greenwashing” in the fashion industry, and to guarantee good working conditions in the textile sector. The Nordic Youth Council drew up the initial proposal, which was then considered by the Nordic Council's Committee for a Sustainable Nordic Region.
Nordic consumers are the main “culprits” when it comes to clothing: per head of population, more is bought in the Nordic countries than the world average, and only a small proportion of what Nordic residents donate to recycling schemes is reused within the Nordic countries. EEA reports show that a large share of unwanted textiles is shipped from high-income countries to low-income countries (1.7 million tonnes in 2019). A McKinsey study indicates that a garment is worn an average of 7-8 times before being thrown away. Less than 1% of what is discarded is recycled within the circular economy.
This situation prompted the Nordic Youth Council – a forum bringing together the youth wings of the region's political organisations – to act. Lone Kristiansen, a representative of the Nordic Youth Council, points out: “Most consumers want to make more sustainable choices, but understanding what goes into products is far too difficult. We cannot expect individuals to know everything about the entire production chain. The time has come to create a more transparent system that helps consumers make better decisions.”
Should producers take responsibility?
Huge volumes of new textiles are produced worldwide, 62% of them made from synthetic materials derived from fossil resources, which affects the climate and CO₂ emissions. Low-quality items wear out quickly, and their mass production drives up consumption and harms the environment and the climate. Up to 600,000 tonnes of textiles are incinerated in Europe every year. The European textiles strategy – the Waste Framework Directive: “More sustainable use of natural resources” – seeks to establish producer responsibility and to set requirements that will reduce the enormous quantities of clothing being produced, destroyed and exported. The adoption of the directive in 2024 was followed by a call for Nordic cooperation to develop “principles for textile producer responsibility”.
It is important that consumers are better informed
If we want a greener and more sustainable fashion sector, consumers must be helped to determine more easily whether products are made from more responsible, more sustainable materials, so that they can choose in an informed way. All too often, “greenwashing” activities and misleading marketing in the fashion sector lead consumers to buy products that are not especially sustainable.
In September this year a new European directive will come into force, aimed at giving consumers more information about the sustainability of products. This is a problem the Nordic countries need to address too. We may already have the tools we need – they simply have to be used properly.
Could the Nordic Swan ecolabel help here?
In 1989 the Nordic countries set up a voluntary ecolabelling scheme – the Nordic Swan (Gulbis) – which 97% of the region's population now know of. The Swan is the Nordic countries' official ecolabel and one of the strictest forms of environmental certification in the world. Could it be the answer for clothing, textiles and leather goods? Textiles carrying the Swan ecolabel are already on the market, yet relatively few Nordic clothing brands have obtained the certification, which is food for thought given how many fashion giants are based here. Nordic consumers trust this ecolabel, and it can be seen on a wide range of goods, including paper, cleaning products and personal hygiene items. Rina Ronja Kari, head of communications at Ecolabelling Denmark, explains: “A survey carried out by the Opinion agency shows that 8 out of 10 Nordic consumers with an interest in clothing would choose clothing and textiles bearing the Swan label if they were available. More than half would be willing to pay more for them. There is potential to use this label more widely in the fashion sector. The demand is there, and consumers already trust the label.”
The Nordic Swan ecolabel is an independent third-party certification scheme that sets requirements covering the entire life cycle of a product. In the case of textiles, this includes strict criteria to ensure that they are designed for recycling. The chemicals used in textile manufacturing must meet stringent environmental and health standards, and the products must not contain plastic or purely decorative components.
Producers must calculate the amount of microplastic released when synthetic textiles are washed; they are prohibited from incinerating unsold clothing; they must comply with specific requirements regarding fibres; and they must observe the UN (ILO) conventions on workers' rights.
The Nordic Ecolabel website lists certified textile products, along with the work done by the Danish company Dilling in connection with the scheme and the benefits it has brought them.
The characteristics of Nordic Ecolabel textiles
They must be made from organic or recycled fibres, or from fibres derived from renewable raw materials. They must also meet specific environmental standards.
To make waste water cleaner, all chemical substances used in textile manufacturing must meet strict environmental and health standards. This benefits producers and consumers alike. Banned chemicals include endocrine disruptors and substances suspected of disrupting the endocrine system that appear on EU and member state authorities' lists, as well as flame retardants, fluorinated substances and antibacterial additives, including nanoparticles.
Water and energy must be used efficiently in the production process.
To ensure a long service life, textiles must undergo quality testing, including for shrinkage, stretching, colour and durability.
All components, such as zips and buttons, must meet strict requirements on lead content, and all plastic parts must be free of phthalates*.
Working conditions at production facilities must be fair and consistent with the UN (ILO) conventions on workers' rights.
To prevent overproduction, manufacturers must not incinerate unsold goods or send them to landfill.
What is known about textile production in the Nordic countries
The Nordic Council of Ministers' Vision 2030 focuses on sustainable resource management. Work in this area includes several studies of the Nordic textile sector and a major circular economy initiative assessing sustainable value chains. The Nordic Council of Ministers will discuss the Nordic Council's recommendation in relation to aspects of textile production.
* Phthalates are a group of chemicals used mainly as plasticisers to make products made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and other plastics flexible, soft and durable. Because they are not chemically bound to the plastic matrix, they are easily released into the surrounding environment over time. Phthalates are widespread in everyday consumer goods. They enter the body through food, by inhaling dust, or by absorption through the skin.