The U.S. Federal Trade Commission has announced that clothing manufacturer Bamboosa has settled charges that its claimed use of bamboo fiber in its products was false. This is one of several “greenwashing” cases the FTC has brought since August; most have been settled.
The FTC alleged that Bamboosa falsely claimed that its products were 100% bamboo fiber when, in fact, the fiber was manufactured rayon created from cellulose obtained from bamboo plants. The FTC also alleged that Bamboosa had falsely claimed that its bamboo fiber provided anti–microbial benefits. The FTC disagreed, arguing that the rayon manufacturing process eliminates any of the natural properties that might be present in the bamboo plant itself.
According to an article published by the online magazine Environmental Leader, Bamboosa based its “green” claims on its supplier’s statements calling the material bamboo fiber. The article also quotes Deborah Morrison, an advertising professor at the University of Oregon and co–founder of the Greenwashing Index.
“Brand managers and marketers using green claims should make every effort to substantiate information and, simply put, tell the truth,” she said. “Relying on other people’s claims isn’t substantiation. If they do not, they not only fail their own brand and face fines or regulatory action, they add to increasing green noise.”
In settling the charges, Bamboosa agreed not to make any future claims that are not backed by reliable evidence and not to claim that the clothing it sells contains bamboo fiber. (Separately, the FTC has stated that it would be lawful to describe such fiber as rayon made from bamboo.)
