What greenwashing allegations against Copenhagen Fashion Week could mean for the industry

Copenhagen Fashion Week has long marketed itself as a leader in sustainability, but a new complaint is threatening to unravel that reputation.

Earlier this week, the Danish Consumer Ombudsman, which supervises marketing and consumer protection laws, began reviewing allegations that CPHFW and seven participating brands — Baum und Pferdgarten, Berner Kühl, Forza Collective, Herskind, OpéraSport, Stine Goya and Won Hundred — were making misleading sustainability claims. If taken to court, the case could have serious implications for Fashion Weeks beyond Copenhagen’s. For example, London Fashion Week modeled parts of its own sustainability framework on CPHFW’s guidelines.

The complaint, filed by anti-greenwashing expert Tanja Gotthardsen and the Danish Consumer Council, takes direct aim at the sustainability requirements CPHFW introduced for participating designers in 2020. These set minimum standards across six areas, including materials, working conditions, consumer engagement and show production. Brands are required to use at least 50% certified sustainable textiles and commit to ethical labor practices. But Gotthardsen and the Danish Consumer Council argue these guidelines lack enforcement, allow vague sustainability claims, and fail to address major environmental issues like brands’ overproduction and collection frequency. “They call them requirements, but when looking at them through the lens of actual sustainability science, a lot is missing,” c said.

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