“Green”, “eco-friendly”, “zero impact”: for years these were hang-tag words. Since 27 September 2026, in Italy, using them without being able to prove them is an unfair commercial practice.
Where the rule comes from
Legislative Decree 30/2026, published in the Italian Official Gazette on 9 March 2026, transposes Directive (EU) 2024/825, known as “Empowering Consumers”, and amends the Italian Consumer Code. The new provisions apply from 27 September 2026 and classify greenwashing as an unfair commercial practice.
What a generic environmental claim is
It is an environmental claim, written or oral, that is not part of a sustainability label and whose specification is not clear and prominent in the same medium. Terms such as “eco-friendly”, “green” or “zero impact” become sanctionable if the trader cannot demonstrate recognised excellent environmental performance of the product.
Other banned practices
- Home-made sustainability labels. Labels that are not based on a certification scheme or established by public authorities are banned.
- Neutrality through offsetting. A neutral, reduced or positive impact on emissions cannot be claimed on the basis of offsetting alone.
- Promises about the future. Claims about future performance must rest on clear, public and verifiable commitments, with a detailed plan, measurable targets, deadlines and periodic checks by an independent third party.
- The part sold as the whole. A claim about a single aspect of a product cannot be presented as referring to the whole product.
- Obligations presented as merits. A legal requirement cannot be presented as a distinctive feature of the offer.
What changes for a fashion brand
Talking about the environment is not banned: talking about it vaguely is. A specific, verifiable and documented statement remains possible. Stating a fabric’s composition together with the certificate that proves it is very different from calling a whole garment “sustainable”.
That is why supply chain data becomes the evidence. Knowing where a fibre comes from, who processed it and with which certificates makes it possible to say precise things, and not to say what cannot be proven.
Where to start
- Review hang tags, product pages and website copy for generic terms.
- Replace them with specific information, each with its source.
- Only use sustainability labels based on certification schemes or established by public authorities.
- Keep the documents supporting each statement linked to the garment they refer to.