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VETting Green: an online course to tackle greenwashing in the apparel and footwear sectors

May 27, 2025 Portugal

As part of the Erasmus+ VETting Green project, partners from Portugal, Spain, Italy and Greece have developed an online course aimed at tackling greenwashing and promoting genuine sustainability practices within the footwear and apparel sectors

In order to counteract the potential of greenwashing to undermine genuine sustainability efforts, the VETting Green project has launched an online course designed to provide companies and trainees with a solid grasp of sustainability principles and best practices within the footwear and apparel sector.

To achieve this, the project brought together a consortium of partners comprising the CTCP (Portuguese Footwear Technological Centre, CTCR (Footwear Technology Centre of La Rioja), the CEC (European Footwear Confederation), the social entity Neo Sapiens, the Consumers’ Association the Quality of Life (EKPIZO), and the Politecnico Calzaturiero.

With a learner-centred approach, the course consists of five dynamic modules, each focusing on key concepts and strategies to help participants identify greenwashing practices and promote genuine sustainability. The modules cover the following topics: foundations of sustainability; legal framework and compliance; green marketing strategies; sustainability tools and techniques; and innovative and sustainable materials.

By the end of the project, participants should be able to distinguish genuine sustainable business models from those that appear sustainable due to greenwashing marketing techniques. Therefore, VETting Green aligns with the European Union’s two key directives: the Green Claims Directive and the Directive to Empower Consumers for the Green Transition. These aim to provide consumers with reliable, verifiable and clear information, which is crucial for enabling well-informed decisions.

The course is available online in English through the project website. It can also be found in the four languages of the partner countries that developed it: Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, and Greek.