Despite how ubiquitous the term “sustainability” has become, the definition remains vague and open to individual interpretation. As consumers are seeking out lower impact products, this lack of standardization or clarity can lead to confusion.

“In today’s world, sustainability means so many different things to brands and consumers,” said Marc Lewkowitz, president and CEO of Supima, the promotional organization for American pima cotton. “The consumers’ choice to go and find sustainability or what they think means sustainability is still challenging, other than generic claims. It’s hard to identify and it’s almost impossible for a consumer to know exactly what sustainability looks like in a product.”

Listen to this fireside chat between Lewkowitz and Sourcing Journal founder Edward Hertzman to hear why paying for sustainability comes down to the consumer and how laws will raise the bar and onus for backing up claims.

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