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Company's online pledge called into question after influencer's gifted furniture haul goes viral: 'So gross'

"You don't understand how consumption has led to this?"

"You don't understand how consumption has led to this?"

Photo Credit: iStock

The green credentials of clothing and accessories brand Anthropologie have been put under the microscope by one TikToker, who called out the company for seemingly hypocritical practices.

In a video that's been viewed over 170,000 times, deetz (@girlmoss4lyf) questioned why Anthropologie had sent a social media influencer a huge amount of furniture for their house.

@girlmoss4lyf #duet with @Darcy McQueeny #housedecor @Anthropologie greenwashing isnt cute! do better! #climatecrisis #influencers #haul ♬ vampire - Olivia Rodrigo

"Um, Anthropologie, I thought you had a bunch of sustainability commitments listed on your website?" the TikToker said. "Should we walk through them?"

Reading directly from Anthropologie's online store, deetz detailed that the company says its "priority" is to be a "force for good," and it strives to "incite meaningful change" when it comes to being "environmentally sustainable" and "socially conscious."




But deetz raised the point that sending influencers excessive amounts of goods to encourage people to then buy more goods seems antithetical to that statement.

"It's so f****** disgusting to me," they said. "July has been the hottest month on Earth ever, ever, ever. And you don't understand how consumption has led to this?" 

They captioned the post "greenwashing isnt cute! do better!" and commenters shared similar feelings.

"Sustainability and capitalism are fundamentally at odds," one said, while another added, "Anthro is still a fast fashion company; it's all greenwashing." 

"The EXCESS is so gross," yet another said.

A 2015 study published in the Journal of Industrial Ecology found that 60% of global greenhouse gas pollution comes from the production of household goods and services. 

Fast fashion is particularly responsible, with the industry responsible for 10% of global carbon dioxide emissions, according to the Center for Biological Diversity

That's why thrift shopping is a planet-friendly alternative when it comes to buying clothes or household furniture – and that's not to mention how comparatively low the cost of buying used items instead of brand-new ones is.

Not only does buying pre-loved items keep them out of landfills — where they will contribute to the production of methane, a planet-warming gas — but it also reduces demand on the fashion and furnishing industry, which will discourage the creation of new, cheap items that will likely soon be disposed of.

As the TikToker noted, July was the hottest month ever recorded — with NASA backing up that statement — so any measures to avoid overconsumption of material goods will be beneficial to stop the rate of rising global temperatures. 

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