How Adding an Operational Visibility Layer Can Help Fashion Retailers Avoid Greenwashing

Fashion Sustainability Needs Operational Proof, Not Just Product Promises

Fashion has a greenwashing problem, and it extends far beyond fabrics and fast fashion.

Brands such as ASOS, H&M and Zara face increasing scrutiny over bold sustainability claims. Regulators, investors and consumers are no longer satisfied with high-level commitments or marketing-led messaging. They want evidence. They want measurable progress. And they want proof that sustainability extends beyond product lines.

Yet one of the largest contributors to a retailer’s carbon footprint often receives the least attention: the operational estate.

Warehouses, fulfilment centres and retail stores operate around the clock. HVAC systems, lighting, refrigeration, distribution equipment and IT infrastructure consume vast amounts of energy. When performance is inconsistent or poorly monitored, inefficiencies multiply, driving both carbon emissions and cost.

The Risk: Sustainability Claims Without Operational Clarity

Many fashion brands promote recycled materials, responsible sourcing or carbon-neutral delivery initiatives. But far fewer can confidently answer:

• How much energy is each fulfilment centre consuming in real time?
• Which stores consistently exceed expected energy benchmarks?
• Where are recurring equipment faults increasing emissions?
• How are estate-wide improvements being measured and verified?

Without connected, trusted building data, sustainability reporting can become fragmented, relying on estimates, delayed reporting cycles or disconnected systems. In today’s regulatory environment, that presents a growing risk.

In the UK, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has increased scrutiny on environmental claims. The EU Green Claims Directive requires clear evidence behind sustainability messaging. In the United States, legislation such as California’s Climate Corporate Data Accountability Act (SB 253) and Climate-Related Financial Risk Act (SB 261) is raising the bar for climate-related disclosure. Retailers that cannot substantiate their claims with defensible data face reputational damage, financial penalties and loss of investor confidence.

Moving from Visibility Gaps to Operational Intelligence

This is where Twinview’s role becomes critical. Rather than acting as another standalone system, Twinview operates as an intelligence layer across a retailer’s existing estate infrastructure, connecting asset data, energy systems, maintenance records and environmental performance into a single, trusted operational view.

For fashion retailers, this enables:

Estate-Wide Energy Transparency

Consolidate energy performance data across warehouses, fulfilment centres and retail stores. Identify underperforming sites and benchmark performance against ESG targets.

Early Identification of Inefficiencies

Surface abnormal energy spikes, recurring equipment faults or system degradation before they escalate into sustained carbon and cost impacts.

Audit-Ready Sustainability Reporting

Generate consistent, traceable data that supports ESG disclosures and regulatory compliance. Replace estimates with evidence.

Data-Driven Capital Planning

Use trusted operational insights to prioritise retrofit programmes, equipment upgrades and efficiency improvements, aligning capital investment with measurable carbon reduction outcomes.

From Sustainability Messaging to Measurable Performance

Retail warehousing and distribution infrastructure is often invisible to consumers. But regulators and investors are increasingly focused on operational emissions, not just brand narratives.

Sustainability in fashion cannot stop at the product label. The buildings where inventory is stored, moved and sold are part of the carbon story.

By connecting existing systems and surfacing reliable performance data, Twinview helps retailers shift from sustainability promises to sustainability proof.

The conversation is no longer about adopting innovative “digital twin” technology. It’s about giving estates and sustainability leaders the clarity they need to:

• Reduce operational risk
• Improve energy performance
• Strengthen governance
• Protect brand credibility

In an industry built on image, operational transparency is becoming a competitive advantage.