Armani fined $4 million for “greenwashing”

The blow for greenwashing comes just months before Giorgio Armani celebrates its 50th anniversary at the upcoming Milan Fashion Week SS26.

According to the investigation, reported by Reuters, the group and one of its subsidiaries issued ethical and social responsibility statements that did not correspond with the actual conditions found in some of their workshops and subcontractors. The company denies the accusations and will appeal the sanction, stating it has always operated “with the utmost transparency and fairness.”

The regulator claims that much of the leather goods production is outsourced to third parties that have violated safety regulations and employed illegal labour. This is not an isolated case: in summer 2024, the courts had already placed the company under supervision for 12 months for similar reasons, a measure lifted last February.

Pressure on the “Made in Italy” label is intensifying. Italian authorities are increasingly monitoring brands that carry this label to ensure they truly comply with legal, human, and environmental standards. In recent years, names like Valentino, Dior, and Loro Piana have made similar headlines.

These cases expose the dark side of sustainability in fashion: greenwashing — selling an environmental or social commitment that is not actually fulfilled.

While France tightens the grip on ultra-fast fashion from China (Temu and Shein) with new laws and hefty fines, Italy is directly targeting its own domestic luxury market.

The fine against Armani, with greenwashing and illegal labour practices at the centre, shakes the myth of a spotless Made in Italy — a symbol for decades of craftsmanship, exclusivity, and excellence.