Updated 7 October 2026
Environmental branding should explain real choices and their limits. A green colour palette or leaf icon is not evidence of a benefit.
Choose a specific claim
Describe the product, practice and scope. A statement about one stock should not imply that the entire business has no environmental impact. Avoid vague terms that leave customers to guess what improved.
Keep supporting records
Retain supplier specifications, relevant testing or other substantiation before publishing. Record what the claim covers and when it should be reviewed. Use current Canadian guidance; environmental-claim rules have changed, and older summaries may be incomplete.
Design the whole impression
Photographs, symbols, headlines and fine print work together. A qualification hidden at the bottom may not correct an exaggerated main message. Make the limitation as understandable as the benefit.
Your next move
Audit one environmental claim across your website, label and brochure. ITG can help make the wording and visual presentation match the evidence.
Further reading: Current guidance on environmental claims.
About the Author
Tina Kempling, the Lean Green Team Leader at Imagine That with over 35 years of experience in the print industry, newspaper and magazine advertising.
As an industry-certified designer since 1991, Tina knows her stuff when it comes to marketing vision. But what sets her apart is her understanding of advertising and marketing in today’s digital and print market. She can help companies tap into the incredible marketing power in new and creative ways. Ready to take your marketing game to the next level? Give Tina a shout!