If you’ve ever Googled the difference between B Corp and GOTS while wondering if you’re doing enough, welcome to the club. Certifications and claims can be one of the most confusing parts of building a sustainable business.
But they don’t have to be.
We've overcomplicated what it means to do good, so to simplify it all, we're bringing in Amber Hodgman for an expert masterclass inside the Slow Fashion Lab.
She's a marketing leader, the Head of Medley Jewellery, and an absolute gem (pun intended) when it comes to navigating the wild world of ethical certifications and brand transparency.
Amber is the go-to when it comes to founder-focused knowledge around building a purpose-driven jewellery brand. She's a no-jargon, no-fluff leader, and I love the way she delivers clear, practical insights for slow fashion brands who want to build trust with integrity.
And next week, she's unpacking the intricacies of certifications and accreditations, but this isn’t a call about collecting every logo you can find or rushing into certifications you don’t need yet.
It’s about understanding what matters for your stage of business, how to communicate your values truthfully, and how to future-proof your brand’s credibility.
Amber will walk you through...
- The most common certifications for ethical and sustainable brands, and which ones actually influence customer trust and sales.
- How to prioritise certifications based on your brand’s size, stage, and budget, because you don’t need them all at once.
- The golden rules for making ethical and sustainable claims, and how to substantiate them without jargon or greenwashing.
- What to do before you invest in a certification, so your time, money, and energy go further.
- How to communicate your values and impact clearly, even if you’re still working towards formal certification.
Because you don't need every certification under the sun.
Certifications are tools, not trophies. And like any tool, you need the right one for the job, not the whole hardware store.
For early-stage brands or solo founders juggling a million things, this is a liberating approach. You don’t have to rush into B Corp because you saw it on someone else’s homepage. You don’t have to spend thousands to get certified organic if your supply chain isn’t ready for it yet.
Instead, start with clarity.
What do your customers care about? What are your brand values? Where are you already walking the talk, and where are you still laying the bricks?
Then, choose certifications that align with your priorities and your capacity. Think: fewer, more relevant, and better communicated.
And it's what we're diving into in Monday's masterclass inside the Slow Fashion Lab.
Transparency. Specificity. A human voice.
That means it’s not just about having credentials. It’s about helping people understand what they mean and why they matter. And you can do that long before you’re certified, because building a slow fashion brand is a long game. And just like you wouldn’t launch five product lines in your first month, you don’t need to chase every certification right away.
What you do need is a grounded, intentional approach to trust. One that balances ambition with authenticity. One that grows as your brand does.
And Amber's advice will guide you through the right steps, at the right time, for your brand.
Join the Slow Fashion Lab here to access the LIVE call, plus the entire vault of replays.
Claire x
