Amazon faces a class-action lawsuit alleging that its Amazon Basics paper products contribute to deforestation while being marketed as eco-friendly.
What’s happening?
As Hagens Berman Law Firm reported, the lawsuit, filed in March 2025, claims Amazon intentionally misleads environmentally conscious consumers about its toilet paper and paper towel products.
Despite prominently displaying both “Sustainability Leaf” and “Climate Pledge Friendly” logos on product pages, these items allegedly source pulp from suppliers contributing to the destruction of Canada’s boreal forest.
According to the legal complaint, Amazon has invested heavily in green marketing, including spending up to $400 million on Seattle’s Climate Pledge arena naming rights.
The company promotes these products as “made with materials from well-managed forests,” but the lawsuit argues this directly contradicts their actual environmental impact.
“Amazon has spent hundreds of millions on eco-friendly advertising to give consumers the illusion that it is committed to environmental stewardship,” noted Steve Berman, managing partner at Hagens Berman.
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“In reality, these efforts have been deceptive, contributing to environmental destruction of centuries-old forests, in the pursuit of manufacturing single-use paper that consumers consume for mere seconds and then throw away. Consumers deserve to know the true impact of their purchases — it’s as simple as that.”
Why is greenwashing concerning?
The boreal forest being harvested for these paper products is one of Earth’s last remaining primary forests. These ancient ecosystems store massive amounts of carbon and support incredible biodiversity that can’t be quickly replaced.
When companies make deceptive environmental claims, you lose the ability to make sustainable choices. This practice, known as greenwashingexploits your desire to make positive environmental impacts while contributing to forest degradation.
The lawsuit specifically points out that Amazon’s reforestation fund doesn’t direct any resources toward regenerating the boreal forest being harmed. This disconnect between marketing and reality means your well-intentioned purchases might have the opposite effect of what you want.
What’s being done about corporate greenwashing?
You can join the lawsuit if you’ve purchased Amazon Basics toilet paper or paper towels and want to help hold companies accountable for their environmental claims. Legal action like this helps push corporations toward genuine sustainability rather than just marketing.
When shopping for paper products, you can look for items with legitimate third-party certifications that truly protect forests. Options made from recycled materials or alternative fibers like bamboo typically have less environmental impact than those sourced from primary forests.
You can also reduce your overall paper product usage by choosing reusable alternatives, such as cloth napkins or rags instead of paper towels for household tasks.
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