Greta Thunberg, a climate activist, used an interview with a leading fashion and culture publication to criticize fast fashion businesses for “greenwashing.”

Thunberg spoke out against the conflict between mass-produced fashion and sustainability in an Instagram post to accompany her appearance on the cover of the inaugural edition of Vogue Scandinavia.

“Many are making it appear as though the fashion industry is beginning to take responsibility,” Thunberg said, “by spending fantastical sums on ads where they depict themselves as ‘sustainable,’ ‘ethical,’ ‘green,’ ‘climate neutral,’ and ‘fair.” “However, let’s be clear: This is nearly always genuine greenwashing. As the world is currently shaped, you cannot mass produce fashion or consume ‘sustainably.’ That is one of the numerous reasons why a system overhaul is required.”

“Not to mention the numerous people and communities that are being exploited throughout the world in order for some to enjoy quick fashion that many consider as disposable(s),” she said, “the fashion business is a significant contributor to the climate-and-ecological emergency.”

“The last time I bought something new was three years ago, and it was secondhand,” she revealed in an interview with Vogue Scandinavia. I just borrow from individuals I know.”

Thunberg went on to say that there was a misunderstanding about activists’ attitudes.

“There’s a misperception about activists, particularly climate activists, that we’re all negative and pessimists who simply whine and try to create fear, but that couldn’t be further from the truth,” she added. “We are doing this because we are optimistic, optimistic that we will be able to make the required changes.”

Photographer Alexandrov Klum captured the activist in a wooded environment stroking a horse for the magazine’s cover image. Rawdah Mohamed, the first hijab-wearing woman of color editor of a western fashion magazine, edits Vogue Scandinavia.

The interview was released following the release on Monday of a study by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which revealed that a key global warming barrier of 1.5 degrees Celsius may be crossed considerably sooner than previously thought, maybe within a decade.