Sustainability at the Centre: Rewear, Reuse, Recycle

We know that a product with a long lifespan has a less negative impact on the environment, so we do all we can to ensure longevity. And since a product spends most of its life with its owner, this means encouraging our customers to make sustainable choices while using and recycling our products and empowering them to do so. Part of that involves caring for the products in the right way — and to drop them off in the garment-collecting boxes instead of throwing them away with household waste. 

Adopting a circular model

The fashion industry cannot afford to carry on operating in the same way, since global demand is outstripping the planet’s resources. But if we, instead, use what’s in front of us and work with recycling and reusing, we’re onto something really good. We believe that an industry-wide shift from a linear to a circular business model is the only way forward. 

Now, we engage in climate-friendly business practices at every level to minimise our environmental impact. We’ve been rethinking not only the way we do things, but also the way we make things, and we’ve adopted a proactive approach to selecting and using materials which support a circular economy. And by circular, we mean a closed loop covering the whole product lifecycle, from the initial design stage; to our choice of materials; to our production processes to the use; and ultimate recycling and reuse of our products.

Gathering Garments 

The garment-collecting initiative is at the core of our strategy. By gathering unwanted clothes from our customers, we can give the textile fibres new life.

We started collecting unwanted textiles – from any brand, in any condition – in H&M stores in 2011, and by 2013, we had extended this initiative to a worldwide effort. Today, the scheme is run by all Monki and & Other Stories stores, as well as selected Weekday shops.

In 2016, H&M group set the goal to collect 25,000 tonnes of unwanted clothes annually by 2020 and so far, the progress has been good: in 2017, we collected over 17,771 tonnes: 12 percent more than in 2016. 

The Power of Partnerships

As part of the garment collection scheme, we place all unwanted textiles in the hands of our partner I:CO for sorting. Today, most of the collected textiles are reused or reworn; some are being recycled, partly to create new products for H&M’s different brands; and around 6 percent are used as combustibles for energy production. And nothing goes to landfill.

In 2017, H&M group joined forces with the Swedish recycling innovation platform SIPtex to investigate automated sorting solutions. 

Looking ahead, Aiming High 

By 2030, our goal is to use only 100 percent recycled or other sustainably-sourced materials. While we use several types of recycled materials today (including cotton, polyester, nylon, wool, cashmere and plastic), we are working hard to increase this share.

We have partnered with the Hong Kong Research Institute of Textiles and Apparel (HKRITA) to find a ready technology to recycle clothes made from blended fibres.

In 2017, H&M group invested in an innovation company called re:newcell, which recycles used cotton, viscose and other cellulose fibres into a more sustainable pulp which can be turned into new textile fibres.

With our heart in the right place, our partners at our side and our customers on board, we’re well set to continue along the right road: the road to recycling.

Interested in knowing more? In the 2017 Sustainability Report, you’ll get the lowdown on our goals and how we plan to achieve them.