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LET’S CLEAN UP! H&M’S LATEST KIDSWEAR COLLECTION TRANSFORMS PLASTIC WASTE INTO EVERYDAY FASHION

“Helping to keep beaches and oceans clean, bottle2fashion is another exciting step forward for a more circular and collaborative approach at H&M. To give a second life to disposable plastic bottles as recycled polyester is valuable in so many ways — to Indonesia’s environment, economy and social values — but also the world and our customers. And once the kids outgrow the clothes, we encourage the items be brought back to us through our garment collection initiative so they can be recycled once again.”

Nellie Lindeborg, Assortment Sustainability Responsible at H&M

The collaboration with bottle2fashion also supports the Indonesian government’s initiative against marine pollution — while also generating local jobs — by collecting PET bottles, sorting, cleaning and shredding them into flakes and then making them into recycled polyester fibres.

“Through the bottle2fashion initiative that we’ve conducted alongside H&M, for this season, Danone-AQUA has successfully collected around 71 tons of PET bottles from Kepulauan Seribu (Thousand Island) and Bandung Area. This is to show our commitment to prevent plastic from going into the ocean, which is also the manifestation of our #BijakBerplastik movement.”

Senior Sustainable Packaging Manager, Danone Indonesia, Ratih Anggraeni

The entire collection is made from a blend of recycled polyester from the bottle2fashion project, organic cotton and recycled cotton. Cheerful, comfortable and coordinating hoodies, joggers and long-sleeve tops form the collection and include stylish details such as twist knots, colour-blocking, cropped length and tie-dye. With a palette of black, marl grey, browns, navy, blush pink and lavender plus bright green, sunflower yellow and vibrant blues, the of magic of colour really comes to life.

“For this collection, we wanted to focus on pieces that kids could really be kids in — playful, comfy and confident — so hoodies, joggers and some long-sleeve tops. Though the garments can be coordinated, we put together a wide-ranging colour palette that could be easily mixed and matched. I always love to see what kids come up with and I hope they will also learn about the bottle2fashion project along the way.”

Sofia Löfstedt, Head of Kidswear Design at H&M

For images please visit H&M Image Gallery.

H&M’S CONSCIOUS EXCLUSIVE A/W20 COLLECTION EXPLORES THE BEAUTY OF WASTE

Literally creating beauty from waste, the A/W20 collection includes innovative fabrics and processes that transform food crop waste into a natural fibre, fabrics made from sustainably sourced wood pulp or use a unique garment-to-garment process. The materials can be found in womenswear pieces such as opulent evening gowns in black and green jacquard taffeta, yellow jacquard or festooned with dusty green flowers, mingling with voluminous tops and tailored suiting. Dramatic volume, softly structured shapes and glamorous ruffles collude with an edgy undertone to create a darkly alluring look and feel. Menswear makes a return to Conscious Exclusive; there’s a classic tuxedo, luxe suiting, shirting and a yellow jacquard jacket.

“For A/W20, we really wanted to be trailblazers – pushing the limits of creativity and sustainable fashion – by focusing on waste. As a result, the pieces in this collection are crafted from truly amazing materials produced from waste. Working with this kind of transformation and being able to speak to our customers through beauty, we hope that waste can be part of the future of sustainable fashion,”

says Ann-Sofie Johansson, creative advisor at H&M.

Accessories include bold, edgy choker necklaces, earrings and shoe clips in recycled metals and a pair of sunglasses crafted from Made of Air®, a material partly made from waste biomass. The shoes can be worn as both a mule and boot with a removable sock, made from VEGEA™, a vegan leather partly made from wine by-products. Prints throughout the collection are inspired by floral wallpaper that has peeled off over time or tapestries from days gone by, while flower appliqués and moth motifs allude to both life and decay.

Furthermore, two H&M stores in Stockholm and Berlin will be offering a rental service of six different A/W20 pieces – some are unique to only the rental service, while others are made in exclusive colourways.

The Conscious Exclusive A/W20 campaign encourages us to “wear the waste” in an endeavour to change fashion and features Zinnia Kumar, an Australian-born, London-based ecologist, activist and model.

“I’m thrilled to be a part of this Conscious Exclusive campaign, especially as H&M is paving the way for sustainable collections to become the industry norm. As consumers, we will no longer need to differentiate between fashionability and sustainability, as they will become one and the same. As an ecologist working in fashion, this fills me with hope,”

says Zinnia Kumar, ecologist, activist and model.

For more information and background around the campaign, including additional imagery and products, please source H&M Magazine

For a full range of products and more information around the activity, please source the main H&M Conscious Exclusive A/W20 Campaign page.

H&M’S NEW HEAT UP TECH WITH THERMOLITE® IS THE SECRET TO SMART SEASONAL STYLE

“Innovation is at the heart of what we do with menswear at H&M. Heat Up Tech with THERMOLITE® uses new technology for true functionality as well as that essential utilitarian look. These pieces will become the foundation of your cold weather wardrobe, whatever your personal style,”

Ross Lydon, Head of Menswear Design at H&M

This season’s layered look is more than just about style: it’s also about the smartest ways to keep warm whatever the day brings. H&M has created Heat Up Tech with THERMOLITE® to introduce the latest heat-retaining technologies to the everyday wardrobe.

THERMOLITE® uses hollow fibres that trap warm air, creating an insulating layer. Those hollow fibres are crucial, resulting in a lightweight fabric that’s cuts out all the bulk. For H&M’s design team, it’s a chance to make the sharpest functional pieces that will become the foundation layer of the winter look.

Pile is a key texture for the season, like the pile zip-up vest in either off-white or olive green with a nylon chest pocket and neck trim. It’s a versatile piece that adds contrast and warmth to winter layering. There’s also a pile zip-up jacket, as well as a pile half-zip jacket, all with a turtleneck to help keep out the cold.

Fleece jackets and half-zip sweaters bring streamlined warmth and protection, while tapered leg joggers in cotton and THERMOLITE® have toggles at the ankle to further keep in the warmth. Meanwhile thermal crewneck T-shirts, both long and short sleeve, and long johns are the essential base layer pieces at the core of the winter wardrobe.

Heat Up Tech will drop at H&M stores worldwide, as well as at hm.com, on November 12.

Jane Goodall and SZA Remake Loved Garments with H&M’s Looop Machine

Any piece of clothing will eventually reach the end of its life or end up in the discard pile in a closet clean-out. Luckily innovation and infrastructure today makes it possible for a tattered dress or discoloured t-shirt to get a new lease of life as something else instead of going to landfill. On October 12, H&M launched Looop, an in-store garment-to-garment recycling system that transforms old garments into new ones. One of the first to try it out is changemaker Jane Goodall, who for nearly 60 years has stressed the need to protect our planet and all living things on it. With the help of Looop she is remaking one of her signature shirts, which now lives on as a sweater.

American singer-songwriter SZA, who is passionate about recycling, upcycling and repairing is remaking her mother’s knitted skirt from 1991 into a scarf. Climate activist Vic Barrett is transforming a shirt he has worn in his quest for combatting the climate crisis into a scarf while model Andreea Diaconu, who is committed to make the world a bit better, is recycling her old karate dress into a sweater. Let’s team up for a sustainable fashion future where fashion never goes to waste.

To read more about the changemakers check out: Meet the changemakers

H&M LAUNCHES SHOP ONLINE IN AUSTRALIA

We are commited to offering customers more sustainable fashion with all products to be made from recycled or other sustainably sourced materials by 2030. H&M Shop Online offers transparency behind each garment, allowing customers to easily find the origin of a product, the countries it was produced in and the suppliers and factories where it was made.

For the first time globally H&M is launching online at the same time as its loyalty program, H&M Member. To celebrate, customers recieved 20% off their first purchase when joining the program. Customers can browse the latest collections and check out exclusive items with amazing offers at hm.com and on the H&M mobile app.

“We are very excited to finally launch H&M online in Australia and to be able to offer our fashion collections to customers nationwide anytime, anywhere. We now have 40 stores across the country and this significant milestone extends H&M’s omni-channel offering. We are also making history by being the first country to launch both online and our loyalty program, H&M Member, on the same day!”

Thomas Coellner, H&M Australia Country Manager.

H&M Member offers personalised discounts, free shipping with purchases over $60 and free returns for all online orders, as well as invitations to exclusive events. The digital membership card in the H&M mobile app allows members shopping online to pay using Klarna’s unique payment solution, Pay in 4.

“Klarna is about making shopping at H&M convenient, relevant and inspiring and we are happy to offer fashion fans in Australia a whole new way of paying. Klarna and H&M have been extremely successful, collaborative global partners for many years; working together to provide our customers with a better shopping experience. We’re thrilled to build on this through the launch of H&M and Klarna online, giving H&M shoppers in Australia a better way to shop for the things they love,”

Fran Ereira, Klarna Country Head ANZ.

The first H&M store in Australia opened 2014 and there are currently 40 stores in the market. H&M now offers online shopping in 52 markets.

Recycling System ’Looop’ Helps H&M Transform Unwanted Garments into New Fashion Favourites

Looop opens to the public in one of our Drottninggatan stores in Stockholm on October 12. This is the first time this garment-to-garment recycling system is shown in store by a fashion retailer and H&M is proud to soon offer customers the opportunity to watch this container-sized machine recycle their old textiles into something new. This is part of a bigger plan – our ambition is to become fully circular and climate positive and we are working with many exciting projects to reach this goal. We must innovate materials and processes while inspiring customers to keep their garments in use for as long as possible.

“We are constantly exploring new technology and innovations to help transform the fashion industry as we are working to reduce the dependency on virgin resources. Getting customers on board is key to achieve real change and we are so excited to see what Looop will inspire,”

says Pascal Brun, Head of Sustainability at H&M.

Looop uses a technique that dissembles and assembles old garments into new ones. The garments are cleaned, shredded into fibres and spun into new yarn which is then knitted into new fashion finds. Some sustainably sourced virgin materials need to be added during the process, and we of course work to make this share as small as possible. The system uses no water and no chemicals, thus having a significantly lower environmental impact than when producing garments from scratch.

H&M wants to lead the change towards a sustainable fashion industry. In 2013 we became the first fashion retailer with a global garment collecting program. Now, we are taking the next step with our garment-to-garment recycling system Looop. For 100 Swedish kronor, members of our loyalty club can use Looop to transform their old garment into a new favourite. For non-members the fee is 150 Swedish kronor. All proceeds go to projects related to research on materials. By 2030 we aim for all our materials to be either recycled or sourced in a more sustainable way, a figure that for 2019 was at 57%.

Looop is created by the non-profit H&M Foundation, together with research partner HKRITA (The Hong Kong Research Institute of Textiles and Apparel) and Hong Kong-based yarn spinner Novetex Textiles. For more information on how Looop works check out: https://www2.hm.com/en_gb/life/culture/inside-h-m/meet-the-machine-turning-old-into-new.html

The Vampire’s Wife in collaboration with H&M: A glamourous, dark and powerfully feminine collection

“It was a great honour to be asked to be the designer and the creative director of The Vampire’s Wife’s collaboration with H&M. H&M went to extraordinary lengths to bring the dark and sensual world of The Vampire’s Wife to life. I hope this collection gives as much joy to those who wear it, as it did for me to create it,”

says Susie Cave, Creative Director and Designer.

The Vampire’s Wife’s collaboration with H&M is bold and feminine. Statement pieces include the lace mystique mini dress with signature shoulders, the velvety mini dress with sensual pussy-bow and the romantic silvery lace cape, all comprised of recycled nylon and recycled polyester. The Vampire’s Wife’s signature focus on silhouette shines on the street-sweeper length lace dress with retro ruffled hem. Accessories encourage whimsy, as charm necklaces, bracelets and ear cuffs feature eye, cloud, and of course, vampire teeth iconography. Fingerless lace gloves and white detachable ruffled collar are both playful too. Classic black dominates the collection for an invitingly mysterious feel, with shimmery silver lace, opulent button cuffs and rich velvet textures adding a luxurious tone.

“With this collaboration, H&M and The Vampire’s Wife want to show our customers that fashion can, and should, empower and inspire women to feel like the best version of themselves. We’ve long been inspired by Susie’s energy and brand values and we’re thrilled to be doing this undoubtedly very special collection together,”

says Maria Östblom, Head of Design Womenswear at H&M.

Together with H&M, Susie Cave is the creative director of the campaign, inviting us into The Vampire Wife’s world with key campaign themes of strength, vulnerability, intimacy, the unknown and womanhood. Brand muse Samantha Snow, model Eva Apio and British poet Greta Bellamacina are the stars of the campaign, capturing shared brand values of progress and female empowerment in both image and film.

For more information and background around the campaign, including additional imagery and products, please source H&M Magazine

H&M and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation rethink the design and production of denim in a move towards circularity

A pair of jeans is likely the most common garment that we can find in any wardrobe around the world. In order to transform the way jeans are made today, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s Make Fashion Circular initiative defined last year how denim design and production could fit into circular economy principles, through durability, recyclability and responsible use of resources. As a result of the participation in this visionary project, H&M now launches a remarkable men’s denim collection inspired by natural simplicity.

There are three jean styles, two jackets, an overshirt, tote bag and a bucket hat – all made in denim with a modern workwear vibe – in a colour palette of light grey, washed black, mid-blues and deep indigo. The collection rethinks the design and production of denim products, furthering our aim of becoming fully circular in all our processes. With workwear silhouettes and details, the three jeans styles in the Jeans Redesign collection are slim and straight, regular straight or a more relaxed shape, while the workwear jacket has three patch pockets to the front, the trucker jacket a zip fastening and the overshirt two patch pockets over the chest.

As a Strategic Partner of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, H&M is working together with other companies, governments and cities, academic institutions, emerging innovators, small and medium sized enterprises, and more to accelerate the transition to a circular economy. The Jeans Redesign project in particular is about celebrating our denim expertise and designing pieces that are durable, timeless and easy to repair, that also age with a beautiful patina. We followed and, in some cases, even exceeded the guidelines put forth by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation on garment durability, material health, recyclability and traceability.

The denim fabric used throughout is made from a mix of:

  • organic cotton
  • up to 35% recycled cotton (from post-consumer waste
  • dyes that considerably reduce water waste and energyconsumption compared to conventional alternatives

Going beyond the specific requirements set in the Jeans Redesign guideline, we also used the Screened Chemistry method for selecting safer chemicals. Only low impact finishes were used (green score in EIM, Environmental Impact Measurement by Jeanologia).
No conventional plating was used on the metal trims, thereby reducing the environmental impact. To enable circularity of our products, we used Tencel threads so the product can be recycled easily at the end of their life.

“Sustainability and circularity should be seen as the parameters that designers move within. It’s a new set of borders and limitations, if you like. Being a designer is also about finding new opportunities and connecting more with the technical side of how a pair of jeans are made. This project went back to the foundations and what was taken for granted before was now seen with new eyes. With this collection we hope that we can take another great step towards making more sustainable products,”

Jon Loman, designer at H&M.

H&M Jeans Redesign launches 15 October and will be available in selected stores worldwide and online at hm.com

H&M Studio AW20 Brings Together Bold Opulence And Rebellious Charm

With notes of 70s rock, disco and punk throughout, the AW20 collection offers an interchangeable mix of party-anywhere pieces with tailored separates. Mood board references include David Bowie’s gender-fluid flair and as a result the collection’s key pieces comprise of a tailored bright blue suit with a nipped-in waist, a strong-shouldered recycled Italian wool grey coat, and recycled polyester frilled blouses. A decadent colour palette of azure blue and malachite green is offset by pops of champagne pink, alongside marbled bespoke prints inspired by Italian palazzos.

The campaign’s exclusive social media filter hopes to encourage H&M’s audience to get involved. Customers are invited to share their personal styling of the collection, just as the campaign’s talents will be. Giphy stickers hope to inspire playful customisation too. The collection will be available at hm.com from 24th September.

“The AW20 Studio collection muse is not afraid to challenge the status quo. This collection is for those that celebrate being oneself above all else. We hope our customers feel inspired to dress with a carefree, rebellious attitude”

Ann-Sofie Johansson, Creative Advisor at H&M.

“In keeping with H&M’s strive for innovation, the H&M Studio team experimented with an exciting new campaign format for AW20. Adapted for today’s climate, this new way of working gives our global cast the creative freedom to style, photograph and express themselves in the comfort of their own space. We hope the new collection and campaign encourages everyone to celebrate their style”

Kattis Bahrke, Head of Creative Marketing and Communications at H&M.

For more information and background around the campaign, including additional imagery and products, please source H&M Magazine

For a full range of products and more information around the activity, please source the main H&M Studio Campaign page.

H&M’s Fall Fashion 2020 collection showcases the beauty of recycled materials

With a wearable mix– the oversized tailored coat worn over a lace dress and chunky boots is the ultimate expression – the new season is about finding power in timeless design. The H&M Fall Fashion 2020 collection emphasises this by blending vintage silhouettes with a fashion-forward modernity in dress lengths that range from mini to maxi, along with a full-length double-breasted coat. Higher necklines, lace inserts and mutton sleeves are reinterpreted for today, while lace, jacquard and wool are reimagined in innovative recycled fabrics. The whole collection is proudly built around more sustainably sourced materials – the recycled polyester, recycled nylon and recycled wool come from textile waste, plastic waste or a mix between them – giving new life to old PET bottles , old garments or textile off-cuts.

Today, 57% of the materials H&M group use to make clothes are organic, recycled or other sustainably sourced materials. In 2019, we used recycled polyester equivalent to nearly 537 million PET bottles.

For more images please visit H&M Image Gallery