The collections of many global brands are increasingly implementing sustainable garments and using innovative technologies and raw materials that favour the environment. H&M, Zara, and Mango are examples of retail giants that are joining the sustainable fashion for children with ideal garments, both basics for everyday wear such as the cotton and denim options that help to preserve the planet’s water resources. H&M’s Conscious line is becoming more eco-friendly. At least 50% of each garment is made from more sustainable materials, such as organic cotton or recycled polyester. The only exception is recycled cotton which, for quality reasons, only makes up 20% of a product. As indicators of the brand’s choice to use eco-conscious materials, it used organic cotton certified by the Better Cotton Initiative as well as the Global Organic Textile Standard, in its collaboration with Lemlem. In addition to using dyes that are certified by OEKO-TEX®’s Standard 100.
H&M also signed a WWF partnership agreement to promote water saving in the supply chain. The collaboration was accompanied by a new strategy on water conservation, which represents a change of perspective in the sector, taking into account the whole supply chain and not just the factories. H&M designers and buyers received additional training on the impact of water on raw material production, as well as on wet processes to achieve different styles, to enable them to make more sustainable choices. WWF and H&M also worked in partnership with public authorities, NGOs, water institutions and other companies to support better water management in the watersheds of China and Bangladesh in particular. Over the last 20 years, H&M has improved its internal water efficiency, minimise its suppliers' impact on water, train its staff on water-related concepts and inspire its customers to use water responsibly. In addition, H&M supported WWF's conservation projects in the Yangtze River basin in China. According to WWF’s Living Planet report, nearly half of the world’s population lives in river basins that experience severe water shortages for at least one month a year. Nearly a third of the wet-process factories that produce garments for H&M are located in water-scarce areas or will be in water-scarce areas by 2025. H&M has been working since 2013 to reduce the negative impact on water at different points in the value chain.
H&M Cuts Down on Water Use in Denim with Lee If there is one trend that stands the test of time and is always in fashion, it’s denim. Originally, this fabric was the protagonist of jeans, which went from being a functional garment to a trend in our daily lives. Denim is present in all kinds of garments such as jackets, dresses, shirts and skirts. The fact that this trend is the most successful in the history of fashion means that many companies are adapting their collections to it to offer new articles or commit to sustainable fashion. This is why H&M and Lee have joined forces to launch a sustainable supply with denim as the protagonist. In its partnership with iconic American denim brand Lee, H&M intends to drive a new generation of more sustainable denim. The two brands have teamed up to make breakthroughs at every stage of design and production - from H&M's first 100% recycled cotton jeans, to labels that replace leather with cork and Jacron paper. With over 130 years of history, Lee is one of the first denim brands, known for being the first denim brand to use zips. This collaboration marks H&M's most sustainable denim collection launch to date and a further step in the company's commitment to sustainability and transparency.