Swedish apparel retailer H&M will launch 16 new denim styles this September made using recycled cotton from textiles collected from its garment collecting initiative at H&M stores. “The men’s, women’s and kid’s collections are the latest steps toward H&M’s goal for creating a closed loop for fashion, and will be available in all stores worldwide,” a press release from the retailer said. The new denim pieces, made from recycled cotton and organic cotton, include for women, three styles of jeans, from skinny to distressed ‘girlfriend’ jeans, plus a denim jacket, flared dungarees and a denim jumpsuit. For men, there is a zip-up denim jacket, alongside two distressed slim leg styles, and a pair of joggers in coated denim. The kid’s pieces include a zip-up hoodie with cute animal ears, along with stretch jeans sequined at the knee, or a street style hooded shirt, with distressed jeans. According to the company, it wants to create a closed loop for its textiles, in which the fabrics from unwanted clothes can be recycled into new ones. “The aim is to reduce the environmental impact of the fashion industry, by limiting waste that goes to landfill and saving on natural resources used in the production of fabric,” it informed. Since 2013, H&M customers worldwide have been bringing unwanted clothes from any brand into its stores as part of its garment collecting initiative and so far, over 14,000 tons have been collected globally. As of now, H&M is able to use 20 per cent recycled cotton from collected clothes, and is investing in new technology to increase this share without losing quality. In 2015, H&M has targeted to increase the number of garments made with at least 20 per cent recycled fabric by 300 per cent compared to 2014. “Creating a closed loop for textiles, in which unwanted clothes can be recycled into new ones, will not only minimise textile waste, but also significantly reduce the need for virgin resources,” CEO Karl-Johan Persson said.
