H&M has no problem with being called out on its sustainability efforts. In fact, the Scandi fashion giant welcomes the scrutiny.
Speaking at the inaugural BRC x H&M Fashion Sustainability Summit in London earlier this year, Marcus Hartmann, head of public affairs & sustainability for H&M in Northern Europe, highlighted how the retailer is embracing transparency, seeing it as an opportunity to improve rather than something to shy away from.
“We want to be transparent because we think it’s important, and it also opens us up to scrutiny and investigations, which we welcome,” said Hartmann. “These things push us to do even better and hold ourselves accountable.”
H&M has been publishing detailed sustainability reports for over two decades, providing a comprehensive look at its supply chain, environmental impact, and progress on various initiatives. The fashion retailer also publishes its full supplier list on its website.
However, Hartmann acknowledges the significant challenges that H&M and the wider fashion industry face in pursuing sustainability goals.
For example, as part of its circular fashion initiative, the fashion giant rolled out design strategies to reduce waste through its Conscious Collection, the range, which closed in 2022, incorporated organic, recycled, or sustainably sourced materials. It has also launched a clothing recycling programme.
“At the end of the day, we still need to act. We need to change because we’re at a tipping point. It’s happening, and we need to act now,” he added.
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Despite these initiatives, H&M has faced scepticism and lawsuits, particularly following accusations of greenwashing. In 2022, the retailer was criticised after reports revealed that its product scorecards, designed to inform customers about the environmental impact of its items, were misleading.
The scorecards allegedly misrepresented the environmental benefits of some products, prompting H&M to withdraw the initiative and reassess its sustainability claims.
This controversy is not the first time H&M’s environmental efforts have been questioned, as critics point to the inherent contradictions in the fast fashion model—where mass production and rapid turnover of styles often undermine sustainability goals.
While H&M’s Conscious Collection, which featured items made from organic and recycled materials, was a step forward, it only constituted a small fraction of the brand’s overall product line, which could’ve been a reason why the line was shuttered.
Additionally, its garment recycling programmes, though promising, have faced criticism for not achieving the scale necessary to significantly impact waste reduction.
In response to these concerns, H&M has begun disclosing the environmental impact of each product and providing more details on the attributes that reduce an item’s environmental footprint.
As the retailer continues to push forward with ambitious goals—such as its pledge to use 100% sustainable or recycled materials by 2030 and become climate positive by 2040—the question remains whether these efforts will be enough to overcome the inherent contradictions of driving sustainability at a fast fashion retailer.
H&M’s willingness to embrace transparency and address past missteps may help it regain consumer trust, but true sustainability will require the company to rethink its entire business model, not just implement surface-level changes.
“Transparency is our responsibility,” Hartmann explained. “We can’t shy away from challenges. We need to keep pushing ourselves.”
This commitment to continuous improvement and openness could be key to ensuring that H&M’s sustainability efforts are more than just a marketing tool, but a genuine path towards a more sustainable future for fashion.
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