From February 2013 H&M are setting up recycling statitions in selected H&M stores worldwide. Used clothes can be handed in and each bag of secondhand clothes will be rewarded with a 10% discount voucher in return, valid for one item.
The clothes will be recycled by H&M partner, I:Co. Nearly 150 million tons of shoes and clothing are sold worldwide every year. Today, only a small percentage of that is reintroduced into the production cycle as reclaimed and renewed materials.The planet suffers from mass production and mass consumption of textiles. I:CO and its partners are leading the change by facilitating the re purposing and recycling of used clothing. ico-spirit.com
So can the world’s second largest clothing retailer remake itself as a greener option?
“H&M has definitely got better,” admits industry expert and CEO of Clothesource, Mike Flanagan. “From some presposterous moments in the recent past they have moved to being in a small clutch of four or five brands, including Nike and Gap, who believe that they have no alternative but to be as good as possible at sustainability. It’s a marked change.” See the full article, Is H&M the new home of ethical fashion? in the Guardian.
Enter todays Advent Calendar competition where you can win organic children’s clothes here
I:CO transforms unusable clothing into industrial products ranging from cleaning cloth, paper, insulation, carpet underlay, surface covering and textile fibers.
But I do agree with you! Handing down used clothes to people in need is also important! Sad thing is that people in need doesn’t have to be in a 3rd world country. There’s families even in London struggling to make ends meet, to feed and dress their children.
We have a regular clear out, handing down outgrown clothes and shoes to various of charities.
Christmas is the time for giving and caring. Please share any charity organisation where we can donate pre loved clothes. x
I definitely believe in recycling of any kind. Hailing from a 3rd world country, where there’s a lot of poverty, I have seen people who can only buy used or second hand clothing. There are markets where only second hand clothing is sold (sent out by the rich countries). It’s a blessing for them, especially in winters, although they do complain that even that clothing is expensive for them but after some haggling they are able to cover them selves and their kids. I find it very sad and while i was there, i used to hand out all my own and my kid’s clothing (which they had grown out of) to the people who couldn’t afford them.
I think poor countries need the used clothes most of all. If the prices are lowered, at least every one can have a chance to wear decent clothes.