H&M reduces ecological footprint with its 'Close the Loop' collection

Sweden-based clothing giant H&M is bent on reducing its ecological footprint with the release of the 'Close the Loop' collection. The line of garments consists of key denim pieces made of textiles recycled from the company's Garment Collecting Initiative.

The campaign was launched in February 2013, when H&M started giving $8 shopping vouchers to customers who brought in a bag full of unwanted clothes, regardless of the brand, to its stores. Through the initiative, the company collected more than 18,000 tonnes of clothing.

"Creating a closed loop for textiles, in which unwanted clothes can be recycled into new ones, will not only minimize textile waste, but also significantly reduce the need for virgin resources as well as other impacts fashion has on our planet," says Karl-Johan Persson, CEO of H&M.

Featuring pieces for men, women and children, each item in the new collection adopts 20 percent recycled cotton from collected clothes and 80 percent organic cotton. H&M hopes to increase the number of garments created using at least 20 percent recycled cotton by 300 percent in the future.

The 'Close the Loop' collection was released in stores and on hm.com last September 7.

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