- Huw Hughes
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H&M Group has said it is to become the first retailer to use Circulose,
a newly patented material made from discarded textiles, in a dress in its
upcoming Conscious Exclusive collection – marking the first time chemically
recycled fibres are used in garments sold at scale.
The material has been pioneered and produced by re:newcell, a company
H&M Group has supported since its launch, and which it invested in back in
2017 to accelerate the partnership.
The Swedish retail giant describes the new fibre as “unique and
revolutionary” as it replaces forest raw material in commercial quantities,
reportedly without compromising on quality.
The fashion item in the Conscious Exclusive collection is a dress made
up of 50 percent Circulose from recycled jeans and 50 percent viscose from
FSC-certified wood. It will go on sale globally in the spring.
“The process of recycling cotton and viscose fibres contributes to a
circular way of producing fashion, also because the process uses a
closed-loop system for water and chemicals powered by renewable energy,”
H&M Group said.
Erik Karlsson, investment manager for sustainable fashion at H&M Group’s
investment arm CO:LAB, said in a statement: “We’re very proud of our
collaboration with re:newcell, as their work perfectly aligns with our
vision to become fully circular. We’ve been supporting them from the start,
and now we’re excited to soon launch the very first garment made of
Circulose.”
Patrik Lundström, CEO re:newcell, said: “This is a major milestone for
the industry. For the first time, people will be able to walk into a store
and buy clothes made from Circulose. We are immensely proud to do this in
partnership with H&M Group, a company with a bold sustainability agenda.
Together, we have proven that textile-to-textile recycling at scale
works.”
Photo credit: H&M Group
