H&M’s Fashion de Action campaigns raise awareness about sustainability

As the second-largest retail brand in the world, H&M is driven to make more conscious choices aimed at reducing their environmental impact. For example, the brand utilizes green clothing tags that help customers to make eco-friendly choices. The tag promises that their clothing is made with at least 50% sustainable materials, such as organic cotton and recycled polyester.

The company is also offering a garment recycling service across all stores, where shoppers can donate their old clothing from any brand. Since the launch of this service in 2013, H&M Japan has collected more than 5,400 tons of old clothing as of the end of July.

Eye-catching visuals to make shoppers stop and think

Starting in mid-August, H&M Japan has launched awareness campaigns that urge patrons to think about how they can get involved in sustainability initiatives.

Firstly, the brand has put up banners in Tokyo, Nagoya and Fukuoka, with the key message “Fashion de Action” (Actions with fashion). The banners feature orange peels, grape skins, coffee grounds, plastic bottles and fishing nets in the background. Surprisingly, all of these items are used in H&M’s garment production.

Conscious Exclusive is a serial collection that started in 2012 and is known for its innovative materials and sustainable production processes. The collection has introduced clever uses of waste materials: vegan leather bags made from grape skins, silk-like tops made from orange peels and cowboy boots made from pineapple leaves. Additionally, using eco-friendly dying methods, the clothing line also utilized a natural dye made from coffee grounds collected from H&M’s offices.

As individuals, it can be quite challenging to think of what we can do to promote sustainability. One way to get started is to find more green alternatives when you go shopping. H&M Japan’s Media Manager Sayo Ono explains that these banners were intended to give such ideas to shoppers.

Shoppers take part in sustainable action through conversations

Moreover, H&M Japan is inviting shoppers to exchange ideas about sustainable actions on Twitter. Using Twitter Polls, the brand asked its followers to choose how they can address sustainable fashion. Between August 29 and September 4, followers chose from and tweeted about the following four topics:

• Donate clothing
• Choose sustainable materials
• Repair or remake old clothing
• Treat and wash your clothing with care

Between September 10 and 17, the brand is hosting another conversation topic about sustainability that followers can participate in.

ファッションで、環境や社会に配慮するためにできることを皆で考えよう！

やっている・今後やってみたいことをこのツイートに「 #ファッションでアクション 」を付けてコメント付きリツイートして教えてね。

H&Mのサステイナブルなアクションについて詳しくはこちら? https://t.co/vUS1dsUSQw pic.twitter.com/o44OlcC3lK

— H&M Japan (@hmjapan) September 7, 2020

Ono is hoping that the awareness campaign will encourage shoppers to become part of the brand’s journey towards circularity. “While H&M is doing our part to make the fashion industry more sustainable, this goal will only be achieved when our shoppers also think and act together.”

[Reference] PR TIMES