The H&M group have announced that H&M’s upcoming Conscious Exclusive collection will be the first-ever collection to feature the newly patented material Circulose. This will mark the first time chemically recycled fibres are used in garments sold at scale.
Pioneered and produced by re:newcell – a company that H&M Group has proudly supported since its beginning – the new fiber is made from discarded materials. Circulose is unique and revolutionary as it replaces forest raw material – in commercial quantities – without compromising on the quality.
The process of recycling cotton and viscose fibres contributes to a circular way of producing fashion, additionally because the process uses a closed-loop system for water and chemicals powered by renewable energy.
Erik Karlsson, Investment Manager for Sustainable Fashion at H&M Group’s investment arm CO:LAB, commented, “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”
The garment in the Conscious Exclusive collection is a dress made of a mix of 50% Circulose from recycled jeans and 50% viscose from FSC-certified wood, and will go on sale globally in the spring.
“This is a major milestone for the industry,” explained Patrik Lundström, CEO of re:newcell. ” 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.”
H&M Group has supported re:newcell since its start as the brand’s work perfectly aligns with H&M Group’s vision to become fully circular. In 2017, H&M Group accelerated its partnership by investing in re:newcell, but the purpose of the investment is that the whole fashion industry should benefit from the technology.
For more information, please visit www.hmgroup.com or www.renewcell.com.
