H&M Launches Conscious Denim Collection

Swedish high-street retailer H&M has announced a Conscious Denim capsule collection that uses more sustainable materials and processes. The new range cements H&M’s position as the leader on sustainable fashion in the fast-fashion market, and is sure to propel others to follow suit.

The denim washes in the new range have been graded to assess their environmental impact, such as the amount of energy and water used during production. H&M consulted with Spanish company Jeanologia, which utilises E-Soft technology to use 98% less water and 79% less energy than traditional denim-finishing techniques. Sustainable materials such as recycled wool and organic cotton in indigo tones also feature.

Earlier in the year, H&M released a range of jeans produced with recycled fibres from donated clothing and 20% recycled cotton. At the time, that was the most the retailer could use without compromising the quality of the fabric (read more in H&M Introduces Recycled Denim). 

The new range is broad, spanning womenswear, menswear and kidswear, and features contemporary fits and on-point styling. Collections like this continue the eco efforts of the brand, which is highly regarded in the industry as one of the few successfully integrating sustainable ethics into mainstream fashion.

Also new to the ethical denim scene, Dutch urban denim brand G-Star Raw recently released a range of stylish sustainable denim in collaboration with Pharrell Williams. The line features high-performance eco yarn made from recycled ocean plastic, produced by eco-textile brand Bionic Yarn.

The H&M Conscious Denim collection will launch online and in-store from October 2 2014.