H&M readies eco-friendly Garden Collection
H&M is to launch an eco-friendly clothing line at the end of this week.
The Swedish retailer will launch The Garden Collection on 25 March in time for spring. This is the first time that H&M has used 100% sustainable materials in its clothing, after pledging to increase its use of organic products to 50% each year until 2013.
The clothing chain has recently been under fire after claims that its “organic” line was contaminated with GM strains of cotton seeds from India. In a report published by The New York Times, it was also claimed that the store’s New York outlet slashed and threw out unsold clothing, instead of donating articles to charity.
In its defence, H&M said, “We do not donate clothes that do not meet our safety requirements, chemical restrictions or are damaged.”
The company also said that whilst it had no reason to believe the organic garments contained the tainted cotton, it is aware that certifying agencies have been criticised for “insufficient checks of farmers’ control systems for seeds and sowing,” and that steps have been taken to improve its processes.
The new Garden Collection, which includes floral prints and 70s flower-power designs, will be made using organic and sustainable materials, such as organic cotton, organic linen, recycled polyester made from PET- bottles and Tencel, a renewable material produced with minimal environmental impact.
