H&M Group has entered a multi-year partnership with Circulose, a manufacturer of next-generation material made entirely from discarded textiles, to become one of the company’s first “scaling partners.” H&M, which has been using Circulose materials since February 2020, is seeking to transition a substantial share of its man-made cellulosic fiber (MMCF) to fiber made with Circulose.
“Investing in next-generation materials is essential to achieving our goal: ensuring that 100% of our materials are recycled or sustainably sourced by 2030,” said Cecilia Strömblad Brännsten, H&M Group’s Head of Resource Use and Circularity in a statement. “Scaling access to these solutions is key to accelerating the shift toward a circular economy for fashion.”
H&M, which has often exemplified the climate-change dangers of fast fashion, was among the first four lead funders of the Apparel Impact Institute’s Fashion Climate Fund in June 2022, and is still seeking to create a more planet-friendly image.
Circulose, previously known as Renewcell, opened its commercial factory in 2022, according to Fast Company, but was forced to close it following a bankruptcy declaration less than two years later. Since then, Renewcell was acquired by private equity firm Altor, and the H&M partnership will be critical to Circulose’s future plans.
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“H&M Group has been a driving force in advancing sustainable and circular solutions in fashion, and a long-time supporter and early adopter of Circulose,” said Jonatan Janmark, CEO of Circulose in a statement. “We’re proud and grateful to now formalize this new partnership to accelerate Circulose adoption at scale. Their commitment plays a critical role in helping us reach the volumes needed to restart our factory.”
