H&M launches new sustainable packaging

By

Sandra Halliday

Published
Dec 22, 2020

H&M Group is continuing to embed sustainable practices throughout its operations and has announced the introduction of a new multi-brand paper packaging system that’s reusable and recyclable.

The company is currently diving deep into digital and said the fact that e-commerce is increasing worldwide is driving large amounts of plastic waste, so there’s “an increased need to find new solutions for more sustainable packaging”.

Much of the packaging used to fulfil online deliveries is plastic-based and the majority of it ends up in landfill sites or, even worse, the oceans.

The company said: “In the fashion industry, plastic is one of the biggest challenges. It is not only used in synthetic materials such as polyester, but also in hangers, hang tags, single-use shopping bags and polybags. When it comes to packaging, plastic is partly used to protect some products and prevent waste, which makes it even more challenging to replace. The question is, how can we prevent packaging from becoming waste is self and at the same time deliver top-quality products?”

Its answer comes from a test project as its distribution centres in the UK, Netherlands, Sweden, China, Russia and Australia, where it has been testing more sustainable solutions for millions of packages. The new bags are made of certified paper that it says can be made to be as protective of the products as plastic is. And once opened, the bags are recyclable as the company aims to cut down on the overall level of waste produced.   

So far, the new packaging has been introduced to customers at Cos, Arket, Monki and Weekday. The H&M brand has started to implement it in selected markets, and it will be rolled out more widely at the brand in the months ahead. The &Other Stories brand will also be added to the programme early next year.