H&M's Innovation Stories concept drives it deeper into sustainability

By

Sandra Halliday

Published
Feb 24, 2021

H&M is launching a new product concept called Innovation Stories next month with the first of a range of collections that will drop during 20201 debuting on March 18. Each drop will be “celebrating forward-thinking sustainability processes”. First up is Science Story, that will be available in selected stores and online. 

The retailer said it’s part of the brand and parent company’s further push for “positive transformation with a directional concept that showcases innovation, sustainable fabrications and design”.

Science Story “pays tribute to the brilliant minds behind fabrications of the future”. Along with the launch, it’s introducing new materials such as EVO by Fulgar (a bio-based yarn derived from castor oil) and Desserto, a plant-based alternative to leather, produced from cactus plants. 

H&M Concept Designer Ella Soccorsi said the story pays homage to “the years of research and experiments behind these incredible materials”.

What’s key though is that it’s yet another step on the wider group’s sustainability/circularity journey. Every launch the company shouts about these days features a strong sustainability angle and it’s clearly reached a no-going-back point, along with numerous other big names that are doing likewise.

The collection itself includes wide-leg bright white jeans with removable double waistband, a lightly-cropped chalk-white shirt with oversized breast-pocket and a cuffed tracksuit. 

There are also “energetic and bold accessories” designed to be “the edgy antidote to the collection's clean and classic clothing”. That means a chunky necklace with orange swirls and rhinestone detailing, coordinating statement loop rhinestone earrings, high-heeled green strap sandals and recycled plastic blue sunglasses with a double-lens frame.