DISCUSSION
H&M sells supply chain transparency
Written by George Anderson
H&M announced last week that it had become the first major fashion retailer to bring transparency to its wider supply chain by offering details on all clothing sold on hm.com as well as the majority of interior products from its home collection sold on the site.
Each item included in H&M’s transparency initiative will show details on the country where it was produced, supplier names, factory names with addresses and the number of workers employed at the facilities. The retailer’s customers can also find out about the materials used in making individual garments. The goal, according to H&M, is to enable its customers to make more informed choices about the products they purchase.
“By being open and transparent about where our products are made, we hope to set the bar for our industry and encourage customers to make more sustainable choices,” said Isak Roth, H&M’s head of sustainability, in a statement. “With transparency comes responsibility, making transparency such an important factor to help create a more sustainable fashion industry.”
H&M has long touted its willingness to be open about its supply chain and sustainability initiatives. It first began publishing its supplier list online in 2013. Two years ago, it introduced its Conscious Exclusive Collection produced with Bionic Yard, which is made from grocery bags and plastic bottles collected after being washed up on shore. The retailer previously set a goal of having 100 percent of the cotton used in its clothing to be sustainably sourced by 2020.
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