Swedish fast fashion giant H&M is looking for ways to encourage consumers to recycle old clothes. With the help of the clothing recycling system “Looop”, H&M will launch “clothing-to-clothing recycling” in shopping mall stores in Stockholm on October 12. Garment-to-garment recycling machine.
Looop is a joint venture between H&M’s non-profit foundation H&M Foundation (H&M Foundation), Hong Kong Research Institute of Textiles and Apparel (HKRITA) and Hong Kong spinning company Novetex Presented by Textiles.
This is the first time a clothing retailer has demonstrated the entire clothing recycling process in-store. machine, H&M is proud to show consumers how to recycle discarded clothing and turn it into new “fashion favorites”.
It is reported that the machine H&M placed in the store is a scaled-down version of an industrial model, which can dismantle, clean, and chop old clothes into fibers and spin them into yarn. , then knitted into a sweater, scarf or baby blanket. H&M strives to reduce the use of other new materials in this process, and does not use water or chemicals, which has a much smaller impact on the environment than traditional clothing production from scratch. H&M also plans to expand the range of products it offers, but has not said whether the machine will be rolled out to other stores of the brand.
Pascal Brun, head of sustainability at H&M, said, “This machine allows consumers to understand what is happening behind the scenes, and our aim is to encourage consumers to Keeping your own clothes while also educating consumers about the value of old clothes in recycling. We are constantly exploring new technologies and innovative ways to reduce the fashion industry’s reliance on virgin resources, and we are excited to see what Looop will bring to the table Such changes.”
H&M plans to have all materials recyclable or source materials in a more sustainable way by 2030. Finding commercially viable, green ways to recycle clothing into new, high-quality fabrics is key to reducing the need for new fibers, and some research projects are currently testing new methods on a small scale. Erik Bang of the H&M Foundation said, “The things we want to recycle are in customers’ wardrobes.”
Currently, members of the H&M Loyalty Club only cost 100 SEK (approximately RMB 77) can transform your old clothes into new fashion items. Non-members need to spend 150 Swedish kronor (approximately RMB 115). It is reported that the proceeds from H&M’s recycling of used clothes will be used for materials research-related projects.
Currently, consumers can recycle used clothes at most H&M stores, but some stores have stopped related operations due to the epidemic. Separately, in a project partly funded by the H&M Foundation, HKRITA has developed a method to separate cotton and polyester in blended garments, making them easier to recycle.
In addition to H&M, LEVI’S also launched a second-hand denim recycling website last week and opened a sustainable concept store.
On Monday, Levi’s announced the launch of a second-hand Levi’s denim product recycling program to repurchase consumers’ unwanted second-hand denim through a newly launched second-hand denim recycling website products, and resell quality second-hand denim products.
Levi’s said that the brand’s second-hand denim products have been circulating among the public. This initiative can connect consumers with styles they would not have otherwise discovered, and most importantly, avoid clothing thrown into landfill. It is reported that 64% of the 32 billion pieces of clothing produced globally every year are eventually thrown into landfills.
Through this recycling program, consumers can sell unwanted Levi’s products back to the brand at participating stores in exchange for gift cards worth $15 to $20. Used clothes that cannot be resold can be exchanged for $5 and handed over to the clothing recycling company Renewcell for recycling. The company will professionally sort and clean the returned denim products and then sell them through the new second-hand website, with prices ranging from $30 to $300, similar to used Levi’s denim products sold on websites such as Ebay, Etsy, Poshmark and Depop. In comparison, the former has more price advantages.
Levi’s chief marketing officer Jennifer Sey said, “Reusing and repairing clothes requires only a small amount of energy input and no need for water or dyes. Buying second-hand Levi’s products is compared to buying new Levi’s products. , can reduce about 80% of carbon dioxide emissions and 700 grams of waste.”
On the same day, The RealReal, the leading U.S. second-hand luxury goods e-commerce company, announced that it will cooperate with Italian luxury goods Brand Gucci (Gucci) cooperates to promote the circular economy in the fashion luxury sector. </p
