Sweden: Latest apparel and textile news & analysis

What Arket reveals about H&M's new direction 21 Jun 2017

H&M’s new Arket concept is quite unlike anything previously seen from the retailer. Rather than adopt a faster sourcing strategy, the company has opted to introduce a new brand to cater to shifts in consumer behaviour and progress towards a more sustainable business model. Bernadette Kissane, senior analyst for apparel and footwear at Euromonitor International, takes a closer look.

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What's the difference between compliance and safety? 26 May 2016

Swedish fashion retailer H&M is one of the leaders of the move to change compliance, and is at the forefront of sustainability. However, at the same time H&M appears to show no interest in the safety of workers making its products, write Emma Birnbaum and David Birnbaum. What is the difference between compliance and worker safety? they ask.

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H&M sustainability goals include water-based PU shoes 15 Apr 2016

Hennes & Mauritz (H&M) is to place its first volume orders for shoes made with water-based vegan leather this year as part of new sustainability goals set out by the Swedish fashion retailer.

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IN THE MONEY: H&M faces margin pressure on dollar impact 26 Jun 2015

H&M Hennes & Mauritz will likely suffer gross margin pressure in the near-term, analysts believe, as the negative impact from the strong US dollar is compounded by increased purchasing costs and increasing wages.

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SUSTAINABILITY: H&M adds transparency to yarn and fabric suppliers 10 Apr 2015

The latest sustainability efforts from fashion retailer H&M Hennes & Mauritz include adding fabric and yarn mills to its publicly published supplier factory list, and further progress in its work towards fair living wages - although criticism suggests this is not progressing fast enough for some.

H&M hits back at new claims it destroys unsold clothes 15 Oct 2018

Swedish apparel retailer H&M insists it only burns stock that breaks its "chemical restrictions," after a group of German investigative reporters alleged it "unnecessarily incinerated around 100,000 pieces of clothing."

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Asket makes significant progress tracing supply chain 10 Oct 2018

Swedish online menswear brand Asket has successfully traced 68% of its supply chain, from cotton farms to final garments, just five months after making a transparency commitment.

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H&M optimistic as transformation strategy takes hold 27 Sep 2018

H&M CEO Karl-Johan Persson is confident the Swedish fashion retailer's transformation strategy is bearing fruit as its improvement work helped boost sales in the first nine months of the year, despite a drop in earnings and the "many challenges" that still remain.

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Monki reaches 100% sustainably sourced cotton goal 25 Sep 2018

Scandinavian fashion brand Monki says it will reach its goal to source 100% of its cotton products sustainably by the autumn.

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H&M hits back at claims profits "built on poverty wages" 24 Sep 2018

H&M has hit back at campaigners alleging the brand is falling short of its responsibility to protect workers in its supply chain through compensation, despite the retailer announcing last week almost 1m workers are benefiting via its fair wage strategy.

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Almost 1m workers benefiting from H&M fair wage strategy 20 Sep 2018

Swedish clothing giant H&M says almost 1m workers are now using its global Fair Living Wage Strategy, which encompasses the vision that a fair living wage should be paid by all its suppliers.

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H&M returns to sales growth in Q3 17 Sep 2018

Shares in Hennes & Mauritz (H&M) were up by almost 13% this-morning (17 September) as the Swedish fashion retailer regained its upward trajectory after two straight quarters of flat sales growth.

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H&M uses recycled cashmere and velvet in latest line 11 Sep 2018

Swedish fashion retailer Hennes & Mauritz (H&M) has introduced new sustainable materials including recycled cashmere and velvet into the first autumn/winter collection from its eco-friendly Conscious Exclusive line.

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We Are Spindye eyes growth of sustainable dye business with cash boost 5 Sep 2018

Swedish apparel technology company We Are Spindye is pressing forward with plans to develop a sustainable colouring method for synthetic yarns and fabrics - a move it claims will cut water use by 75% and chemical use by 90% - after receiving an EUR3m (US$3.5m) cash boost.

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Coloreel makes thread coloring unit available in Europe 3 Sep 2018

Sweden’s Coloreel is making its technology for colouring textile thread available in Europe after taking the first step in building a global distributors network.

H&M leads on sustainable fashion 17 Apr 2015

H&M's new Conscious Exclusive collection, which launched this week, proves that high street fashion can be sustainable. And as the line gains momentum it’s using more diverse materials, including recycled beads, fabrics such as hemp, organic linen, and organic leather.