Following the 2011 report of Greenpeace where the relationship between the textile manufacturing plants using hazardous chemicals and the water pollution, H&M took a decision for transparency in production and announced that they would follow an environment-friendly policy. According to the report in question, some clothes found in the product portfolio of H&M contained carcinogenic amines resulting from the use of high levels of poisonous phthalate, nonyl phenol ethoxylate and some azoic dyes. After the issue was publicised throughout the world, H&M exerted great efforts to put an end to the use of such hazardous agents as nonyl phenol ethoxylate. At the end of these efforts, H&M introduced Conscious and special design Conscious Exclusive collections consisting of totally natural materials.
In the collection of Conscious where Amber Valetta was the face of the campaign, H&M uses fully organic and recyclable materials. Conscious Exclusive which includes many striking pieces has been created by Ever Manifesto, the sustainable design team. The collection includes dramatic pieces which were prepared with inspiration from flamenco and bohemian images and were treated with fine details.
H&M Memorial Forest
In the launching organized for the promotion of the collection, H&M agreed with the Carbon Hunters for the first time and made them calculate all the carbon foot prints during the event. Thus, it will plant trees for recovering the amount of oxygen spent. Besides, H&M made a special cooperation with TEMA Foundation and accordingly will grant a sapling to Tema Foundation Balikesir Kepsut Forestation Area for each client making shopping from Conscious Collection between 10 April and 1 May. A H&M Memorial Forest will be founded with the planted trees.
H&M Transports its Production Facilities from Cambodia and Bangladesh
With the continuing protests of the textile workers in Cambodia and Bangladesh since the month of December of the last year and due to the increasing production costs, H&M is planning to transport its production to other countries. Coming to the global agenda with the building which collapsed in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, in April 2013 and led to the death of 1.133 people, the problems in Cambodia and Bangladesh damaged the image of many famous brands.
In the textile sector which is the biggest source of employment in Cambodia and Bangladesh, 4 out of 10 individuals work. In the sector where 90 % of the workers are female, there are child workers as well. While the average wage of an adult is about 50 Euros in textile, the people gain 111 Euros in China. Protesting these conditions, textile workers report that their only desire is to live humanely by stating that they always work at stake.
