Sustainability is a hot topic in the textile and fashion industry at the moment. Designer brands such as Stella McCartney have been supporting Respect for Nature for years, and now H&M is the latest high-street retailer to step up its sustainability game.
H&M Conscious Exclusive A/W 2018 merges historical artifacts with the latest in sustainable fabric innovation
Inspired by a lost fragment of an ancient tapestry, H&M Conscious Exclusive A/W 2018 merges historical artifacts with the latest in sustainable fabric innovation. Recycled cashmere and velvet made from recycled polyester make their debut in the collection, which will be available online only from 27 September at hm.com.
“We are absolutely thrilled to be launching an Autumn/Winter Conscious Exclusive collection for the first time,” says Ann-Sofie Johansson, creative advisor at H&M.
“It started with a desire to create a statement coat in a sustainable material that could be worn for both special occasions and day-to-day life, but then it evolved into something more substantial by merging the journey of historical artifacts with a modern design sensibility,” she adds.
The collection consists of womenswear clothing, lingerie, shoes and accessories. Key separates include a full-length black coat with and oversized collar made from a recycled wool blend, a sequin floral jacket made from recycled PET bottles, and a long-printed dress with voluminous sleeves and deep v-back detail made from 100% organic silk.
Recycled cashmere and velvet made from recycled polyester make their debut in the collection
“There is a wonderful range of sustainable fabrics in this collection, like recycled cashmere, the new velvet made from recycled polyester, as well as the use of leftover ECONYL from the H&M Conscious Exclusive S/S 2018 collection,” adds Cecilia Brännsten, environmental sustainability manager at H&M group.
“The quality and textures not only complement the designs, but also highlight the fabric innovation that H&M is closely involved with. The velvet, for instance, has taken years to develop in order to create a high enough quality that we were happy with.”
The colour palette consists of black, off-white, dusty rose pink, mustard yellow, dusty blues and a touch of light grey. Accessories include sculptural earrings made from recycled plastic, black sock booties made from recycled polyester, sling back stilettos with ribbons made from recycled polyester and TENCEL, a large printed scarf with long fringes in a TENCEL blend, and a black shoulder piece with recycled velvet circles attached to long ribbons and a black sequined hoodie-balaclava.
