H&M presents first mini collection made from regenerative cotton

Fashion brand H&M presented the first garments made from regenerative cotton yesterday. The six-piece H&M Studio mini summer capsule collection channels the holiday mood and includes two maxi dresses, two kaftans, and a bralette with matching flared skirt.

“Each piece has been made using Regenerative Organic Certified cotton,” assures H&M in a press release. However, the brand does not disclose the percentage of certified organic cotton from regenerative cultivation per garment.

Regenerative organic certified cotton is cotton grown without the use of artificial pesticides or fertilisers and contains no genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Regenerative organic certified agriculture focuses on animal welfare, restoring the soil and the lives of farmers. 

Just over two years ago, in May 2022, the H&M Group joined the Regenerative Production Landscape Collaborative (RPL Collaborative), which comprises a total of 140,000 Indian smallholder farmers, as part of a public-private partnership. The RPL Collaborative was jointly founded by the Laudes Foundation, IDH The Sustainable Trade Initiative and WWF India. It brings together brands such as H&M, Inditex, Ikea, PepsiCo India and others with governments, farmers and civil society to promote regenerative agriculture and sustainable sourcing.

In the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, H&M is working with smallholder farmers as part of the partnership to help them switch to regenerative practices. “The project aims to move farmers to a multi-commodity supply chain and build community resilience through systemic change driven by local ownership and governance,“ states the H&M Group on its website.

In collaboration with the WWF, the H&M Group is also working with cotton farmers to introduce regenerative farming methods, secure livelihoods and protect a corridor for tigers and other wildlife in Satpura Pench in Madhya Pradesh. “The first harvest season brought lower pest populations and lower costs compared to conventional farming,“ is the preliminary conclusion.

The company also joined a project of the Better Cotton Growth & Innovation Fund and WWF India, which aims to develop a regenerative agricultural model for smallholder farms that can also be replicated in other areas.

“It prioritises easy-to-adopt practices that have an immediate effect on soil health such as using organic compost and biological alternatives to synthetic fungicides,“ says H&M.

“With this capsule we wanted to create an edit of throw-on-and-go holiday looks that can take you from the beach to drinks on the terrace to dinner al fresco. Versatility and durability are key concerns for our design team, and they were determined to create the ultimate summer dress our customers will be reaching for year after year, in a high-quality cotton that conforms to Regenerative Organic Certified standards,“, comments H&M’s head of design womenswear and creative advisor Ann-Sofie Johansson in the press release.

The mini capsule will be available from 4th July via the H&M website.