What does two decades of innovation in more sustainable fashion look like? This was one of the questions Stella McCartney and H&M set out to answer with their new collaboration. Combining more responsibly sourced materials with a designer label and competitive price points, the collection is a step in the right direction for fast fashion.
When H&M first collaborated with Stella McCartney it was 2005. The phrase ‘sustainable fashion’ was not yet in common use. Ethical fashion brands were small, focusing on materials – mainly organic cotton. There were no industry-wide standards for measuring sustainability in fashion. Their collection was groundbreaking in that it brought Stella’s animal-free approach to the general public, broadening the scope for what could be produced at scale.
100% RWS wool and Eco Jilin Viscose waistcoat and blazer and 100% RWS wool trousers. Image: Sam Rock | Courtesy of H&M
Besides its obvious commercial success – the collection sold out within days, some pieces within hours – marking a turning point for H&M’s sustainability journey. “Stella inspired us to do better,” said H&M’s creative advisor Ann-Sofie Johansson in an online press conference. The brand started incorporating organic cotton, becoming one of the biggest users of organic cotton worldwide in 2011. “Today, all of the cotton used at H&M is organic, recycled or better sourced cotton.”
This proven commitment was why Stella agreed to a second collaboration. Since its launch in 2001, her eponymous label has produced vegan fashion – unusual in the world of high fashion, especially at the time. Its scope has grown over the years to include care of the environment as a whole. The label’s list of innovative fabrics is vast – from grape-based alternatives to animal leather to plant-based feathers.
Now, Stella is making her conscious choice in materials accessible for a mainstream audience. The new collection is classic Stella McCartney – structured tailoring, cheeky details, smatterings of rock ‘n roll grunge and oversized elegance – and a combination of everyday wear and evening statement pieces. Evening wear is famously hard to make more sustainable, with sparkles and shiny elements typically harmful to the environment.
100% organic cotton shirt and trousers, and handbags made from organic cotton and recycled polyester. Image: Sam Rock | Courtesy of H&M
100% organic cotton shirt and trousers, and handbags made from organic cotton and recycled polyester. Image: Courtesy of H&M
GOTS-certified organic cotton T-shirt, 100% RWS wool trousers, and handbag using recycled polyamide and polyester. Image: Courtesy of H&M
Along with this collaboration, the two brands have launched an Insights Board. This forum is comprised of different stakeholders across the apparel value chain – including technologists, activists, and journalists – who meet to brainstorm and discuss ways to make the fashion industry more sustainable.
“Sustainability has fallen off the agenda a little bit now. Nobody seems to talk about sustainability any longer – including H&M,” says Ann-Sofie. “We just thought it was great to team up again, join forces. Put it back on the agenda, and keep that conversation going.”
Accessible sustainable fashion
Stella set out to reach a wider audience with this collaboration. “I hate how elitist my industry is,” she says. “I hate that working in a sustainable way – sourcing better, growing mushroom leathers – means that my price points are higher.”
The price range for the collection is broad, sitting on the higher end of fast fashion price tags. A GOTS-certified organic cotton bodysuit is R429, while the most expensive piece – a grey trenchcoat made from 100% Responsible Wool Standard (RWS) wool – is R4499. But in comparison: a similar coat from Stella McCartney’s label, also made from RWS wool, sells for around R61,375.
“This is not the cheapest of the cheap because there is a price that comes to doing anything good,” says Stella. “But this is an access area. Certainly for a lot more than normal.”
Stella also sees H&M’s reach as an opportunity to educate. Each garment’s swing tag highlights the materials used, an effort she hopes will make consumers more aware of what they’re buying.
“I want them to go, wait a minute. That’s a recycled polyester, and then when I go to the other fast fashion brand, it’s just polyester. What does that mean?”
Angelina Kendall wears leggings made using recycled beads and a 100% GOTS-certified hoodie. Image: Sam Rock | Courtesy of H&M
Most of the items in the collaboration are made from organic cotton, including GOTS-certified and Regenerative Organic Certified (ROC). Synthetics used are recycled, like textile-to-textile recycled polyester and recycled polyamide, usually made from fishing nets or industrial waste. To achieve sparkly details, sequins made from recycled plastic bottles (PET) and beads made from recycled glass have been used. Stella’s trademark Falabella chains are found throughout – made from recycled aluminium, brass and zinc.
Stella hopes to evoke change in the industry by leading through example, showing that more sustainable choices can be made by big brands. “I believe you have to infiltrate from within,” she says. “If you can show that this can be scaled and that you don’t sacrifice on any quality for kindness it’s a really important business moment, and a very important conscious consumer moment too.”
- H&M South Africa sponsors the Twyg Sustainable Fashion Awards, in particular the Emerging Designer category
- The Stella McCartney H&M collection will be available from 7 May at Sandton City, V&A Waterfront and online via Superbalist
- You can view the full collection here
- Feature image: Trousers and shirt in an organic cotton base with recycled glass Hotfix
