Fashion Supply Chain Case Study: H&M

We know that in order to reduce to negative effects of the fashion supply chain, big impacts will many times reside with big fashion brands and companies. H&M is setting a good example for other brands in the fashion industry through their sustainable supply chain. H&M us a Swedish multinational fashion company with about 3100 stores. They have promoted sustainability by developing eco-friendly materials, monitoring sustainable manufacturing, providing safety training, reducing carbon emission in distribution, and promoting eco-fashion. Sustainable manufacturing is key here as it is directly related with human rights and environmental protection. In recent years there have been issues related to fashion manufacturing, such as with the factories in Bangladesh in which poor working conditions and safety hazards led to the disaster in the Rana Plaza building. It is so important the fashion companies take care in making sure that their manufacturing processes are safe for workers and the environment. 

H&M also launched the program called “Conscious Action” which creates more job opportunities in less developed countries, and promotes the use of recycled resources. When a fashion company as big as this makes it a goal to promotes sustainability, they do so by developing a more sustainable supply chain and the result brings awareness to other global brands as well as consumers to follow this positive change.

For more information check out H&M's Conscious Action Sustainability Report here: http://sustainability.hm.com.