In a bid to reduce plastic waste, H&M Group is trialing a new portfolio of recyclable paper packaging solutions for its e-commerce channels.
So far, the new packaging solution has been introduced to millions of customers by the H&M brands COS, ARKET, Monki, and Weekday.
The main H&M brand itself has started to implement it in selected markets, and will look to increase the rollout in the upcoming months. The brand &Other Stories will also be joining the initiative at the start of this year.
Hanna Lumikero, the owner of the new project, comments: “We are introducing a type of packaging that is better for both the customer and the environment. It is yet to be improved since we need to continue working on replacing the use of plastic throughout our logistics supply chain. But by introducing this new multi-brand packaging we are creating a huge impact by replacing the outer plastic with a paper solution. This is a small step on a long journey.”
H&M hopes that this solution will help it to reach the goals of its circular strategy for packaging, including reducing packaging by 25% and designing reusable, recyclable, or compostable packaging by 2025 at the latest.
The company says that these goals are aligned with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s New Plastics Economy Global Commitment, as well as the Fashion Pact and Canopy’s initiative Pack4Good, and have led to it removing most of its plastic shopping bags in-store, substituting with a paper option.
Together with other actions, the group reports that this has contributed to a 4.7% reduction in plastic packaging during 2019, which equates to over 1000 tonnes of plastic.
