H&M

What is H&M?

H&M, or Hennes & Mauritz, is a Swedish multinational clothing retail company and one of the world’s largest fast fashion brands. Founded in 1947, H&M operates over 4,300 stores in 77 markets and sells through its online platform in 60 markets. The H&M Group also owns Arket, COS, Monki, Weekday and & Other Stories, giving it a significant footprint across multiple market segments.

H&M competes directly with Zara at the lower end of fast fashion, positioning itself as the most affordable option in the segment. Its core proposition is trend-led clothing at very low prices, with new collections arriving weekly.

Quality — what are you actually buying?

H&M sits at the lower end of fast fashion quality. The brand’s low price points are reflected in fabric choices, construction and longevity. Most garments are primarily synthetic or low-grade cotton blends that will not survive repeated washing without pilling, fading or losing shape.

There are exceptions — their premium lines and some basics in heavier cotton show more care in construction. But as a general rule, H&M garments are designed to last a season rather than years. The value proposition is price, not quality. It is important to understand this clearly before buying.

What fabrics does H&M use?

H&M relies heavily on synthetic and blended fabrics across the majority of its range. Their Conscious Collection uses more natural materials, but this represents a small fraction of overall production. The majority of garments use polyester, cotton-poly blends and acrylic — all low-cost, low-longevity materials.

Green indicates natural fibres. Grey indicates semi-synthetic. Red indicates synthetic petroleum-based fibres. H&M’s range skews heavily towards the red end of this spectrum.

Where are H&M’s clothes made?

H&M manufactures across a broad range of countries, primarily in Asia. Unlike Zara’s proximity manufacturing model, H&M centralises production in lower-cost markets.

Is H&M ethical?

H&M has faced sustained criticism over its ethical practices despite publishing significant sustainability commitments. The brand has been a vocal proponent of sustainable fashion, pledging to use 100% sustainably sourced materials by 2030 and to achieve climate positivity by 2040.

However, H&M has been criticised for greenwashing — particularly its Conscious Collection, which has been found in some markets to contain inaccurate or misleading environmental claims. The Norwegian Consumer Authority and Danish Consumer Council both found H&M sustainability scorecards to be incomplete and potentially misleading.

On labour rights, H&M has been involved in several high-profile incidents relating to worker safety and wages in its supply chain, particularly in Bangladesh. Progress has been made but the pace and substance remain contested by labour rights organisations.

H&M Conscious Collection — is it better?

H&M’s Conscious Collection uses more organic cotton, recycled polyester and Tencel than the main line. The fabric quality is genuinely higher on these items and worth seeking out if shopping at H&M. However, the collection represents a small fraction of the brand’s total output and does not change the overall picture of a brand built on high-volume, low-cost production.