#Sustainability

2020-04-23

H&M Group leads the Fashion Transparency Index 2020

H&M Group has been named number one out of 250 fashion brands in the latest Fashion Transparency Index, which ranks companies according to how much information they disclose about their suppliers, supply chain policies and practices, and social and environmental impact.

The fashion industry has been known for having a complex and opaque supply chain. Transparency has been a cornerstone of H&M Group’s sustainability work. Back in 2013, H&M Group was one of the first global fashion retailers to make its supplier list public.

Since then, the group has been taking steps to make it more accessible for customers to know where their products are made. Customers at arket.com can check the suppliers and factories making their favourite items, while last year, hm.com started offering additional information in almost all of their products, such as production country, supplier and factory names and addresses, as well as the number of workers in the factory. In addition, customers can find out more about the materials used to make a specific garment and are reminded to recycle their garments.

“It is a great honor to be ranked as number one in the Fashion Transparency Index 2020 and a great recognition of our work.

We always aim to be as transparent as possible in our progress towards a more sustainable fashion future, as well as the challenges ahead, in order to keep driving industry change. We are committed to continue taking steps for greater transparency so customers can make informed decisions and drive a positive impact in the industry through our extensive work to become fully circular and climate positive, while being a fair and equal company,” says Hanna Hallin, Global Strategy Lead for Transparency at H&M Group.

Sustainable production at the factory Hangzhou Suntex, China (c) 2020 H&M Group

The Fashion Transparency Index, launched during the Fashion Revolution Week, creates awareness on important issues for the whole textile industry, such as transparency, good working conditions in the supply chain and the need for shifting towards a circular economy.

Taking responsibility of how H&M Group’s products are made is fundamental to the group. Good working conditions, the impact on climate and health and safety, are areas in which the company has been working for many years, developing higher standards for its production. Even in extraordinary situations, such as the rapid spread of the COVID-19, the group stands by its responsible purchasing practices. H&M Group is well aware that the suppliers, and their employees, are extremely vulnerable in this situation. The group is in a close dialogue with several partners and industry stakeholders to see how it can and should support in this difficult situation with the aim of finding a joint industry solution.

Due to the limited resources of the planet and the climate crisis, the way we produce and consume fashion must change. As a global fashion retailer, H&M Group has a big role to play, which is why the group is transforming its whole business to become fully circular and climate positive. Being circular means having a different approach to how fashion is designed, produced and used, and how fashion should never be seen as waste. It should be treated as a valuable resource by reusing and recycling again and again.

the company’s ambition to become circular includes, among others, offering its customers garment collecting options so a second life can be given through reusing and recycling, or increasing the use of recycled materials for its products, such as recycled polyester from old plastic bottles or recycled cotton from used garments.

“Production is a product”

From technical textiles and AI-driven robotics to the limitations of textile circularity: Professor Dr Thomas Gries looks back on more than two decades of development at ITA Aachen. In the interview, he explains why production technology remains a decisive success factor, discusses international collaborations and innovation ecosystems, and shares his views on the transformation of production landscapes and the challenges facing an increasingly regulated industry.

“We need to move away from the price trap and return to a value-driven mindset.”

With its new Textile Innovation Center, KARL MAYER is sending a strong signal for innovation, collaboration, and the future of textile applications. In this interview, Karl Josef Mayer discusses new opportunities in warp knitting, the processing of staple fibres, recycling, the changing role of machinery manufacturers, and why the textile industry must once again focus more strongly on the value of textiles. by Oliver Schmidt

“Innovation, resilience and international experience remain the great strengths of the Swiss textile machinery industry”

Geopolitical uncertainty, growing competitive pressure from China, new free trade agreements and the shift towards a circular economy are currently reshaping the global textile industry. In this interview, Cornelia Buchwalder discusses the current mood within the Swiss textile machinery sector, the industry’s distinctive innovative strength, new market opportunities in India and Asia, and the technological trends that could shape the upcoming trade fair cycle leading up to ITMA 2027.

Updated supply chain taxonomy advances apparel alignment

The apparel alliance (Apparel Impact Institute, Cascale, Textile Exchange, and ZDHC Foundation) today announced the launch of Version 2 of the Supply Chain Taxonomy, an updated harmonized framework designed to improve consistency, transparency, and collaboration across the textile, clothing, leather, and footwear (TCLF) sectors of the broader apparel industry.

Indovinya advances sustainable solutions with agreement for the supply of renewable Oxygen from Air Liquide

Indovinya, the specialty chemicals and surfactants division of Indorama Ventures, has entered into an agreement with Air Liquide — a world leader in gases, technologies, and services for industry and healthcare — for the supply of renewable oxygen. The agreement represents a strategic advancement in Indovinya’s commitment to sustainability, as it increases the share of renewable raw materials in the production of ethylene oxide, one of its key products.

Rieter sees Barmag integration on track as orders and sales rise

The first half of 2026 was shaped by the successful completion of the largest acquisition in Rieter’s history. The Man-Made Fiber Division enables entry into the growth segment of man-made fibers and sustainably strengthens Rieter’s market position in the Asia region. The expanded Group is now the world’s leading system supplier for the processing of natural and man-made fibers. In the first half of the year, initial cost savings in material costs and operating expenses have already been realized. The targeted synergies are expected to amount to at least CHF 20 million by the end of the 2028 financial year. Due to the completion of the acquisition on February 2, 2026, the first half of the year for the Man-Made Fiber Division only amounts to five months.

C&S strengthens its governance to support its evolution

C&S announces the appointment of Marco Lucietti to its Board of Directors. With extensive international experience across the textile and denim industries, Lucietti will work alongside CEO Federico Corneli, contributing to the company’s managerial development, organizational structure and long-term strategic direction.