Why H&M believes collaboration is the key to transparency

H&M has a big goal: to become 100% sustainable and renewable while maintaining prices low and keeping quality up. It’s a big ask with some short timelines to achieve it. The question is whether the second largest clothing retailer in the world can really ever be considered eco-conscious and sustainable while pumping out fast fashion? Is it all a contradiction?

One thing we know for sure – millennial consumers seem to be more concerned about manufacturing practices and their effects on the environment than ever, according to Nina Shariati, who leads transparency for the H&M Group. She sat down with TheCurrent’s Rachel Arthur in Copenhagen to discuss the brand’s latest projects in this space, why transparency doesn’t equal sustainability directly, and what its plans are to continuously push the boundaries to appeal more to consumers with an eye for the environment.

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TheCurrent Innovators is a podcast about the leaders pushing the boundaries of fashion, beauty and retail. Hosted by Liz Bacelar and Rachel Arthur, each episode is a frank conversation about the challenges and opportunities faced by top brands and retailers around the world today through the lens of technology. The podcast, distributed by MouthMedia Network, has showcased the likes of Stefano Rosso, CEO of Diesel; William Tunstall-Pedoe, founder of the tech behind Amazon Alexa; and Nina Shariati, who is responsible for transparency at H&M.