People Are Talking
H&M’s Organic Cotton Isn’t 100% Organic–It’s Not Sustainable, Either
By Lauren Sherman
Several eco-fashion blogs, including the well-done Ecouterre, are concerned that H&M’s organic cotton collection may not be 100% organic. Indeed, H&M has admitted that some of its certified-organic clothes may contain genetically modified strands of the white stuff.
So, how big of a deal is this? Well, for those admirably dedicated to wearing only 100% organic fashions, it could be crushing news. However, I urge you to look at the bigger picture.
While some of H&M’s organic collection may in fact be 100% cotton–and let me say that it’s all really cute, too; definitely my favorite range in the store–it’s certainly not sustainable.
Not only does it take a LOT of fuel to fly the cotton from India where it’s grown to Eastern Europe or Southeast Asia where it’s sewn together to make dresses and skirts, but it takes even more fuel to ship it to hundreds of H&M stores worldwide.
It seems like, if you’re that committed to wearing sustainable fashion, you should be buying items that are produced locally with locally-grown materials. (There are brands who are able to accomplish this.)
What about you? Is it important to you that the cotton you wear is organic and if so, sustainable as well? Or is wearing organic cotton–regardless of how far away from you it was produced–good enough?
Tags: eco-clothing, Ecouterre, H&M, organic cotton
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this is why i hate things like organic lines. Yes, the cotton might be grown organically pesticide free or what have you but then yeah there is the cheap labor, the shipping, etc, especially if you insist on mass produced “organic” lines.
But here is the reality. You’re a consumer, and no matter how self righteous you want to be about consuming or choosing organic or local or used/vintage, facts are that if you’re buying something then something at some point in time had to be destroyed and altered and manufactured get it to you so cheaply. I harbor no illusions about how my consumption affects everything.
well thats kind of silly because the same exact thing happens with the regular H&M clothes, and almost ANY clothes. Maybe we should all go naked then.
American Apparel! too bad they make tasteless fugly stuff
do they use vegetable dyes? if they are going to claim to use organic cotton, the dyes should be organic too, right?
i don’t think anyone who purchases products (organic or not) from mass retailers like H&M is silly enough to believe that they are sustainable. Sustainability isn’t the issue, it’s the fact that H&M advertised said products as 100% Organic. How was H&M able to get away with this? Will there be any legal actions taken against H&M? This seems like a pretty big deal considering there are laws requiring disclosure of fabric content.