H & M Hennes & Mauritz AB, commonly known by its brand nameH&M, is a Swedishmultinationalfast fashionretailer headquartered inStockholm. Known for itsfast fashion business model, H&M sells clothing, accessories, and homeware. The company has a significant global presence, operating thousands of stores across 75 geographical markets and employing over 171,000 people worldwide.[11]
The business was established in 1947 byErling Persson, when he opened his first shop inVästerås, Sweden.[17] The shop was called Hennes (Swedish for 'hers') and only sold women's clothing. Another store opened in Norway, in 1964.[18] In 1968, Persson acquired the hunting apparel retailer Mauritz Widforss, located in Stockholm, which led to the inclusion of a menswear collection in the product range, and the name was changed to Hennes & Mauritz.[17]
The company was listed on theStockholm Stock Exchange in 1974.[17] Shortly after, in 1976, the first store outside Scandinavia opened inLondon.[17][19] H&M continued to expand in Europe and began to retail online in 1998[20] with thedomainhm.com, which was registered in 1997, according to data available viaWHOIS. The opening of its first U.S. store on 31 March 2000 onFifth Avenue inNew York City marked the start of its expansion outside of Europe.[17]
In 2008, the company announced in apress release that it would begin selling home furnishings.[21] While initially distributed online, the home furnishing items are now sold at H&M Home stores worldwide.[22]
Concept stores, includingCOS, Weekday, Monki andCheap Monday, were launched following H&M's expansion in Asia. In 2009 and 2010, brand consultancy Interbrand ranked H&M as the twenty-first most-valuable global brand.[23] Its worth was estimated at $12 billion to $16 billion.[24][25] Under the "H&M with Friends", H&M will partner with Good American, a brand founded byKhloe Kardashian andEmme Grede, to feature their products in H&M's Swedish and German e-commerce shops.[26] In 2017, H&M founded a new concept store Arket. In 2023, H&M launched its clothing line for children and teenagers, called "H&M by Mary Verdawn Sulmeron", exclusively sold for thePhilippine market.
H&M operated 2,325 stores at the end of 2011. At the end of August 2012, they were operating 304 more stores, bringing the total to 2,629.[27] In September 2013, the retailer opened its 3000th store inChengdu, China.[28] In 2023, the company announced that it will enter theBrazilian market in both physical and digital formats, expected to begin operations in 2025.[29]
In October 2020, H&M announced that it was planning to close 5% of its worldwide stores in 2021 as a result of theCOVID-19 pandemic.[30] The fashion retailer H&M closed 250 shops throughout the globe and moved the majority of its operations online. The H&M Group's sales growth remained at −34% year-over-year from 2020 week 12 to week 22.[31]
Along withhundreds of other global companies, H&M announced on 2 March 2022, an end to retail operations of its more than 150 stores inRussia as a result of theRussian invasion of Ukraine. H&M cited that it stands "with all the people who are suffering" in Ukraine as well as for "the safety of customers and colleagues" in Russia.[32][33] Having recently expanded via its Weekday and & Other Stories formats, Russia was H&M's sixth-biggest market at the time, representing 4% of group sales in the fourth quarter of 2021. The company also temporarily closed its Ukraine stores, which remain closed as of 2023.[34][35]
H&M sources its clothing products from various countries globally. The primary manufacturing locations for H&M products areChina,Bangladesh.[36] While H&M's headquarters is inSweden, it operates 21 supplier and factory locations within the country.
In November 2004, select stores offered an exclusive collection by fashion designerKarl Lagerfeld. The press reported there were large crowds and that the initial inventories in big cities were sold out within an hour.[39]
In November 2006, the company launched a collection byStella McCartney.
H&M launched a collaboration designed by pop starMadonna in March 2007.[40]
In November 2007, several months after collaborating with Madonna, the company launched a collection by Italian designerRoberto Cavalli.[citation needed]
Finnish companyMarimekko was chosen as a guest designer in spring 2008.[41]
H&M partnered withComme des Garçons, a Japanese fashion label, in the fall of 2008. Products in the collection included accessories, a unisex fragrance, and clothing for adults and children.[42]
For spring and summer of 2009, British designerMatthew Williamson created two exclusive ranges for the company – the first being a collection of women's clothes that were released in select stores. For the second collection, Williamson ventured into creating menswear for the first time. It featured swimwear for men and women and was available in all of H&M's stores worldwide.[43]
On 14 November 2009, the company released a limited-editiondiffusion collection byJimmy Choo featuring handbags and shoes for men and women, with prices ranging from £30 to £170. The collection also included clothing designed by Choo, such as garments made ofsuede and leather, and was available in 200 stores worldwide, including London'sOxford Circus store.[44]
Sonia Rykiel collaborated with the company by designing a ladiesknitwear and lingerie range that was released in select company stores on 5 December 2009.
French fashion houseLanvin collaborated with H&M to create a new collection, "Lanvin Hearts H&M," in fall 2010.[45] The collection, designed to make Lanvin clothing more accessible to the average consumer, featured items that were around 100 euros. Usually Lanvin dresses would cost hundreds of euros more.[46]
For Spring and Summer 2011, the company worked with fashion bloggerElin Kling, whose collection was only available at select stores.
H&M announced a collaboration withVersace in June 2011 that was later released on 19 November.Versace also planned a Spring collaboration with the company that would only be available in countries with online sales. Similar to past collaborations, Versace agreed to let H&M use its name for a previously agreed-upon sum, without actually having a role in the design process.[47]
H&M announced a collaboration withMarni in November 2011. The campaign launched a few months later in March 2012 and was led by directorSofia Coppola.[citation needed]Trompe-l'œil-printed viscose jersey dress by Maison Martin Margiela for H&M, 2012
On 4 October 2012,Vogue Japan editorAnna Dello Russo launched an accessories collection with H&M asParis Fashion Week drew to an end. The collection was stocked in 140 H&M stores worldwide and was also available to purchase online.[48]
On 12 June 2012, H&M confirmed that it would launch a collaboration withavant-garde labelMaison Martin Margiela for a fall rollout. The Maison Martin Margiela collection for H&M hit stores a few months later on 15 November 2012.[citation needed]
Isabel Marant was a collaboration designer for fall 2013 and, for the first time in her career, made a few men's pieces to accompany the women's collection.[49] The collection sold out very quickly in cities across the globe and was heavily anchored in sales online.[50]
During theCoachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in California, H&M announced its first collaboration with an American designer.Alexander Wang was the designer chosen and the collection was released to a select 250 stores around the world on 6 November 2014.
Balmain was announced as the next collaboration with H&M through Balmain designerOlivier Rousteing'sInstagram page. The collection was released on 5 November 2015.[51] That year's H&M Christmas campaign was made in collaboration with popstarKaty Perry, who also sang the commercial soundtrack "'Every Day Is A Holiday".[52]
In November 2016, H&M released a designer line in collaboration withKenzo.[53] That year the company released an annual holiday movie directed byWes Anderson as part of the company's Christmas advertising campaign.[54] Titled "Come Together", the short film starredAdrien Brody as a train conductor who saves Christmas after a blizzard delays the train's arrival and causes the few passengers to miss part of the holiday.[54][55][56][57]
Swedish singerZara Larsson designed a "playful, young, empowering and little glamorous" collection with H&M in February 2017.[58]
After 20 years,Naomi Campbell came back to collaborate with the company for a global female empowerment commercial spot in fall 2017. She wore clothes that blurred the line between masculine and feminine in the campaign's Tokyo spot-video where shelip-synced "Wham Rap (Enjoy What You Do)" byWham!.[59]
Designers Jeremy Scott andMoschino collaborated with the brand in April 2018.
With the idea of reviving the spirit of the swinging sixties, H&M collaborated with designer Richard Allan in July 2019.[60]
The Fleur du Soleil collection, part of H&M's collaboration with Lebanese designerSandra Mansour, was released in August 2020 and marked the first time the company had partnered with an Arab designer.[61]
Irish designerSimone Rocha, daughter of designerJohn Rocha, was announced as a collaborative partner in March 2021. Rocha's designs launched with an H&M campaign film and images shot by Tyler Mitchell.[62]
Starting in February 2013, H&M began offering patrons avoucher in exchange for used garments. Donated garments were to be processed by I:CO, a retailer that repurposes and recycles used clothing with the goal of creating azero waste economy. The initiative is similar to an April 2012 clothes-collection voucher program launched byMarks & Spencer in partnership withOxfam.[63][64][65]
In April 2014, H&M joinedZara and other apparel companies in changing theirsupply chain to avoid endangered forests. The company teamed with Canopy, a nonprofit, to remove endangered and ancient forests from their dissolvable pulp supply chain for their viscose and rayon fabrics.[66]
The H&M Foundation, a nonprofit, was established in 2014 to fund projects that improve humanitarian and environmental issues within the fashion industry. ThePersson family, the founders and owners of H&M, originally invested $180 million in the foundation. One of the foundation's projects includes the Green Machine, a recycling technology that would allow clothing to be recycled in a similar way to aluminum can recycling.[67] Since 2013, the family has made contributions to the foundation, donating SEK1.1 billion (US$154 million) to it.[citation needed] According to theOECD, H&M Foundation's financing for 2019 development increased by 7% to US$17 million.[68] In August 2015, the H&M Foundation announced that it will award the Global Change Award,[69] a million-euro annual prize, to advance recycling technology and techniques within the fashion industry.[70]
In September 2019, H&M halted its leather purchases from Brazil in response to the2019 Amazon rainforest wildfires.[71] The company issued an email statement: "The ban will be active until there are credible assurance systems in place to verify that the leather does not contribute to environmental harm in theAmazon." H&M imports only a small fraction of its leather needs from the country.[72]
ActressMaisie Williams joined the brand as a global sustainability ambassador in April 2021. As a global sustainability ambassador, she helped front the company's campaign on using only recycled or sustainably sourced materials by 2030.[73] The first initiative fronted by the actress has led to a collaboration with the video gameAnimal Crossing, with Williams being transformed into a digital game character to teach the virtues of recycling.[74]
In May 2021, H&M announced a temporary rental clothing service that allows men to rent suits for up to 24 hours for job interviews. It began in the UK and was also being tested in the United States.[75]
In 2024, the company said that about 90% of thedown and feathers in its products came from recycled items but that by the end of 2025, none of their items would use virgin down or feathers.[76]
In 2019, H&M announced its intent to phase out wool frommulesed sheep from its global inventory. In 2025, H&M reported that it had fully phased out wool from mulesed sheep.[77]
H&M store inNovi Sad,SerbiaH&M store at the Pavilions Shopping Centre,Birmingham, UKH&M Asia flagship store at Causeway Bay,Hong KongMap of H&M stores in theU.S. as of April 2023
In addition to the H&M brand, the company consists of six individual brands with separate concepts.[78] Brands include Afound, Arket, COS, Monki, Weekday, and & Other Stories.[79]
COS launched its flagship store on London'sRegent Street in March 2007 with a catwalk show at the Royal Academy.[80] Its concept is encompassed by minimalist style inspired by architecture, graphics, and design.[81][80]
It specializes in modern clothing pieces for men and women that are less trend-oriented than other similarly priced labels.[82] COS makes clothing that can be worn beyond the season.[83] COS has 197 stores in 34 countries[84] in Europe, Asia, North America, Australia and the Middle East and currently retails online to 19 markets viacos.com.
In August 2011, nearly 300 workers fainted in one week at a Cambodian factory supplying H&M. Fumes from chemicals, poor ventilation,malnutrition, and even "mass hysteria" have all been blamed for making workers ill. Theminimum wage in the country is the equivalent of $66 (£42) a month, an amount that is less than half of what is required to meet basic needs, according to human rights groups.[85]
The same year, Bangladeshi and international labor groups put forth a detailed safety proposal that entailed the establishment of independent inspections of garment factories. The plan called for inspectors to have the power to close unsafe factories. The proposal entailed alegally binding contract between suppliers, customers, and unions. At a meeting in 2011 inDhaka, major European and North American retailers, including H&M, rejected the proposal. Further efforts by unions to advance the proposal after numerous and deadly factory fires have been rejected.[86]
A report by the Business and Human Rights Resource Centre (BHRRC) found a significant rise in worker abuse allegations in Myanmar garment factories since the military coup in 2021. H&M is investigating 20 such cases at their suppliers, while a report documented 156 in total over the past year. This has led some fashion brands like Inditex (Zara owner) to cut ties with Myanmar suppliers, while others like H&M and Bestseller are increasing monitoring efforts. The decision to stay or leave is complex, with some arguing continued engagement offers leverage for improvement, while others fear a race to the bottom if major brands exit.[87]
The Guardian wrote that in a conscious action sustainability report for 2012, H&M published a list of factories supplying 95% of its garments.[88] This contributes to the trend of corporations leaning toward ethically transparent supply chains.[89]
In September 2020, amid international allegations over the use of Uyghur forced labor inXinjiang, H&M published a statement saying that it had stopped buying cotton from growers in Xinjiang, stating that it was "deeply concerned by reports from civil society organizations and media that include accusations of forced labor and discrimination of ethno-religious minorities".[92]
In February 2017,The Guardian reported children were employed to make H&M products inMyanmar and were paid 13p (about 15 cents US) an hour – half the full legal minimum wage.[93]
Since then, H&M has become a Fair Labour Association (FLA) member and has set a goal to achieve fair living wages throughout its supply chain by 2030.[94]
In April 2013,the Rana Plaza building collapsed in Bangladesh killing over 1,100 people. Fatalities were mostly garment workers. The incident is considered the deadliest non-deliberatestructural failure accident and the deadliestgarment factory disaster in modern history. The eight-story building complex that was not designed for factory production and had cracks in the structure that the owners ignored. Approximately 2,500 injured people were rescued from the rubble.
The company and other retailers signed on to theAccord on Factory and Building Safety in Bangladesh. In June 2016,SumOfUs launched a campaign to pressure H&M to honor the commitment they made and signed to protect Bangladesh's garment workers. SumOfUs alleged that "H&M is drastically behind schedule in fixing thesafety hazards its workers have to face every day."[95]
On 19 May 2013, a textile factory that produced apparel for H&M inPhnom Penh, Cambodia collapsed, injuring several people.[96] The incident has raised concerns regarding industrial safety regulations.
This section needs to beupdated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(February 2024)
On 25 November 2013, H&M's global head of sustainability committed[97][98] that H&M, as the world's second-largest clothing retailer, would aim to pay all textile workers "living wage" by 2018, stating that governments are responding too slowly to poor working conditions in Bangladesh among other Asian countries where many clothing retailers source a majority if not all of their garments. Wages were increased in Bangladesh from 3,000 takas ($40) to 5,300 takas ($70) a month in late 2013.[99]
In September 2015, CleanClothes.org, an NGO involved in garment labor working conditions, reported on a lack of specific fire safety renovations in H&M suppliers' factories.[100]
In 2020, theAustralian Strategic Policy Institute accused 82 major brands, including H&M, of being connected to alleged forcedUyghur labor inXinjiang.[101] Specifically the report mentions H&M as a customer of Huafu Top DyedMelange Yarn Co. Ltd.[102] See also:§Boycotts by China. The evidence adduced was that between April 2017 and June 2018 2,048 Uyghur workers were taken "fromHotan Prefecture in Xinjiang to 15 factories inAnhui Province, including [a] Huafu [factory]",[103] and that H&M listed Huafu as a supplier.[104]
On 16 September 2020, H&M said it was ending its relationship with Huafu.[105] It further stated that it had "never had a business relationship with a mill owned by the yarn producer Huafu Fashion Co in Anhui province where workers from XUAR have been employed".[105]
In March 2021, after the EU, UK, US, and Canada's joint sanctions against China over reports ofhuman rights abuses in Xinjiang,[106] H&M's stance on avoidingforced labor in Xinjiang and claim of not going to use cotton produced there was found and criticized by theCommunist Youth League of China on its officialWeibo page. Their post stated, "Spreading rumors to boycott Xinjiang cotton, while trying to make a profit in China? Wishful thinking!"
Theviral post spread across mainland Chinese social media, leading to H&M facing significant criticism among Chinese social media users.[107] On 24 March 2021, H&M became the first fashion brand to be targeted in China, with its products removed from Chinese e-commerce platforms such asPinduoduo,JD.com andAlibaba, its mobile application removed from Chinese app stores, and rideshare platformDiDi blocking customers from requesting H&M stores as their destinations.[108] Two of H&M's brand ambassadors in China,Huang Xuan andVictoria Song, announced they were no longer collaborating with H&M.[109][110]
Chinesestate media outletChina Global Television Network countered the statements against Xinjiang cotton with a video showing automation in cotton-picking and local Uyghurs claiming that the industry brought high earnings.[110] On 26 March 2021, the United States condemned the China-backed boycotts, with itsDepartment of Commerce stating that the United States "has taken strong actions to stop China from profiting off of its human-rights abuses in Xinjiang and to stop imports of products made with forced labor in China."[112] On the same day, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokespersonHua Chunying responded by saying that Chinese consumers have the right to express their own choices.[113]
Later, H&M quietly revised its original wording regarding Xinjiang. On 31 March, H&M responded with a statement vowing to rebuild trust in China and serve its customers in a "respectful way".[114] However, media reports indicated that H&M did not issue a direct apology but instead attempted to “blur the issue.”[115] H&M’s sales in China reportedly fell by approximately 23% during the second quarter of 2021 compared to the same period in the previous year. In the third quarter of 2021 (ending August 31, 2021), sales in the Chinese market declined by approximately 40%.[116] Despite this, the boycott had a far-reaching impact, and the brand’s image remained damaged.[117] Following this, H&M continued to experience poor performance in the Chinese market, with a reduction in store numbers, declining sales, and a loss of brand influence. As a result, H&M has not released detailed financial reports for the Chinese market since 2021, nor has it separately listed data for the Chinese market in its annual reports.[118]
A proposed class action lawsuit in the US alleged that H&M wasgreenwashing via the sustainability claims made in its Conscious Choice range. These claims were dismissed. Earlier this year, The Norwegian Consumer Agency (Forbrukertilsynet) said it believed Norrøna is "breaking the law" in marketing clothes as environmentally friendly and issued a warning to H&M GROUP against using the same type of environmental claims.[119]
H&M has operated stores inIsrael since March 2010 with its first store inTel Aviv in partnership with local franchisee Match Retail, a division of Union Group.[121] As of December 2023, H&M operates 24 stores in Israel, predominantly around the region ofGush Dan. H&M does not operate any stores in the occupied areas ofEast Jerusalem or theWest Bank.
However, since opening in Israel, the Palestinian branch ofBDS has campaigned for boycott of fashion chain, demanding that they pull out of the country.[122] H&M's continuing presence in Israel has led to protests in various stores in Europe,[123] especially since theinvasion of the Gaza Strip.[124] The company initially closed its stores when the invasion started in October, however the company quietly reopened the stores.[125]
In January 2024, the company was heavily criticized after its Australian branch released a school uniform advertisement with the slogan "Make those heads turn in H&M’s Back to School fashion".[127]Melinda Tankard Reist, an Australian writer, questioned the brand's motives, claiming that young girls just want to be left alone and don't want unwelcome attention.[128] The company removed the advertisement and apologized.[129]
It was reported that unsold or refunded clothing and other items in oneNew York City H&M store were cut up before being discarded, presumably to prevent resale or use.[130]
24 January 2012
H&M was reported to have stolen the work of a UK-based artist, Tori LaConsay, using it on multiple items without compensating her.[131]
H&M South Africa division was accused of racism for its lack of black models in their photoshoots,[133] later stating that white models convey a more "positive Image."[134]
In response, Canadian and American singers such asThe Weeknd andG-Eazy boycotted the company by ending their partnerships with it over the image.[142][143][144] H&M later released an apology: "This image has now been removed from all H&M channels and we apologise to anyone this may have offended."[145][146][147][148]
The mother of the model urged people to "stopcrying wolf," deeming it "an unnecessary issue."[149] After the allegations, H&M stores were vandalized and looted in South Africa. In response, H&M temporarily closed stores there.[150][151]
13 July 2019
H&M docked the pay and suspended several unionized staff in three of its stores in New Zealand for wearing 'Living wage' stickers, as part of a wider industrial dispute.[152][153]
9 December 2020
Sweden'sEquality Ombudsman (DO) started an investigation into H&M following a media report accusing it of racism in Swedish stores.[154]
^Compare:"Annual Report 2016"(PDF). Hennes & Mauritz. p. 53. Archived fromthe original(PDF) on 6 June 2014. Retrieved30 December 2017.Operating profit amounted to SEK 22,168 m (21,754).
.jpg)
