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H&M Group and the New York-based non-profit, Slow Factory, are joining forces on a five-year strategy aimed at catalyzing a shift in the industry, emphasizing human rights and environmental stewardship.

This alliance emerged after H&M's U.S. personnel chose to direct funds from their "employee activism" initiative towards furthering Slow Factory's mission. This mission emphasizes social and ecological justice, especially in communities of color.

While the exact amount of H&M's contribution remains undisclosed, these funds will bolster several pivotal programs under Slow Factory. This includes their complimentary "Open Edu" online series on climate awareness, the development of sustainable and self-renewing design models, and innovations like the eco-friendly leather substitute, Slowhide, through their subsidiary, Slow Factory Labs. Moreover, the non-profit envisions establishing a tangible “climate school,” offering courses on green product development, the interplay between systemic racism and politics, climate advocacy, and community-wide rejuvenation.

Abi Kammerzell, H&M North America's Chief of Sustainability, articulated the company's commitment, stating, “Our industry’s approach to production and consumption needs reimagining. At H&M, we recognize our pivotal role in spearheading this transformation. Partnering with Slow Factory has injected fresh momentum into our North American endeavors to shift towards a more sustainable business model. True progress lies in listening, partnering, and acting on shared values. We applaud our team for championing Slow Factory's impactful initiatives.”

Additionally, Slow Factory has extended an invitation to H&M, the global fashion industry's second-largest player after Inditex, to contribute to its Fund for Systemic Change. This fund aims to accumulate $100 million to champion "innovative infrastructures and alternative systems." These systems target waste-to-resource solutions, pioneering material sciences, and state-of-the-art technologies that address climate challenges, uphold human rights, and foster societal evolution. Particularly, the focus is on assisting regions like the global South, which currently grapples with the devastating impacts of climatic extremities such as intense heatwaves, rampant flooding, and pervasive pollution.

Céline Semaan, co-founder of Slow Factory alongside her spouse, Colin Vernon, in 2021, voiced her perspective, “We've witnessed numerous initiatives that merely offer temporary fixes rather than targeting the root of harmful systemic issues. The need of the hour is to champion transformative, long-term solutions. Genuine change transpires when an understanding of systems becomes commonplace, and when investments align with brand values. We are elated at the prospect of reshaping this sector, in collaboration with all entities committed to holistic change."

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