Swedish fashion brand H&M has partnered with carbon capture company LanzaTech to create garments made from captured emissions and combining them with the brand’s own DryMove technology—a trademarked material that is designed to pull away moisture from the skin and keeps it dry and comfortable.
According to the United Nations Environment Program, the fashion industry's reliance on plastics for fabrics and textiles contributes 2% to 8% of global carbon emissions. To lower such emissions, numerous shops have experimented with new goods and supply chain adjustments.
The partnership is with H&M’s new sportswear brand H&M Move, which was launched in the summer of 2022.
LanzaTech has a unique process that can capture CO2 emissions, preventing them from entering the atmosphere, and recycles those emissions to create valuable products.
For its collaboration with H&M Move, the company will add carbon dioxide that was captured from steel mills to bioreactors, where it will be turned into thread that can, in turn, be used to produce clothing.
Essentially, the CO2 is converted into the same material used to make polyester. It will help reduce the pollution that occurs in the traditional polyester manufacturing process, which relies on the use of virgin fossil fuels.
H&M’s initiative aims to democratize movewear and make sports more accessible with the help of its new collection.
“In collaboration with LanzaTech, we are thrilled to offer our customers a capsule collection made with CarbonSmart polyester, a ground-breaking material using repurposed carbon emissions. This partnership enables H&M Move to explore innovative materials and playing our part in helping to create more sustainable sportswear in the future,” said Simon Brown, general manager at H&M Move.
“The innovations in the textile industry today focus on sustainability for a better world. We are proud to partner with H&M Move on this drop which reflects ways to rethink how we make and how we experience our clothing,” said Jennifer Holmgren, CEO of LanzaTech.
The new H&M collection will feature a three-piece set for women, consisting of a jumpsuit, tights and a top – all made of LanzaTech CarbonSmart™ polyester with a DryMove™ finish.
H&M Move was not LanzaTech's first fashion partner, earlier it partnered up with athletic apparel brand lululemon and Spanish fast fashion brand Zara.