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If you like the H&M vibe but don’t fancy contributing to the exploitation of the planet and people, you’ll be happy to know there are many more ethical alternatives to H&M.
Why we rate H&M “Not Good Enough”
H&M is incontestably one of the main fast fashion giants and has long been the target of widespread concern about its impact on the environment and the workers who make its clothes.
While H&M has set science-based targets for its greenhouse gas emissions and made a little progress for the environment and the animals, the brand is still failing on many fronts.
And based on our latest rating review, the brand has fallen even further from our middling “It’s a Start” to our second-lowest rating “Not Good Enough”. While we are constantly rerating brands, and it’s expected for their ratings to rise and fall, this drop for H&M is significant for a few reasons: despite all the brand’s claims about its focus on circular innovation, there’s no getting around the fact that H&M hasn’t taken meaningful steps to address its wasteful and exploitative fast fashion business model—and no “conscious” collection can change that. Despite promises to the contrary, the brand still needs to ensure payment of a living wage across its entire supply chain.
We understand those new trendy styles and cheap price tags may be tempting, but they are often a good indicator of the materials’ poor quality. They also highlight that the people making those clothes are working in conditions that, while improving, are not where they should be.
So if you like the H&M vibe but don’t fancy contributing to the exploitation of the planet and people, you’ll be happy to know there are many more responsible alternatives to H&M.
These H&M alternatives are timeless in style, use lower-impact materials, treat their workers fairly, and all aim to leave a light footprint on the earth from the very beginning. And they’re all rated “Good” or “Great” by us.
Read on to discover some of the top rated more sustainable stores like H&M, that offer more affordable, and stylish clothes, while taking care of the earth and its inhabitants.
