Leader of sustainable fast fashion: an interview with Nam Mi-rim

Sustainability is becoming a central part of fashion's future as the industry works to reduce its environmental footprint. Through circular business models and recycled mateirals, brands are increasingly reshaping how clothing is designed, produced, and used. In this interview, Nam Mi-rim, PR Manager for & Other Stories at H&M Korea, discussed the company's sustainable initiatives that engage consumers in responsible consumption and the importance of circular fashion and innovative materials for a more sustainable fashion industry.

First, could you tell us a little about what you’re currently doing?

I’m currently the PR Manager for a brand called & Other Stories at H&M Korea. I’ve been in this role for about three years, and before that, I worked as a showroom manager on the PR team at H&M Korea for about six years.

H&M runs a lot of promotions that emphasize sustainable fashion. What do you think is the top priority in terms of eco-friendly initiatives right now?

Actually, what we consider most important is our “Ambition”—our goal to ensure that by 2030, all products we manufacture are made from recycled materials or are sustainably sourced. We’ve broken this down into specific, phased targets, and once we’ve achieved all of them, our ultimate ambition is to reach net-zero by 2040. To achieve this, we’re carrying out various initiatives , and in terms of other sustainability efforts, we’re collaborating with companies developing innovative materials and providing support to individuals or groups with such ideas. So our biggest goal is to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2040—specifically, to ensure that the materials we use do not contribute to carbon emissions.

Could you tell us a bit more about the eco-friendly materials used in your products?

The materials we use most frequently are recycled polyester, organic cotton, and occasionally recycled cotton. When it comes to water, we primarily use water sourced in ways that ensure the highest possible animal welfare. As you can see, recycled polyester is by far our most widely used material. In addition, we’re also showcasing some unique materials—such as vegan leather—and, through open calls for ideas that could change the world, we're now introducing some unique materials.

There’s also a perception that eco-friendly products are more expensive—how are you addressing this perception, and how are you promoting your products?

That’s a very good question. Many people assume that because the “recycled” process involves an additional manufacturing step, the price will be slightly higher, but that’s not the case at all for us. The most important thing is that the majority of the materials we use—such as recycled fabrics and other source materials—already make up the bulk of our product costs. Since these materials themselves account for the majority of our pricing, this aspect doesn’t actually drive up the price.

H&M also runs a used clothing collection program—how are the collected garments utilized?

I think the majority of the collected clothing is resold. By preserving them as-is and selling them at secondhand shops, where people can wear them again, we’re breathing new life into them. If that’s not possible, we use a process called “re-purposing.” For example, if a garment is too worn out to be appealing as clothing, we might repurpose it—perhaps by cutting it down to a smaller size and salvaging only the original textile to make something like a dishcloth , or we could use it to make textile-based products needed for car manufacturing—that’s what we call “re-coating.” Of course, there are some products where even that isn’t feasible—maybe they’re too worn out or the design has lost its appeal. In those cases, we turn them back into yarn to create new products, completing the cycle in this way.

How high is the participation rate in these campaign programs?

The program with the highest participation rate in Korea is the one where we offer coupons. If customers bring in any textile product—not necessarily an H&M Group product—we give them a coupon worth 5,000 won that can be used on purchases of 40,000 won or more in-store. So, it seems that the program is what attracts the most participation. Also, on occasions like Earth Day, we sometimes offer “double vouchers”—giving out twice the usual amount—to raise awareness among consumers.

I think that for sustainable fashion, not only companies but also consumers’ spending habits are important. If there are ways for consumers to get involved, what else do you think they could do?

As you mentioned, how consumers use products is a very important aspect. Whether it’s our clothes or any other garments, wearing them for a long time and taking good care of them is crucial. That’s why, on our website, we provide a lot of information on how to care for clothes so they last as long as possible. 

As for more interesting initatives, there’s a lot of occasion wear. For items like wedding dresses, we’ve introduced a rental system. While this isn’t available at every store worldwide, we have a program where you can rent these items at a slightly lower price instead of buying them outright. To ensure consumers can love and wear these clothes for a long time, it’s also very important for us to design them with a more sustainable lifecycle in mind from the production stage—creating designs that are more durable and built to last. We’re putting a lot of effort into that, and we tell consumers that even if they wear the clothes for as long as possible and eventually decide they no longer want to wear them, they can bring them back to us, and we’ll give them a new “second life.”

Looking ahead, what do you think is the first thing the fashion industry needs to change to achieve carbon neutrality?

First of all, a lot of what our company does isn’t just about our own success—it’s about creating an environment where the entire industry can move toward sustainability together. That’s why we have something called the Global Change Awards. We recognize groups, companies, or individuals who come up with innovative ideas that can change the world. For example, if someone says, “I’ve developed a process to turn pineapple peels into vegan leather,” I believe that by supporting such initiatives, not only our company but also small-scale companies can collaborate with others and move forward together. So, the most important thing is to lay the groundwork—not just for a specific company or brand—but for the entire industry to move toward sustainability. 

It seems we’ve entered an era where, due to greenwashing, consumers find it difficult to immediately trust claims of being “eco-friendly.” Are there any specific measures H&M adheres to in order to communicate sustainability information transparently?

Regarding sustainability, we publish an annual sustainability report. You can check it out on our website, but since it contains a lot of highly technical and academic content, it can be a bit difficult for people to relate to. So, what we do a lot is organize activities like turning off the lights on Earth Day, or—as you mentioned—creating small capsule collections that use unique, innovative materials. You can think of it as us doing a lot of activities like that.

As you mentioned, those ESG reports do contain a lot of language that’s difficult for the general public to understand. Do you think there are any efforts you’d like to make in the future to communicate that information more effectively?

That’s actually something our brand is really grappling with. We have so many initiatives we want to pursue, so many activities, and so much support we’re providing, but the content is vast and complex, and we’re also gradually adjusting our goals. For example, we’ve committed to using recycled materials or sustainably sourced materials by 2030. But since we’ve already achieved a lot of that, we’re considering bringing up the timeline a bit. In fact, I think this is an issue we really need to think about in the long term. Ideally, we’d simplify this information as much as possible and share it through press releases and other channels, but ultimately, what people are most interested in is our products themselves. So, in terms of the collection itself, our recent collaboration with Stella Makati is a sustainability collection.

Talking extensively about specific collections or products like this, and actively engaging with platforms when people show interest—that’s the easiest way to capture people’s attention. As you mentioned, what we’re pursuing—not just for our brand but likely for other companies as well—is incredibly revolutionary and difficult, requiring us to consider many factors. And when we discuss what we’ve done, even just a little, to raise public awareness, it’s very important because what people are actually interested in, after all, are unique products. So I think this is an issue we need to consider from a long-term perspective.