As part of its "H&M Conscious" project, which aims for a sustainable fashion future, H&M is collecting and recycling unwanted clothing.

95% of the clothing thrown away each year has the potential to be reused. In response to this situation, H&M aims to eliminate clothing waste by collecting clothing in stores, regardless of brand, quality, or condition. Each bag of clothing brought in is given a discount coupon, which can be used toward the next shopping trip.

Among the clothes brought in, those that are still wearable are sold around the world as secondhand clothing, while those that cannot be worn are processed into other products or used to produce fuel. Proceeds from this project are used to give back to customers, donate to charities, and invest in recycling technology. The project began in Japan on March 18th and is now open to all stores nationwide.

An event to promote this initiative will be held in Aoyama on March 21st. The exhibit featured the "Conscious Collection," launched in 2011 and made with sustainable materials like recycled polyester and organic cotton, as well as the "Conscious Exclusive" party wear line. H&M also conducted a clothing collection, attracting many used garments.

The H&M Conscious Project takes a long-term approach to achieving sustainability in fashion, investing and implementing seven goals. In 2012, H&M achieved the world's highest organic cotton usage for the second consecutive year. Other achievements include reducing the company's overall carbon footprint and contributing to the local community.

Japanese companies are also actively collecting used clothing, including United Arrows, Marui, and Uniqlo. Companies like H&M, which collect clothing regardless of its condition or brand, are still rare.