H&M expands collaboration with TextileGenesis

H&M Group is extending its partnership with H&M Foundation’s Global Change Award winner TextileGenesis to roll out its innovative traceability technology for all man-made cellulosics and recycled polyester, as it looks to enhance traceability and transparency in its supply chain.

The fashion retail group first piloted TextileGenesis' blockchain-enabled textile traceability platform in 2019-2020, where it traced more than 1.5 million garments. With its new roll-out plans, H&M has set itself a goal of tracing more than 200 million garments by the end of 2022.

Merel Krebbers, product owner fiber to product traceability at H&M Group, said in a statement: “H&M Group believe that supply chain traceability and transparency should go hand-in-hand to create greater accountability for where materials and products come from and to drive positive change in the fashion industry.

“Moreover, we believe that we can have greater impact by working together within and across industries to come up with shared solutions; combining technologies and shared-industry databases can help increase supply chain traceability.”

H&M notes that the TextileGenesis collaboration is a key initiative in its traceability journey and the roll-out will enable the retailer to ensure a “high level of traceability” for a significant portion of its material base. Up to 20 percent by volume of material base from fibre through to final product on the innovative digital platform.

Amit Gautam, founder and chief executive at TextileGenesis, added: "H&M Group is at the cutting-edge of traceability in the fashion industry and has continuously challenged us to deliver traceability at scale. Our joint ambition to track several hundred million units from fibre-to-retail marks a major milestone. It moves the entire industry forward in realising scalable supply chain traceability.”