H&M has undertaken an initiative with Inter Ikea, the wood and paper company. The aim is to develop new sustainable textile fibers at attractive costs. The process involves regenerating renewable forest raw material into a textile fiber, using less energy and chemicals than conventional methods.

Both the Inter IKEA group and H&M intend to use the fiber in their products, but have stressed that the goal is for the industry as a whole to benefit from the innovation. Through this venture, H&M is reinforcing its efforts at focusing on wood as a way to create sustainable textile fibers and offering customers even more sustainably produced products at affordable prices.

The idea of utilizing forest resources for a more sustainable textile has developed from lab stage to a commercially viable product in just a few years. The move is the latest of several sustainable fashion initiatives from H&M. Earlier this month, the company signed the newly-unveiled Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action, a UN Climate Change initiative, and also launched a Fair Living Wage Summit 2018 in Cambodia to shine a light on the issue of how to achieve living wages for textile and fashion workers in the industry’s current global climate.