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The Jeans Redesign | H&M

The Jeans Redesign Project

The Jeans Redesign is a collaborative project by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation to design and make jeans fit for a circular economy. As a participant of The Jeans Redesign, we have followed the project guidelines* in the design and product development process of this collection.


Made from safe and recycled or renewable sources

H&M products compliant with The Jeans Redesign guidelines have a minimum of 20% recycled content (the minimum requirement in the project guidelines is 5%). The collection is made with modern textile innovations containing viscose made from CIRCULOSE®** mixed with recycled cotton from textile waste and in-conversion cotton***. For more details, see specific content information for each garment.


No harmful chemicals were used in the finishing of this product (compliant with level 1, Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals (ZDHC)**** Manufacturing Restricted Substance List as a minimum). Only lower impact washing techniques were used on this product (low-impact score in EIM*****, Environmental Impact Measurement tool by Jeanologia). The metal parts are non-electroplated******. The threads are made from recycled polyester.


Made to be made again

A minimum of 98% of all the textile material in this collection is cellulosic and can be made into new fibers and used again. Rivets were replaced with bar tacks to make disassembly in the recycling process easier.

Designed to be used more

These jeans are made to last and tested to withstand a minimum of thirty home washes. To help make the lifecycle of this garment as long as possible, please wash only when needed and at a low temperature and avoid tumble drying. Remember to repair, resell and eventually recycle the garment at end of use! The washes were created with a more sustainable CleanKore™ dyeing process using less water, chemicals and energy, with an additional low-impact laser finish to create the worn look without hazardous Potassium Permanganate*******.

* The second version of the guidelines, launched in 2021.


** CIRCULOSE® is a cellulosic made from textile waste, such as worn-out clothes. Its availability is still limited, and CIRCULOSE® pulp is mixed with wood pulp when it's made into Viscose textile fibers – this material is called Viscose made with CIRCULOSE®.


*** In-conversion cotton is a more sustainable option than conventional cotton. It is grown by farmers converting to organic farming. On average it takes three years for a farm to convert to organic cultivation. During this time, the farm follows the principles of organic farming – no pesticides or synthetic fertilizers – and is independently audited each year. The only difference is that the crop is not yet certified organic. By buying in-conversion cotton, we help scale up organic production and support farmers in making the transition to organic cultivation.


**** The Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals (ZDHC) is a list of chemical substances banned from international use in facilities that process textile materials.


***** EIM is the first Environmental Impact Measuring software specifically developed for the garment finishing industry. It was created to provide the laundries and garment finishers with a tool that helps them build more sustainable processes. The software assesses the environmental impact of the garment-finishing process in the following categories: water consumption, energy consumption, chemical product used and worker health. HM has been using the EIM measurement tool to measure the wash impact of its jeans products since 2014.


****** Electroplating is the process of coating with metal by means of an electric current. The major environmental issues associated with electroplating activities are the generation of hazardous wastes and effluent disposal as well as odor and noise.


******* Potassium Permanganate (PP) is a strong oxidizing agent used to create different finishes on jeans. The use of PP decreases performance and durability and is thus counterproductive to The Jeans Redesign goal of increased durability. PP in contact with skin can cause irritation, burning and pain; PP coming in contact with eyes carries the risk of permanent loss of vision. PP is also an environmental hazard, especially for marine pollution and can bioaccumulate in the food chain.