Our solution areas
Transforming the textile industry requires a holistic approach – one that tackles high-emission areas, drives innovation, and ensures a just transition for both people and the planet. At H&M Foundation, we find, fund, and facilitate projects that have the potential to reshape the industry and drive systemic change.
To achieve our mission – supporting the textile industry in halving greenhouse gas emissions every decade while ensuring a just transition – we focus on four solution areas:
- Innovation
- Research and demonstration
- Collective action
- Climate narratives
Each solution area plays a critical role in decarbonising the industry while promoting equity and resilience. In addition to these, we also work with disaster management as a complementary area of impact – supporting vulnerable communities affected by climate-related disasters.
In total, H&M Foundation has donated SEK 2.1 billion (Approx $210 million) to different projects.
Innovation – backing early-stage innovation that can transform the industry
We believe innovation is a key driver of change – helping the textile industry move away from extractive, high-emission practices toward circular and regenerative solutions. Our work spans from early-stage breakthroughs to scaling promising solutions that accelerate decarbonisation.
A cornerstone of our innovation efforts is the Global Change Award, an annual challenge seeking visionary changemakers with groundbreaking ideas. Beyond this, we fund initiatives that strengthen the innovation ecosystem, ensuring that bold ideas can develop into real-world impact.
Research & demonstration – funding research and real-world testing to accelerate new solutions
We support research and pilot projects that generate insights and test new models for industry transformation. By demonstrating solutions in real-world settings, we help bridge the gap between innovation and large-scale adoption.
For example, we are exploring Agrivoltaics in Bangladesh, a project that integrates solar energy with farming to create sustainable power solutions for textile production. Another initiative, The Fashion Remodel, is testing new business models that allow brands to generate revenue without making new clothes, paving the way for a circular fashion economy.
Collective action – driving systemic change through collaboration
No organisation can transform the industry alone. Collective Action is about bringing diverse stakeholders together – including brands, suppliers, civil society, policymakers, and investors – to create shared solutions.
We have applied this approach in large-scale initiatives such as Saamuhika Shakti in India and Oporajita in Bangladesh, which unite multiple partners around a common agenda for industry transformation. By fostering collaboration, we ensure that sustainability efforts are coordinated, scalable, and impactful.
Climate narratives – using communication to accelerate change
Communication is a powerful driver of change. Through this solution area, we strengthen climate narratives, influence decision-making, and make sustainable choices more desirable. By reshaping climate narratives and driving engagement, we accelerate the industry’s shift toward decarbonisation and just climate action.
For example, through our collaboration with New Zero World, we support projects that enhance climate literacy and storytelling to accelerate behavioural change.
Scaling solutions for lasting change
Through these areas of work, we focus on initiatives with the potential for systemic impact, scalability, and long-term transformation. By combining innovation, collaboration, research, and strategic communication, we help accelerate the textile industry’s decarbonisation while ensuring a just transition for both people and the planet.
