Product Quality | Sizing, Materials & Care | H&M US

H&M does not test our cosmetic products or ingredients on animals during development or with finished products. Regardless of which countries our products are produced or sold in, all cosmetic products sold under the H&M brand comply with the EU’s Cosmetic Regulation prohibiting testing on animal.

H&M accept a shrinkage of up to 3% for woven garments and 5% for
knits/ jerseys. To avoid shrinkage, certain items might need ironing
after washes, to regain their original shape and fit. If needed, this
will always be mentioned on the care label.

H&M bans the use of hazardous and environmentally damaging substances thoughout all production processes. All H&M suppliers commit to comply with our requirements and are educated in how to run production to our standards. Regular controls and inspections are also conducted to ensure your safety.

As hazardous chemicals are banned thoughout our production, washing before wearing is not neccessary.

H&M has three levels of functional garments with water repellent properties. Information will be found on the label.

Waterproof: The fabric is waterproof (>2000mm H₂O) and has sealed seams. Suitable for heavy rain conditions.

Water resistant: The fabric is waterproof (>1500mm H₂O) and has folded seams. Suitable for rainy or snowy conditions.

Water repellent: The fabric’s surface has been treated to repel water. Suitable for light rain.

We always recommend hand washing for wire bras, as machine washing could cause the wire to separate and damage the machine.

The highest recommended washing temperature is stated on the garment’s label. You can, of course, choose a lower temperature to save energy. However, heavily soiled clothes might require the higher temperature.

Yes, all H&M sunglasses have a special UV filter which locks out all UV radiations (UVA and UVB).

Make sure you follow the care instructions on the label. If your washing
machine has a wool program, use this. If hand washed, remember to
carefully squeeze any extra water out of the garment. Reshape the
garment after wash and dry flat for optimal care.

H&M applies the limit for nickel that is developed /set with concern for users. Frequent tests are done to assure that the limit is not exceeded.

We work to ensure that as much of the leather used to make our products as possible is either certified organic or comes from LWG-certified tanneries. In 2013, 49% of the leather shoes in our stores were made of such leather. Our goal is to increase this share every year and thereby help to strengthen the currently limited market for certified leather. Additionally, our product policy commits us to amongst other things only using leather that comes as a by-product of meat production, which means we only accept leather products from animals that have been bred for meat production. (Because of the poor transport conditions, we don’t use any leather from cows in India.) We use leather from the following animals: cow, buffalo, sheep, goats and pigs.

UPF stands for Ultraviolet Protection Factor and is used to supply information about the level of protection that garments provide. Clothes with a UPF 50+ rating block out 97.5% of UVA and UVB rays. This is a level of protection that is approximately 5 times higher than that provided by a normal cotton T-shirt. UPF in garments is reached through a combination of chemical treatment to the yarn and physical properties of the fabric. The chemical used for the yarn follows H&M’s strict chemical restrictions.