H&M and the Fast Fashion Debate: Insights from the Copenhagen Fashion Summit 2014

I recently listened to a discussion from the Copenhagen Fashion Summit 2014, where industry leaders debated the role of fast fashion—and H&M’s contribution to it. The conversation was fascinating, especially because H&M was directly confronted.

A representative from H&M, who shared that she had lived in Bangladesh for several years, defended the company by highlighting its contributions to the local economy and women’s employment. While there was truth in her statement, the discussion did not stop there.

Other panelists pressed H&M on why brands produce such an overwhelming volume of clothing—so many options that even stores struggle to sell them all. The H&M supervisor faced tough questions, and it was striking to hear such direct criticism; it was a rare moment of accountability for a company that usually positions itself as “sustainable.”

What made this discussion particularly memorable was that it wasn’t just polite industry talk. For once, H&M’s practices were being scrutinized in a serious, public forum. It highlighted the ongoing tension in fast fashion: balancing accessibility, profit, and sustainability—a challenge that continues to define the brand today