H&M announces a new partnership with Maisie Williams as a Global Sustainability Ambassador to help lead a worldwide initiative towards a more sustainable fashion future. In a major effort towards meeting the goal of only using recycled or other sustainably sourced materials by 2030, Williams will join H&M throughout the year to drive change in fashion in the virtual world and real life. This partnership will highlight and encourage the reuse, remaking and recycling of unwanted garments in a united effort to close the loop in fashion.
“I am excited to finally share the news of my partnership with H&M as Global Sustainability Ambassador and cannot wait for you all to see what we have been working on. In this role, I will be working closely with experts within H&M to drive sustainability initiatives and shape the path towards an accessible and circular fashion future. The longterm goal is to use 100 percent recycled or other sustainably sourced materials for textiles across the full H&M Group brands by 2030. It’s time to take action and create more viable production circuits in fashion to protect our planet for the next generation,” says Maisie Williams.
Throughout 2021, H&M and the actor and filmmaker, who’s also an active voice for female empowerment, environmentalism and diversity, will embark on several initiatives around circularity. An exciting piece of the partnership launch is the introduction of Maisie Williams’ digital twin -Avatar Maisie. The lifelike avatar was painstakingly created by 3D animators at Goodbye Kansas Studio and will make her debut in an upcoming launch film, premiering April 12th. Avatar Maisie and real-life Maisie will make several appearances throughout the coming year, engaging with H&M customers and inspiring action.
The first joint action of this new partnership is the launch of H&M Looop Island in Nintendo’s hugely popular game Animal Crossing: New Horizons on April 13th, 2021. Named after H&M’s garment recycling machine Looop which launched in October of 2020, and which takes old clothes and recycles them into new ones, H&M Looop Island has been completely designed with a sustainable theme. Players can explore the island and recycle their game outfits into new ones in the virtual version of H&M’s Looop Machine, the first ever Animal Crossing: New Horizons clothing recycling station.
“Being part of this initiative together with Maisie Williams to drive for change within the fashion industry by encouraging our customers and fans to reuse, remake and recycle unwanted garments, is something we at H&M are very ambitious about. The future of fashion needs to look different, and we want to be a part of this solution,” says Pascal Brun, Global Sustainability Manager H&M.
On April 13th, gamers from all over the world will be able to meet Maisie— herself an avid Animal Crossing player – at H&M Looop Island, together with Pascal Brun, Global Sustainability Manager at H&M. Players visiting the island can learn more about recycling, interact with H&M and share their thoughts about circular fashion by leaving a note on the H&M Looop Island notice board.