August 15, 2017 In Uncategorized By Jessica Shyba

Sustainably Stylish for Back To School With H&M

It’s August, and that means we’re gearing up to go back to school. At the end of this month, all three of my big kids will be in the same elementary school together, and Evvie will be in her first preschool program. We are elated-not just because routine is something that keeps our family running like a well-oiled machine, but because they all truly love school and have a lot to look forward to in 5^th, 4^th and Kindergarten this year.

One particularly fun part about having a lot of children of both sexes means that we have a lot of hand-me-downs-and if I’m really honest, that is a major justification for me buying them new clothing, too. I learned early on that it made sense for me to invest in their wardrobes, but also to enjoy buying then fun things that last a while, but also clothing that they feel good in. Of the brands that I like to buy for all of them, H&M has a lot to offer for all ages. They have an incredible Garment Recycling Program through which you can get 15% off when you bring in clothing from any brand, in any condition, to the store to be recycled. From August 3^rd to August 20^th, H&M is offering two 15% off coupons!

Because so much clothing and textiles end up in landfills, but as much as 95% of those can be recycled and used again. Of all of the recourses I’ve used to offload clothing we won’t wear, I feel very confident in recycling because I know that it’ll be used for good. This year, we have three piles that we pitched into when going through their closets, preparing for another school year: Storage, Donate, & Recycle. Part of the fun in getting ready to head back to school means shopping for new fall clothing that they feel good in, so the recycling option means that I get a discount on the fresh new duds from H&M Kids this year-and each and every child finds a ton of options at H&M-a rarity when shopping for 5 children with different genders and interests!

In addition, for each pound of textiles that H&M collects, approximately 2 cents will be donated to a local charity partner. And any profit from the program is donated to the H&M Foundation to support social and recycling projects.

My kids found a ton of stuff this year at H&M, and I feel confident knowing that the clothing will withstand many wears and might even be passed down to other siblings. Mostly, I know that they’ll be entering their new grades feeling ready and excited, and I feel good knowing our old clothing was recycled on top of deflecting some of the cost of Back to School purchasing.