Photography courtesy of H&M

February 2013 will be a busy time of the year in the fashion industry, and will also coincide with a new H&M initiative. The company is set to become the first fashion organization to launch a garment collecting initiative worldwide.

Sustainability is important to H&M’s formula, and this initiative will allow customers in all of their 48 markets to bring clothes that can then be reused, recycled or donated to be re-worn.

Social and environmental sustainability is an important aspect of H&M’s operations.

All collected pieces will be managed by the company’s partner I:Collect, which has the resources to reprocess the clothing as needed. Customers will be rewarded with a $5 coupon off their next purchase of $30 for each bag brought.

Karl Johan-Persson, H&M’s CEO, says the company wants “to do good to the environment, which is why [they] are now offering their customers a convenient solution.”

The new initiative will launch in February next year.

In the long term, H&M is planning to reduce the environmental impact of clothing throughout their life cycle, and create a closed loop for textile fibers.