Product Care

Take off removable details and do up Velcro and zip fastenings before washing. Wash nylon tights and delicate garments with details in a laundry bag.

Chunky-knits should be reshaped and dried flat to maintain the original shape, which is why these garments are additionally labelled “Dry flat”.

Linen is a natural material and can easily get mis-shapen when wet. To restore the garment to its original shape, iron it with a hot steam iron. To keep its sheen, iron the garment on the reverse side.

Viscose is an artificial fiber from cellulose and can easily get mis-shapen when wet. To restore the garment easily to its original shape, iron it with a steam iron.

Silk is a very delicate material and should be treated with care. Use a detergent for delicates when washing silk and do not stretch the garment while wet.

Often, airing woollen garments is enough. Use a detergent for delicates when you do wash them. Use the wool or hand wash cycle on your washing machine or wash by hand. Iron after washing to restore the natural sheen.

Wash jeans inside out to reduce fade. Remove them from the washing machine as soon as possible after the programme has ended to avoid creasing. Denim’s characteristic appearance is the result of a special dyeing method. As a result, small pigment particles may remain on the surface and can rub off.

Leather and suede garments should be taken to a leather specialist for cleaning. Follow the care instructions.

Shoe polish and/or waterproofing spray should be applied to leather shoes and bags. This simple measure will improve their protection against water, extending the life of your shoes/bag and making them more capable of withstanding dirt.

Just use waterproofing spray for suede and nubuck, not polish. Try not to wear your suede/nubuck shoes or carry your suede/nubuck bag if it is raining or very damp out, because this could cause staining on the product and the dye in the product could rub off onto your belongings more easily. Insert shoe trees to keep your shoes in shape, and use a shoe horn to protect the highbacks/heels of your shoes when you put them on. Undo your laces and buckles when taking your shoes off and putting them on.

Place tennis balls in the tumble dryer when drying down garments to distribute the down evenly. The down must be dried completely.

Rainwear should drip-dry. If you dry them in a drying cabinet, do so at a low temperature. Follow the care instructions.

• Don't wash clothes unnecessary
  Don’t wash clothes that are not dirty. Often, airing and brushing clothes is enough.


• Lower the washing temperature
  H&M always labels its garments with the highest permitted temperature. But you can select a lower washing temperature to save energy. Most detergents wash just as well at lower temperatures. Washing at 40°C uses around half as much energy as washing at 60°C. H&M recommends that heavily soiled clothes and underwear are always washed at the highest temperature allowed. Do not wash your clothes at temperatures hotter than those stated in the care instructions.


• Fill your washing machine
  Sort the clothes by colour and washing temperature. Fill up your washing machine, but don’t stuff too much in. A washing machine is full when you can place a clenched fist on top of the washing without compressing the clothes. Use an energy saving programme – most modern washing machines have one.


• Choose a more eco-friendly laundry detergent
  Use a more environmentally friendly detergent that is free from optical whiteners and phosphates, since these have a negative environmental impact when released into nature. Dose the detergent as stated on the packaging. Overdosing detergent will not make your clothes cleaner. To get the dose right, you need to know whether you have hard or soft water.
  Avoid fabric conditioners, although H&M recommends that acrylic garments are washed with fabric conditioner to counter static electricity in the garment after washing.


• Avoid dry cleaning
  Dry cleaning is a process in which the clothes are cleaned using an organic solvent. Dry cleaning has a negative environmental impact when the solvent is released into nature. A small proportion of H&M’s garments are dry clean only, because they contain details or materials than could change colour or become misshapen by washing at home. Today, there are also greener methods of dry cleaning that clean the clothes using only carbon dioxide reclaimed from industry. This type of dry cleaning.


• Leave your washing out to dry
  It is preferable to leave your washing out to dry since tumble drying and drying cabinets use a lot of energy. To reduce drying time, gentle cycle the clothes well before taking them out of the washing machine.