H&M stores across China are accepting old clothing. Photo: CFP

The international fashion and clothing retailer H&M has kicked off its clothing recycling program, attracting so much interest that it almost seemed like a national campaign encouraging people to recycle.

The program is the first of its kind among fast fashion brands in China.

The genesis of the program was in 2011 and 2012, when 17 H&M stores in Sweden collected old clothes, resulting in a huge public response.

In February 2013, the company expanded its program to other countries. H&M started the program because in Sweden, the company's birthplace, people throw away 8 kg of clothes each year on average.

China, with a fashion market worth 1.3 trillion yuan ($214 billion) each year, has a correspondingly huge potential for recycling.

In China, over 260 million tons of old clothing are discarded every year, according to the China Association of Circular Economy.

The H&M clothing recycling program was launched in 140 stores in 45 cities in China in early August 2013. By November 8, H&M had collected 42.6 tons. Some of the clothes are resold, others are used for things like cloth and stuffing. This is handled by a clothing recycling company called I:Collect.

I:Collect pays H&M for each kilogram of clothing it collects.

Both companies say that this is a non-profit activity, for the purpose of environmental protection and charity. The charity component of the program is straightforward.

H&M donates 0.02 euros ($0.03) to charity organizations via Charity Star for each kilogram of clothing it collects.

H&M's recycling program accepts all kinds and brands of clothing - even underwear and socks.

Some critics consider the program a trial for reshaping the company's brand image, once blemished by excessive pH values detected in their clothes by a local quality supervision bureau in Shanghai in 2010.

Yet some others note that this program was initiated a year before the pH value scandal. H&M made seven promises in 2009 for sustainable growth, and clothing recycling was one of the promises.

Whatever the circumstances, H&M's green movement has received positive public feedback.

Magnus Olsson, country manager of greater China, Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia, once said during an media interview that sustainable development and environmental protection is essential to the future growth of the company as well as its profit.

Currently, 95 percent of textiles are recyclable, but the majority end up in the garbage dump.

Participating in global action has become an urgent matter that requires all the fast fashion brands like H&M to voluntarily become involved.