Cotton On & H&M Both Charging $0.10 for Plastic or Paper Bag

The world’s going green, and we’re powerless to stop it.

Straw-free movements.

Vegan meat that tastes just like real meat.

And now?

Bring your own reusable bag to fashion retailers Cotton On and H&M or risk the cruellest punishment ever:

Forking out $0.10 for a plastic or paper bag.

H&M Charging $0.10 for Plastic or Paper Bag

Starting 25 July, popular fashion chain H&M will be charging $0.10 for every plastic or paper bag, according to an announcement yesterday (15 July 2019).

According to Channel News Asia, the move’s part of H&M’s strategy to eliminate unnecessary packaging, increasing reusable material and increasing the use of recycled plastic packaging.

All funds gathered from the extra charge will proceed towards innovative ideas for alternative eco-friendly materials, research into plastic pollution as well as conservation projects.

Customers are also encouraged to bring reusable bags or purchase one in H&M stores if they don’t already have one.

“With this in place, we aim to encourage our customers to join us in sustainable actions by bringing their own reusable bags or purchasing them from our stores if they do not already own one.”

Unwanted H&M Clothes

Customers are also allowed to drop off unwanted H&M clothes at an in-store recycling box.

“H&M’s move comes at a crucial time where we need bold action to change how plastics are produced, used and disposed of,” said WWF Singapore’s chief executive officer Maureen DeRooji.

“A bag charge, proven to be effective in reducing plastic use, is a crucial step that retail businesses can take to stop plastic pollution.”

Cotton On, Too

Similarly, Cotton On has also revved up their sustainability efforts these last few months. According to Mothership, the fashion chain has abstained from giving out plastic bags for some time now, with paper bags provided in their place.

Additionally, customers are charged an extra S$0.10 for each paper bag, although they’re encouraged to bring their own reusable shopping bags as well.

Apparently, the move has already been extended to all outlets islandwide and includes other brands within the Cotton On Group such as Cotton On Body, Cotton On Kids, Typo and Rubi.

It’s also a global initiative, with all Cotton On group brands in Asia, including Malaysia, Hong Kong and Thailand, reducing plastic in their stores and pushing out paper bag charges as well.

For the Greater Good

H&M’s move is part of World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)’s new initiative Plastic ACTion (PACT), which targets the elimination of plastic pollution by 2030, as well as help Singapore gear towards a circular economy.

Incidentally, H&M is the first fashion retailer to sign the PACT, which has seen other major companies here in Singapore such as Wildlife Reserves Singapore, Accor Group, Pastamania and SaladStop! commit to a reduced plastic campaign.

Thus far, 32 food and beverage businesses, with over 270 outlets in total, have pledged to cut out plastic straws by 1 July.

As for Cotton On, their eco-friendly strategy’s part of a bigger sustainable initiative named ‘The Good’.

As part of the initiative, the fashion retailer’s busy transitioning its network of outlets across 18 countries, in order to swap out plastic bags for 100 per cent recyclable paper bags.

The switch would reportedly save a whopping annual total of 38 million single-use plastic shopping bags.

The brand plans to produce its clothes using 100 per cent sustainable cotton by 2021.

And so… now what?

Well, for starters, you might want to consider bringing that big ass Bangkok recyclable bag the next time you visit H&M or Cotton On or risk losing a whopping $0.10.

Also, let’s all prepare ourselves for the future…

Because if there’s one colour it’s gonna be, it’s gonna be green.