Lee X H&M Collaboration creates sustainable denim for kids

H&M is famed for its exciting yearly designer collaborations - Versace, Stella McCartney and Isabel Marant to name a few - causing much excitement and sometimes hysteria. Partnering with established brands and designers not only elevates H&M's status around the world, it also makes couture clothing much more accessible. That's if you can get your hands on these coveted pieces quick enough!

What we really love though is that H&M regularly delivers less limited collaborations throughout the year - and one that has caught our eye already is Lee x H&M. Oh, that's just jeans you may say, but what makes this pairing with the American denim legend so exciting is its commitment to producing the most sustainable denim possible for KIDS.

Lee is proud to be collaborating with H&M to continue our efforts to make better denim. Our brand was founded more than 130 years ago with innovation in mind, and today we are happy to be joining with H&M to advance denim into a more sustainable future.

Did you know it can take an estimated 20,000 litres of water to make just one pair of jeans?

It's a seriously ambitious task for an established denim brand and a fast-fashion store, but Lee X H&M have made every effort to produce a sustainable denim collection for the next generation. Today's, kids are savvy and they are likely to ask where their clothes are coming from. These pieces address that question and more and are a beacon of hope, leading the way for the future of children's fashion and denim production. For the first time, H&M will also share the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) data on its website taking accountability for its designs and indicating the water C02 and energy impact of each denim garment from raw materials to end of use.

There are many other components to jeans than just the denim, like the threads and the metal buttons. If we are truly sustainable, we have to address every single material that makes up the jeans. To create the Lee x H&M collection, we’ve worked hard with our suppliers to find more sustainable solutions for the threads that hold the jeans together, the cotton that makes the pockets, and the metal for the button, rivets and zipper. We hope that by pushing for more sustainable solutions, it makes it easier for the denim industry as a whole to follow our lead

Lee X H&M put sustainability first and foremost - looking at every stage of the denim production. Fabric was key and the kids' collection uses both organic and post-consumer recycled cotton, water saving dye process and verified low impact denim washes. There's a definite late 80's, early 90's throwback feel to the collection with workwear inspired relaxed jeans and dungarees, cargo pockets and a cocoon shaped jacket - a take on Lee's iconic Rider jacket.

The 90's feel is further emphasised with jersey tees and hoodies splashed with the infamous LEE logo in cobalt blues and bright violets, all finished off with beanies and mini sports bags. Denim and the 90's has never looked - or felt - so good.

>> The Lee X H&M Collection launches on 11th February at H&M.com (Prices will range from £7.99- £19.99, ages 18mths - 10yrs)

(Fashion Photography: Frida Marklund)