Fashion chain H&M offers $1m recycling prize for reusable clothing

Swedish firm Hennes & Mauritz reacts to critics of 'throwaway culture' by encouraging ideas for recycling fibre

Hennes & Mauritz, the world's second-biggest fashion retailer, is launching an effort to promote recycling as it seeks to cut its environmental impact, boost its ethical credentials and address looming shortages of raw materials.

The move comes as critics point out the damage being caused by a throwaway culture fuelled by cheap clothing that has seen a sharp rise in the number of garments sold annually around the world.