H&M is a Swedish multinational clothing-retail company, known for its fast-fashion clothing for men, women, teenagers, and children. It is the world’s second-largest clothing retailer, just behind Inditex (owner of Zara). H&M is known for its affordable and trendy clothing, as well as its commitment to sustainability. The company has a number of initiatives in place to reduce its environmental impact, including using recycled materials in its products and recycling old electronics. H&M is also a member of the RE100, a global initiative of businesses committed to using 100% renewable energy by 2030.

H&M was founded in 1947 by Erling Persson in Västerås, Sweden. The company’s name is an abbreviation of Hennes & Mauritz, which means “Henne’s & Maurice’s” in Swedish. Persson named the company after his daughter, Hennie, and her husband, Maurice.

H&M quickly expanded throughout Sweden, and by the 1970s, the company had stores in Norway, Denmark, and Finland. In the 1980s, H&M began to expand into other European countries, and by the 1990s, the company had stores in the United States, Canada, and Asia.

Today, H&M has over 4,550 stores in over 70 countries around the world. The company employs over 132,000 people and generates over $22 billion in sales each year.