Management Assistant Intern at H&M #2

As I move further into my internship as a Management Assistant at H&M, I’m beginning to truly appreciate the depth and complexity behind the daily operations of a fashion retail store. The early excitement has evolved into a more reflective understanding of how each component of store management contributes to a larger strategic whole.

Over the past few weeks, I’ve continued to develop my knowledge of budget management, with a particular focus on how scheduling and working hours are carefully planned to align with expected foot traffic and sales targets. While external factors like sales can be unpredictable, it’s been eye-opening to see how thoughtful planning can create both flexibility and stability within the team.

One area that continues to captivate me is visual merchandising. Working closely with the Visual team, I’ve seen how product placement, colour schemes, and layout decisions are not just aesthetic choices — they are powerful tools that shape customer flow and drive conversion. It’s a delicate balance between creativity and strategy, and I’m learning how much data and forecasting go into even the most visually engaging displays.

Building on my years of experience as a Sales Advisor at H&M, I now see familiar routines through a new lens. As an intern, I’ve had the chance to understand why certain decisions are made and how they fit into the bigger picture. From stock management to budget control to team coordination, every task is part of a wider system — one that relies on strong leadership, efficient textile flow, and a shared commitment to customer satisfaction.

What continues to stand out to me is the interconnectedness of textile management with everything we do. The way products are received, organized, displayed, and sold is a direct reflection of how well operations are managed behind the scenes.

As I look ahead to the remainder of my internship, I’m excited to take on more responsibility, continue engaging in strategic discussions, and contribute to the kind of customer experience H&M is known for. Each day brings new challenges, and with them, new opportunities to grow — both professionally and personally.

AI in post-consumer value chain 1/3

Hello,

I hope you are all doing well. 

It has been a few weeks since I started my research assistant internship (RAI) with Jonas Larrson, mapping artificial intelligence (AI) in the post-consumer value chain. The value chain has been categorised into various stages from collection to recycling. As you all know, AI is an emerging field, and its use has been evolving constantly in the field of textiles with the help of data. Some uses, such as prediction and optimisation of production planning, quality, sales, purchasing, etc.,  are carried out through different types of neural network models such as KNN, Random Forests, Decision trees, Logistic regression, YOLO, Genetic Algorithms, etc., which allow companies to be more efficient.

These AI models are also being researched, tested and commercialised in the post-consumer value chain for waste valorisation. A recent discussion with a smart bin service provider revealed an operational commercial case of textile waste management with the help of remote sensing and data. The company was turning conventional bins into smart bins by adding sensors to monitor waste levels and optimise logistical routes for pick up. Similarly, there are sorting facilities which are deploying machine learning models together with various imaging devices to classify textile waste based on colour, fibre composition, woven/knitted, etc., to channel materials for different value streams.

I look forward to knowing more about the vast uses of AI and technology in the post-consumer value chain for textiles.

Best of luck and keep greening!

Majid Alvi
Student
TVCM
1/3

 Hi everyone,

I hope everything is well with you!

I’m currently doing a production internship at House of Dagmar and this is my sixth week with the company. It has been a lot of work from the start, but I’m truly enjoying my time with the company.  

I’m learning so many new things daily and the tasks are really interesting. I think what’s been the most interesting so far is getting to know the organisation and the people working there, everyone has been so nice to me from the start. It has also been interesting to see how many of the things that I’ve learnt theoretically during my years of education, actually work in practice. Furthermore, it has been engaging to see how the company deals with strategy, communication both internally and externally, logistics, purchasing and much more.

Looking forward to what the coming weeks have to offer!

Best regards, 

Clara Fogdestam 

Production HW Internship 1/3

 Hi everyone! 

I hope all of you had a great Easter holiday with some calm days off the internships.

Now my fifth week at my internship at Fjällräven in Stockholm has begun. For you who have not heard about this company, it is a Swedish outdoor company that offers both apparel and equipment for all kinds of activities. I bet some of you have atleast heard about their ”Kånken” backpack!

Everyone in my team is very kind and happily answers my (very many) questions. My internship focuses on Production, more precisely on the hardware part of production, meaning tents, backpacks, accessories and so forth. I have begun to work in different systems like PLM and Excel. My daily tasks include for example quality control, sample checking and production planning. I have also had the opportunity to follow along to a lot of different meetings, both with other teams and different suppliers, which has been very interesting and educational.

One very interesting thing these weeks has been the US tariffs which has been the foundation of a lot of conversations. Being at a large organisation during this time of uncertainty has provided me with a lot of new insights and knowledge which I am grateful for - interesting to see how it all turns out. 

So far so good, I have learnt a lot, coming home very tired some days because of all things that are supposed to fit in my brain but I am looking forward to the rest of the period! 

Hope to hear from you all soon!

All the best, 

Beatrice Svedberg

Management Assistant Intern at H&M #1

 Embarking on my journey as a Management Assistant Intern at H&M has been an exciting and inspiring experience. From day one, I was welcomed into a fast-paced environment where teamwork, creativity and strategic thinking go hand in hand. During the first weeks of the internship, I've had the opportunity to dive into the core of store operations at H&M. One major part of my role has been to learn how to manage budgets both in terms of money but also through effective planning of working hours. I have found it interesting seeing how careful scheduling can directly impact the store's performance and team efficiency, although the store performance is highly dependent on sales which are difficult to control. Another area I have explored is visual merchandising. I have worked alongside the visual merchandisers to understand how product presentation influences customer behavior and sales. Every detail, from layout to colour coordination, plays a huge role in making the store inviting and dynamic. Having worked at H&M for many years previously as a Sales Advisor, has given me knowledge within these areas to some extent, however, as an intern I get to dive deeper into the management part of store operations, giving me the opportunity to see these areas in new perspectives and a better understanding. What stands out the most to me so far is how interconnected everything is, such as budget, visuals, stock, all working together to create a seamless customer experience. It is clear that behind every great store is a lot of strategic planning, a good understanding of textile management, as well as a passionate team.

I'm excited to keep learning, take on more responsibility, and see how all these elements come together over the next few weeks!

Days as a Garment Tech at GANT #3

As I continue my journey at GANT, each day brings a new challenge, deepening my understanding and honing my skills in garment technology. This internship has allowed me to bridge the technical and creative facets of the industry, strengthening my foundation in product development. Working on the details, from measurement precision to exploring CLO 3D, has shown me the intricacies of bringing a design to life while adhering to the brand's standards. The journey so far has been transformative, offering insights I’ll carry forward in my career, and I am excited to see where the rest of this experience will lead me.

Menstruation Underwear Entrepreneurship Blog 3/3

Hello again all dear classmates,

Hope you all doing well in summer! I feel very happy to update my progress in this entrepreneurship project. This would be my last post for my field study, I hope to see you all in the upcoming new semester!

Here are things that I have done and some new thoughts during the summer vacation. I finished the these thing down below and regarding what I have found in the pre stage research.

1). Product Planning & Strategy Deck done. Since this is a preliminary deck and the research direction is a little bit changed due to considering overall situation.

2). After the competitor research, changing the market to start in Shanghai and Xi'an two cities in China should be a correct decision as a start due to starting within a familiar culture and policy environment is easier for control the entire situation. In the beginning I thought to develop this business idea in European countries, but the more research I do, I feel in general more business opportunities in China other than in European countries with some corporate giants in a monopoly situation and some giant supermarkets find their small opportunities with cheap OEM menstruation products. In a nutshell, living space is tiny for a start-up.

3). Tech-packs are done which is the easiest part for this project so far. Shanghai, Jiangsu and Zhejiang has the geographic advantage to develop business idea due to qualified factory, fair trade potential, transparent supply chain and the consistency for local production policy. After this field study, it would be better to analyse the market preference in Yangtze River Delta to push the idea to come true.

Thank you.

Lujia

Menstruation Underwear Entrepreneurship Blog 2/3

Hello again all dear classmates, 

I'm glad to update my progress in this entrepreneurship project.

Here are things that I have done and some thoughts during May:

1. I researched to get more information about how women in different cultures and background to handle their menstruation, and to how big possibility they would like to switch their previous habits.

2. Competitor research to get status in quo how these menstruation products selling working in currently European market.

3. Made tech pack for 2 basic products I plan to make, should consider how big the challenge is to make the sourcing with local production policy and material and service sustainable. To be honest, local production policy could be a very much hard thing to achieve to start-ups due to low quantity order. and no solution so far unless abandon it in act.

Besides something I realized during this month are: From this early-stage research and preparations, I understand that entrepreneurship with a specific concept or leading a lifestyle is a huge thing. Self-discipline is strongly needed and it should be driven by the inner motivation. I deeply agree the word that is women are a situation, and a lot of need  remains unseen. To help people in need and give women with more options in comfort, security, hygiene and environment sustainability is way more important than provide the market only beautifying products. Secondly, planning is good, but to do, to act is more important somehow. Get shitty work done first and allow mistakes to happen then learning from mistakes is way more important than only have ideas stay in mind. 

Thank you.

Lujia

Menstruation Underwear Entrepreneurship Blog 1/3

Hello all dear classmates, 

This is Lujia Yang. I'm glad to update my progress in this entrepreneurship project.

Here are things that I have done during the April:

1. Got help from mentor in Drivhuset and conducted qualitative research that interviewed some females and drew several common pain points during their menstruation (thank you all lovely interviewees for sharing your experience and opinions) and based on the conclusion I finished designing the questionnaire to ask more specific questions on the products' functions that user may expect.

2. Participated the 4 days entrepreneurship boot camp Level-Up held by drivhuset, I get to know some like-minded people and in the lectures and workshops it give me basic ideas of 1) What should be included in a business plan 2) Useful template such as TAM SAM SOM, 3) How company registered in Sweden and some basic concept for tax and import. 4) Pitched this business idea and got useful suggestions and feedbacks to improve.

3. Finished positioning the brand as a women-centred brand that starts with functional menstrual underwear, and will scale up to menstrual products, lingerie and sportswear in the future. The brand name is confirmed as Mokna, which stands for the sense of awakening and the awareness of born to be as mighty as a mountain. The brand logo, slogan,  colour matching are also confirmed. 

Here are things that I will proceed in the upcoming month:

1. Collecting the data for the questionnaire and confirm underwear's tech pack.

2. Writing the business plan with more detailed costing sheet from suppliers.

3. Designing the dummy website with toning brand colour in shopify.

4. Research more on material for disposable fabric or non-woven fabrics, maybe will get help with Spacerpad founder.

Thank you.

Lujia

Marketing Intern at a Sustainable Swimwear Company

 As my time as a marketing intern at a sustainable swimwear company in Helsinki, Finland, comes to a close, I find myself reflecting on the incredible journey it's been.

After returning from our company trip to Italy, where we shot extensive content for the upcoming collection, we had to quickly adapt back to the colder weather of Helsinki and dive into our office tasks.

In the past few weeks, we dedicated our efforts to another exciting project: launching a community initiative called the Swim Club. This club invites everyone based in Helsinki to join us on Thursday mornings at 7:30 for a beach swim. The project required significant brainstorming and planning. To cater specifically to our local audience, we launched a new Instagram account, ensuring we didn’t overwhelm our global followers with city-specific content. Our team even spent a day at the beach creating social media content that highlights our goals: to casually meet up, enjoy the swimwear, and connect with like-minded individuals. With this initiative, we aim to strengthen our local community, attract new customers, and foster a positive, emotional connection to our brand.

We also introduced a stamp card for the Swim Club participants, rewarding frequent attendees with discounts and, eventually, a free product. However, to maintain our focus on sustainable and conscious purchasing behaviors, we chose not to promote this incentive publicly on social media.

Throughout the last few weeks, I deepened my skills by creating at least three reels per week, enhancing my ability to edit video content quickly, find suitable audios, and create authentic representations of our brand’s personality. Additionally, I supported the team with preparations for our new collection launch, which is happening tomorrow. Planning the launch event, complete with food, drinks, and our new pieces, taught me a lot about the fast-paced nature of small businesses and the numerous decisions required to execute a successful event.

I am excited to share that I will continue working with the company as a Social Media & Customer Experience Coordinator over the summer. This role will allow me to gain even more experience, including working shifts at our flagship store in Helsinki.

This internship has been incredibly educational. I've gained confidence in my strengths, tackled various challenges, navigated new experiences like our photoshoot in Italy, and witnessed how a small team of five can build an impressive sustainable brand and make a significant impact.

I am looking forward to gain even more experience in the sustainable fashion industry in the future.

Kind regards,

Hana