9 things you didn't know about H&M

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The fast fashion industry is booming, as retailers output ready-to-wear garments straight from the runway in record time.

H&M seems to be at the forefront of this movement. Almost everyone has at least one piece of clothing from H&M or at least stepped inside one of their stores, largely because the retailer is able to offer a wide range of apparel and accessories at a very low price.

But no matter how many H&M garments are stuck in your closet or rolled up in your drawers, there are probably some things you don’t know about the company. Check out some other surprising facts that will give you something to think about the next time you’re shopping for a basic.

INSIDER reached out to H&M for comment but did not immediately receive a response. 

H&M originated from a hunting and fishing store.

H&M — Our History

In 1946, Erling Persson opens a women's clothing store in Sweden called Hennes, which is Swedish for "hers." About two years later, Persson bought a hunting apparel and fishing store, called Mauritz Widforss. When he combined that brand with Hennes, the store began to sell women's and men's clothing. That new store was called Hennes and Mauritz — more commonly known as H&M.

There are thousands of retail stores around the globe.

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Today, H&M has expanded to every corner of the globe with 4,743 stores in over 50 countries. Despite getting its start in Sweden, the United States holds the most stores with 543. But the brand has a presence in all parts of the world, including locations in Cyprus, Macau, Tasmania, and Iceland.

Every time a new store location opens, employees must perform a choreographed dance for the press.

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It is the company's tradition to have the new employees celebrate the opening of a new store by performing a choreographed dance in front of customers and the press. Typically, there is a DJ present to start the "flash-mob." When one store opened in Australia back in 2015, more than a 100 employees performed a lively number for the awaiting customers.

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