A must-have in both men’s and women’s wardrobes, jeans have been subject to much scrutiny as environmental sustainability has become a primary concern of brands and consumers alike. In fact, jeans have been criticised by some environmentalists as being “the” piece to banish from wardrobes.
Fortunately, many clothing lines now offer jeans that combine quality and durability with responsible production. Here are some of the issues concerning denim and how some brands are addressing them.
Less polluting materials
Brands have been putting forward more sustainable denim collections for several months now. Their revamped approaches include the choice of less polluting fibres such as certified organic cotton, recycled cotton, or Tencel, a form of rayon made up of cellulose fibre.
These raw materials not only reduce water consumption – 3,781l are needed to make one pair of jeans, according to the United Nations Environment Program – but also chemical use and carbon emissions.
Shorter distances
In her investigation “Unraveled – The Life and Death of a Garment” published in June, Maxine Bedat followed the journey of an average pair of jeans, which starts in a cotton farm in Texas and ends in Amazon’s warehouses after having stopped in sewing workshops in Bangladesh.
A pair of jeans can travel up to 65,000km, according to Ademe, France’s agency for ecological transition. This is extremely polluting because of the numerous transports used for this perilous journey.
And beyond the question of environmental sustainability, Bedat also points out the working conditions of the textile workers. It is therefore better to opt for local manufacturing, wherever you are in the world.
This is what the brand 1083 – a name chosen for the maximum distance covered by its jeans in km – offers for the French market with models designed exclusively in France.
Staying power
Is it better to buy a pair of jeans that will last at least a decade, or a couple of jeans that will be unwearable within a few years? The average lifespan of a pair of jeans is four years, according to Ademe, which is not much considering its environmental impact.
Since they are considered to be timeless, jeans deserve investment, and maintenance, to last and reduce their impact on the planet.
Many brands are turning to jeans that can be returned using a system of bottle deposits, as well as those that are infinitely recyclable, with customers able to receive a voucher or reimbursement when the model is at the end of its life and is brought back.
This allows consumers to renew their wardrobe at a lower cost, while the brand is able to manufacture new jeans from an existing material – a circular approach that benefits both the planet and the wallet.
And if such a solution still does not satisfy the denim lovers, there is always the secondhand market which allows consumers to buy quality, durable jeans at a lower cost.