Ethical and Sustainable Denim
What is one piece of clothing that you couldn’t live without?
For me its denim, especially jeans. Especially in the winter. I could comfortably wear jeans every day for six months of the year and be quite happy. My husband wears the same, as do various family and friends. Every single day. The first pair was made in the 1870s in the USA. A long time, ago, right? Quite simple to make? Not so. It can be an incredibly intensive process to grow enough cotton to produce one pair of jeans. Followed by harsh dyes, chemicals, acids – all of which pollute the environment and can be detrimental to the health of people producing the denim.
Nudie produces jeans with sustainability and social responsibly in mind. They have a wealth of information on their website about where and how the jeans are made. I had some additional questions, and they were happy to answer them:
It says on your website that you resell secondhand products, where do you do this? I couldn’t see any on the site.
‘At the moment we offer second-hand items in our Repair Shops where customers have handed in their already worn Nudie Jeans. We wash, and if needed, repair them and resell them as a second-hand product in-store. We are working on developing this, but has yet some challenges to overcome.’
It also says on your website that you recycle worn-out products. What do you mean by this? Are you using them to produce Nudie Jeans or recycling them elsewhere?
‘We use worn-out products to make patches to use when we repair our customer’s jeans, and we also include it in our free repair kits. We have made different accessories out of old Nudie jeans and so far, we have only made smaller items, such as rag rugs, caps and bucket hats, bags and chairs. This is an effort that is a part of Nudie Jeans Eco cycle, to collect unwanted Nudie products.
When doing so we believe we can extend the life cycle of the jeans by repairing or re-selling them as second-hand items. Still, it is also an effort to avoid unwanted clothes from landfills and improving our environmental impact in the consumer phase.’
Also, I’m interested in the dyes that are used in Nudie Jeans. I know the cotton is organic, but what about the dyes? There have been a few things in the media recently about denim dyes being harmful to the environment.
‘There are different types of dying techniques used for our products. This is depending on the colour, the dyestuff and the result that we’re looking for, but significant for all our producers is that they need to sign and follow our Restricted Substance List (RSL). The RSL describes the chemical requirements and limits we have for all our products. Our RSL is based on the European Chemical Legislation REACH, but our RSL have more strict limitations. Please find attached if you want to learn more about our chemical restrictions or here under Social Responsibility.
All our denim suppliers are very up to date when it comes to developing new types of dyes and dyeing techniques and to save both water and chemicals in production. Our larger suppliers have their water treatment plant, and the smaller suppliers have a closed system for the water to be transported to a local treatment plant. This means that no untreated water can reach nature.
Since many years back, we do not use sandblasting, but chemicals are used in dyeing and washing, but as noted above, all accordingly to RSL. Most of the laundries we work with have a good infrastructure where chemicals are reaching the washing machines through pipes in the ceiling, or there are a few well-educated employees responsible for the handling of chemicals. Most of the workers have little contact with the chemicals used, and we work thoroughly with our suppliers regarding audits, follow-ups, improving work conditions and the use of correct protective equipment. There should be no dangerous chemicals in the end products, and we make a regular chemical test on our products.
Scrapings or worn in effects on the jeans are either made by hand, with sandpapers, or with laser in big machines. Classic stonewash is also a technique we are using. In the washing labs, where new washes and looks are developed, everything is more small-scale and more manual work is needed.
Nudie jeans are also members of the Swedish network called Kemikaliegruppen, The Chemical Group, that is a platform and network for chemical knowledge in the textile production chain. Through this network, we get support and expert help when needed, and we stay updated on the latest legislations and regulations concerning chemicals.’
Mud jeans are at the forefront of ethical and sustainable denim. They aim to use a closed-loop and circular economy to produce jeans that have the lowest carbon footprint while also taking into account the conditions and wages of their workers.
It is also possible to lease jeans from Mud, making it a more budget-friendly option to wear ethical jeans. You can send back your jeans after a year, and they will sell them as vintage jeans. You also have the opportunity to send back your jeans if you buy them outright. If the jeans can’t be worn again, they are sent to factories which shred the denim and is made into the new fabric to be used again. This means that no pair of Mud Jeans should ever reach a landfill.
They are suitable for vegans as they don’t use leather for the back patch. Mud Jeans also send out their jeans using reusable packaging. If you want to keep the jeans, just pop the Repack packaging into the post box, and it will find itself back where it needs to be!
KOI always surprises me with their new ethical and sustainable denim styles. And luckily they are also full of sustainable qualities too. They are completely transparent, and if you email them with questions they are happy to answer – I bought a top last year and needed extra information which they were pleased to give me. They use sustainable fibres, such as recycled and organic cotton, tencel, hemp and wool. KOI is known for its denim but h,ave a full range of clothes for men and women. They have fair working conditions in their factories. And they believe in the three R’s – Repair, Reuse and Recycle with a wealth of tips on their website on how to care for your Kings of Indigo denim.
Kuyichi Jeans state that they choose sustainable materials and suppliers that produce fairly. They use 100% organic cotton as well as other sustainable fibres, including recycled cotton and polyester, hemp, linen and tencel. Kuyichi believes in slow living, by shopping consciously and buying jeans that are made to last. They provide tips on how to wash the denim so it can last and look as good as possible. They promote ethical and responsible trading to ensure the people who work for them are treated fairly.
My favourite pair of ethical and sustainable denim were found at a flea market in Amsterdam Noord; I bought them for under 20 euro, which included an entrance fee. They are a pair of vintage Levi 501’s that I can’t wash because they shrink too much and I can’t get them on! They were too long, so I cut the hem myself, and I love how they look. Most second hand/thrift/vintage shops or even car boot sales will sell jeans, Levi’s are particularly easy to find. There are many online sites that you can buy vintage denim from, including Etsy, eBay and even Asos marketplace have vintage up-cycled denim. One thing to bear in mind, the sizing is a lot smaller in vintage denim, measure a pair of jeans that already fit you well.
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About Me
The Green Edition is a journey to help slow down and appreciate the smaller things in life. With tips for shopping more consciously and simplifying your life.
About Me
The Green Edition is a journey to help slow down and appreciate the smaller things in life. With tips for shopping more consciously and simplifying your life.