First, the bad news: Traditional denim is one of the least eco-friendly fabrics around, guzzling down nearly 20,000 thousand gallons of water per pair produced. In addition to being water-intensive, denim traditionally requires the use of toxic indigo dye, a hazardous chemical that pollutes our waterways and affects the health of humans and wildlife.
The good news is you can make sustainable choices when denim shopping that will dramatically minimize harm to the planet. Of course, the single best way to reduce the environmental and social impact of your jeans is to purchase them secondhand. But if you have your heart set on a new pair, you can prioritize brands that produce denim in a more ethical, sustainable way.
These days, a growing number of denim purveyors are designing jeans with people and the Earth in mind. By using recycled materials, water-reduction technology, nontoxic dyes and other forward-thinking eco-fashion initiatives, major retailers are making hip, stylish jeans that are less taxing on the environment.
Sustainable Denim Shopping Tips
Before you start shopping, let’s go over some tips for separating trustworthy, sustainable denim brands from the not-so-trustworthy purveyors of fast fashion. Whether rifling through racks of denim in store or browsing jean options online, here are a few factors to consider for finding an environmentally and socially responsible pair of jeans:
- Organic Denim Material: Look for plant-based denim made from sustainable materials. Organic cotton is generally a safe choice since it’s grown without synthetic pesticides on farms that often follow more eco-friendly practices. Even better are recycled denim and less water-intensive fibers like hemp. The holy grail of sustainable denim fibers is Tencel, a material made from generated renewable raw wood pulp with properties virtually identical to cotton.
- Water-Saving Technology: Cotton production has historically been water-intensive, but it doesn’t have to be. From introducing innovative waterless dying technologies to treating and reusing water, many denim brands are stepping up and introducing responsible practices into their denim production.
- Dyeing Process: To protect our waterways, go for jeans dyed with natural, plant-based dyes — and not toxic chemicals like synthetic indigo.
- Ethical Practices: Environmental concerns aren’t the only issues facing the fashion world. The industry notoriously compromises on fair wages, animal rights, health and safety risks and inclusivity. Look for denim brands that proudly champion fair wages, safe working conditions and workers’ rights, in addition to prioritizing animal safety, diverse models and inclusive sizing options.
- Organic Denim Certifications: Double check for certifications that indicate sustainability, such as GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard), OEKO-TEX Standard 100, or Fair Trade. These certifications ensure that certain environmental and social criteria have been met during production.
- Durability: Above all (and we can’t stress this enough), steer clear of cheaply made fast-fashion jeans. Sustainable denim should be well-constructed and built to last, so you aren’t always rushing out to replace them with a new pair. According to some estimates, you can cut your carbon, water and waste footprint by up to 30% by using jeans and other clothes for just nine months longer.
Our Favorite Sustainable Jean Brands
With these tips in mind, it’s time to start stopping. Here are the sustainable jean brands working to save the environment, one pair at a time:
Levi’s Plant-Based Denim
It’s impossible to talk about denim brands without mentioning Levi’s, a name that is virtually synonymous with jeans. In the summer of 2023, Levi’s unveiled its 501 plant-based denim jeans, which are made from at least 97% plant-based materials — including organically grown cotton and plant-based dye. The jeans feature cotton pockets printed with BioBlack TX, a black pigment made from wood waste, and a bio-based back patch instead of a traditional leather one.
The 501 plant-based denim jeans are only the latest initiative in Levi’s long-running efforts to take down the denim industry’s environmental harms. The brand has saved billions of liters of water since 2011 through its Water<Less initiative and introduced Levi’s Second Hand to encourage shoppers to buy used denim and reduce their carbon footprint.
Reformation
When it comes to sustainable denim, Reformation checks all the boxes. Its organic denim products are made primarily from combinations of organically grown, regeneratively grown and/or recycled cotton and Tencel. The brand is also loud and proud of its sustainable practices, which are designed to minimize the company’s waste, water and energy consumption. Thanks to efforts like sourcing electricity offsets from wind power providers and contributing financially to projects that decrease greenhouse gas levels in the atmosphere, Reformation has been carbon neutral since 2015.
MUD Jeans
Boldly branding itself as the “world’s first circular denim brand,” MUD Jeans commits itself to eliminating waste and recirculating resources. The brand works towards this goal by using organic and recycled cotton and nontoxic dyes and relying on energy- and water-saving technologies. MUD jeans are made with 40% post-consumer recycled denim, which — according to the brand — is the highest percentage in the industry.
Note: The company is based in The Netherlands so shipping times vary.
Madewell
In recent years, Madewell has been making major strides toward its sustainability goals, which include using only sustainability-sourced fibers by 2025. As of now, more than 60% of its total key fibers are made with recycled cotton, environmentally sustainable cotton, Tencel and recycled plastic. In addition, Madewell runs a denim recycling program called “Do Well,” which lets shoppers exchange their old jeans for a $20 credit to use towards a new pair. The brand also offers a preloved shop with upcycled collaborations, vintage finds and resale Madewell jeans and other items.
Warp + Weft
Billing itself as the “world’s cleanest vertically integrated denim company,” the family-owned Warp + Weft devotes itself to denim that is inclusive, ethically sourced and environmentally conscious. The brand produces jeans in-house from raw, responsibly sourced cotton in facilities that adhere to strict ecological and ethical standards. Whenever possible, Warp + Weft dyes jeans with Dystar’s Liquid Indigo, one of the cleanest and most environmentally-friendly options available.
The company recycles and treats 90% of its water and has to date saved more than 500,000,000 gallons. Warp + Weft commits itself to ethical practices and inclusivity, offering jeans in more than 75 different sizes, shapes and height options.
Boyish
Boyish has been carbon neutral since its founding in 2018. The brand makes vintage-inspired jeans from a thick, Tencel-blended material designed to last for decades. Much like Warp + Weft, Boyish uses nontoxic Dystar dye instead of toxic synthetic dyes, helping keep harsh chemicals from polluting waterways. The brand uses recycled fabric cuttings, recycled metal for buttons and 100% compostable shipping bags. In addition, Boyish commits itself to choosing factories with fair, safe and healthy working conditions.
Pangaia
Pangaia is on a mission to “inspire and accelerate an Earth Positive Future.” The apparel brand works towards this goal in part by designing apparel from a variety of Earth-friendly, traceable fibers. Panagia manufactures jeans and denim jackets from several different kinds of plant-based types of denim, including rain-grown hemp, Himalayan wild nettle and organic cotton.
The company continually rolls out eco-friendly initiatives and recently hit the notable milestone of planting, protecting and restoring one million trees through the Tomorrow Tree Fund.
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