Eco-conscious Denim

The weather is cooling down for fall, which means bring out the denim! A lot goes into finding those perfect pair of jeans- fit, length, color, etc but what about environmental impact? Here are some facts on the impact denim has on the environment and some tips on purchasing eco-friendly jeans. 

Environmental Impacts on Denim:

Unfortunately, the environmental impact of denim is pretty large if not manufactured consciously. Denim is mainly made of cotton which tends to be a water greedy crop. 2.2 pounds (1 kg) of cotton uses approximately 7,660 gallons of water!  It is also frequently dyed with synthetic indigo which is very polluting. The dyes and chemical treatments from this end up in water systems and create issues for human health from bad skin rashes to infertility. 

How can you find eco-conscious denim?

Yes! Organic cotton jeans make a big difference. It is believed that organic cotton uses 46% less CO2 in comparison to conventional cotton. It also uses 88% less water. Many denim manufacturing groups are also moving away from using toxic synthetic indigo. Companies have now created ways to source and use bio-based indigo instead of synthetic. Another option is of course thrifting! It’s a great way to reduce our consumption and support keeping denim out of our landfills.

While updating your fall wardrobe this year, make sure to look out for conscious denim to expand your eco-friendly wardrobe.

Sources

August 27, 2019, Courtney Lindwall. “Are My Denim Jeans Bad for the Environment?” NRDC, 18 Aug. 2020, www.nrdc.org/stories/are-my-denim-jeans-bad-environment.

“Find out All You Need to Know about Organic Cotton.” Aboutorganiccotton.org, aboutorganiccotton.org/.

“How Can the Denim Industry Create a Sustainable Supply Chain and Stop Polluting the Environment?” Quora, www.quora.com/How-can-the-denim-industry-create-a-sustainable-supply-chain-and-stop-polluting-the-environment.

Linens, Swedish. “The Harsh Truth: Organic vs. Conventional Cotton.” Swedish Linens AB, 27 Aug. 2017, www.swedishlinens.com/blogs/news/organic-vs-conventional-cotton.

Stear, Nikki. “Dirty Denim Exposed in Upcoming Documentary ‘RiverBlue.’” Live Eco, 1 Aug. 2014, www.liveeco.co.za/2014/08/04/dirty-denim-exposed-upcoming-documentary-riverblue/.