Find your ‘forever’ jeans – that don’t cost the earth
J Brand J Brand aims to make its entire line sustainable by the end of 2020, and has launched #Littlejean, with model Elsa Hosk, an 11-piece sustainable capsule inspired by vintage styles. It has reduced the water used in the wash process by 90%, and only needs man-made stones, rather than mined pumice stones, for production. as if shopping for jeans wasn’t already stressful enough, now as well as cut, fit, colour, wash, and whether or not skinnies are cancelled until further notice, you must also consider denim’s sustainability factor.
It’s not a virtuous afterthought. In fact, after tracking more than 60 million denim searches over the past 12 months, Lyst has now reported there’s been a 193% increase in page views for sustainable denim brands. No wonder – because when it comes to the sustainability conversation, responsibly sourced and manufactured denim is key.
‘The fashion industry is one of the largest polluting industries in the world, with jean production at the forefront of this phenomenon,’ says Jordan Nodarse, the founder and creative director of La-based denim brand Boyish, which opened a pop-up in Selfridges earlier this month and offers environmentally conscious denim in styles that also promise to ‘make your booty look amazing’. ‘A standard jean can use up to 8,000 litres of water to make just one pair; 60% of that water consumption is needed for the fibre and fabric production, and 30% is used to launder the denim so it looks worn.’
‘I’ll never forget visiting a denim factory in Bangladesh in 2015 – they were producing three million pairs of jeans a month,’ adds Livia Firth, founder and creative director of sustainability consultancy Eco-age. ‘Let that sink in… That’s just one factory but imagine how many jeans are produced worldwide. This is a grim reality.’
There’s another reality check that’s required if you’re aiming to shop more consciously. ‘Research before you buy and be prepared to make an investment; responsibly made denim is harder to find at high-street prices,’ says Selfridges’ buying manager Poppy Lomax. ‘Move away from the mindset of jeans being a seasonal purchase and remember denim’s origins and purpose – jeans should be built to last and improve with age.’
Guess
Guess’s Eco collection, comprising T-shirts, bodysuits and of course denim, is a big step forward in its commitment to becoming more sustainable. The company has joined the Better Cotton Initiative, has implemented responsible sourcing policies for its rayon and other cellulosic materials, and has saved more than 2.5 million litres of water since 2016.
And if you’re looking for a new pair of forever jeans? Thankfully, brands are vigorously responding to this demand, and without sacrificing style. Case in point, Victoria Secret’s model Elsa Hosk’s new collection for J Brand, which launches this week. ‘It was so important to us to make all the denim in this collection have sustainable elements. I love working with brands that try and make a change in the industry and set a great example,’ Elsa tells Grazia ( J Brand has made a commitment to go fully sustainable by the end of next year). Environmentally kinder credentials of Elsa’s collection include, ‘An eco wash with significant reduction in water used during production; tags, trims and hardware made of recycled and/or sustainable materials; and the use of recycled cotton wherever possible.’ Other great news? They fit perfectly too.
Here are the brands leading the charge on fashion-forward, environmentally friendly denim. DL1961
You know how jeans can go all saggy around the knees? DL1961’S high-performance XFIT fibre combats that so their denim lasts longer. Last year, the New Yorkbased brand also saved 50 million gallons of water and donated 5,000lbs of excess fabric to FABSCRAP, a non-profit that upcycles commercial textiles. ELV Denim
Each pair of ELV jeans – produced in a five-mile radius of Dalston and Walthamstow – is made from two pairs of discarded jeans that would otherwise go to landfill. Not only is their formula ‘zero waste’, but the ‘Frankenstein’ result has become a style statement in its own right. (See also the spliced denim from LA label Re/done, right.) Reformation
It’s the Insta-set’s fave e-commerce label – and its new lightweight denim collection is what they’ll want this summer, especially now international shipping is free (they buy offsets so the shipping has a net zero carbon impact). It’s still got all the sustainable vital stats – jeans are 100% organic cotton and save on carbon dioxide, water and waste – and come in uber-cool shapes. Wrangler
Every stage of Wrangler’s production process has been overhauled and the result is Indigood, a collection that uses a new foam-dyeing process that needs 100% less water, virtually eliminates waste water, and reduces energy use and waste by 60%. The jeans, costing £100, are made with at least 28% recycled cotton. Boyish
Boyish jeans require only a third of the water used to make regular jeans, are produced using kinder chemicals to prevent fresh water contamination, and use dead stock or innovative, recycled fabrics. Even the garment bags are 100% compostable. The Billy and Tommy jeans are hugely popular.