AE launches limited-edition sustainable jeans
American Eagle is on a mission to become more environmentally responsible — one pair of pants at a time.
The Pittsburgh-headquartered clothing retailer launched this month a limited-edition collection of jeans made following the guidelines of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s Jeans Redesign Project. It outlines requirements for durability, material health, recyclability and traceability of denim jeans that more than 70 brands, including American Eagle, have agreed to follow to cut back on waste and negative environmental impact.
The goal of the Jeans Redesign Project is to make denim pieces that can be used longer and turned into other garments when customers no longer want to wear them. The project’s guidelines also prioritize making jeans that are better for factory workers and the environment by cutting back on harmful chemicals in the production process. To view the full list of project guidelines, visit ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/our-work/activities/make-fashion
American Eagle Outfitters released its comprehensive plan for sustainability in 2019. To date, some of its accomplishments are decreasing since 2017 by nearly seven gallons the amount of water used to make each pair of jeans, using almost 70 million plastic bottles in recycled polyester in 2020, and continuing to build partnerships to make systemic improvements in garment manufacturing.
American Eagle applied these guidelines to its new collection by creating jeans designed to withstand lots of washing and are made with 100% organic cotton with easy-to-remove hardware, so they’re simpler to recycle. They’re also produced without the use of harsh chemicals.
The AE x Jeans Redesign collection features four styles: two “Mom jean” options for women with a looser fit and two slim fits for men.
Each pair is $59.95 and available only online at AE.com.