JORDAN NODARSE

(10) FOUNDER AND CREATIVE DIRECTOR, BOYISH JEANS

I believe denim is having a re-birth actually […] I think the biggest change that needs to happen should be within brands. Manufacturers have had the technology for a more sustainable supply chain for a long time, but brands are too focused on reducing their costs for a higher profit margin. That is a ridiculously backwards way of thinking.

If brands look at their impact and deliver a clear message of true transparency all the way to the firms that produce the fiber that goes into their fabrics, they will see that their consumers care more about their products and put a higher value on them. After all, 60% of jeans’ impact comes from the fabric, 30% from laundry and CMT, and 10% from trimmings. So, the most impact one can make is through fabrics.

Just make sure you certify and audit your supply chain with professionals. There is a lot of lying going on. For instance, only 0.5% of the world’s cotton is actually truly organic. Oh, and stop using recycled plastic in everyday garments that get washed extensively. Micro-fiber shedding is a huge problem. These micro-plastics are ending up inside our stomachs and there are already eight billion tons of them in the oceans. So if you're a brand, stop trying to take shortcuts by putting abnormal amounts of recycled polyester or nylon into your garments. Even if you take ocean plastic and make it into recycled fiber, that’s not a solution. The plastic is still ending up back in the ocean, but this time it’s more damaging!