What Are The Best Sustainable Denim Brands?
During 2020 there was a lot of interest in the denim production process which is one of the worst polluters in the fashion industry. This increased awareness has lead to many of us now realising that the production of our beloved denim jeans, can create a lot of waste with dire environmental consequences.
It's now more widely understood that when it comes to sustainability, jean production is quite wasteful process, leading manufacturers to look towards more sustainable production methods, helping us as consumers to choose jeans that have less of a negative environmental impact.
This increased awareness and a drive towards consumers wanting to shop more sustainably has lead to numerous manufacturers making big changes to their manufacturing processes to help reduce water waste, improve energy consumption and recycle more.
Whether it's jeans made using recycled materials, less water used in the production process, using sustainable and organic certified cotton or by reducing by-products, there are a new breed of jean brands wearing their sustainability credentials proudly.
Below we've put together a list of some of the jean brands available here in the UK that at the time of writing, are making sustainability claims for their Denim products.
Some of the best sustainable denim brands available in the UK
Everlane Sustainable Jeans
The Everlane denim factory partner recycles 98% of their water, keeps byproducts out of the environment and uses renewable energy and air drying to reduce its CO2 emissions by 80%.
Hiut Demin Company
These jeans are all made in Wales which makes a hugely refreshing change as Demin production is usually left to places like China and Vietnam. There are 4 ladies fits to choose from and 5 for men.
Not all of their jeans are organic cotton but many are, with jeans like the Eira made using 100% organic cotton woven in Britain in a mill in Lancashire. Hiut even offer free repairs to extend the life of your jeans further.
Reformation Demin
Jeans are sustainably produced and they use both organic and recycled cotton in their clothing. All of their jeans clearly show their sustainability impact and cut down on both waste and water use.
Lucy & Yak
Based in the north of England, Lucy & Yak focus on producing jeans for bodies of all sizes, using 100% organic cotton. Their 'Dana' mom jeans are super high-waisted and their relaxed fit makes them a great everyday casual jean choice.
If you're seeking ethically made jeans that are also affordable, then the Lucy & Yak collection is well worth a look.
Monki
Proving you don't always need to pay a hefty price for making more ethical shopping choices, Monki is the funky fashion brand from H&M and they use 100% sustainably sourced cotton pledge to ensure their entire range is made from recycled or other sustainably sourced materials within the next 10 years. Look out for the "Monki Cares" label on their jeans and other clothing.
Levi's
A big denim brand might not bring to mind thoughts of sustainable production, but Levi's have been responsible for a number of changes and innovations to reduce waste and use more sustainable fabric choices, including working with hemp.
Levi’s WellThread is their most sustainable collection which uses less water to produce and as many recycled materials as possible and everything is designed to be recycled.
So there you have it, some more sustainable options that will help you to choose your jeans more wisely and don't forget, another way to reduce the environmental impact is to wash your jeans less frequently.
Whatever jeans you choose (and how ever frequently you choose to wash them!) make sure you've got Holé button covers to help protect your tops and prolong their life.