On the list of wardrobe must-haves, denim scores high. A wardrobe remains incomplete without a comfortable pair of denims. Forget the ubiquitous jeans. Most wardrobes include denim jackets, skirts, shirts and even saris made from denim. Denim has become perhaps the most essential fabric that lends a certain character to the closet. Changes in design and pattern have not been able to push denim out of the fashion loop.

What makes denim distinctive is the good amalgamation of comfort and style. But denim has been blamed for the environment damage it has caused. The denim industry, labelled as one of the dirtiest, is changing for the better. Environmental pollutants involved in denim washes are gradually being replaced by green methods of production.

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As part of the Greenpeace Detox campaign, several apparel and footwear brands and retailers have shown their commitment to guide the textile and apparel industry towards zero discharge of hazardous chemicals by year 2020. Eco-friendly denim has become the new rage as customers choose organic and environment-friendly garments over chemically treated ones. Consumer awareness regarding eco-friendly textile is on the rise. Customers, aware and self-accountable, are shunning away from toxic denim.

Opening to innovations

The latest innovations that go soft on the environment include dyeing methods that save water and energy and result in less waste. Contemporary denim manufacturers use comparatively eco-friendly concentrated sulphur dyes. The chemical structure of sulphur dyes helps them to bond better with cotton. This method does not involve rinsing. Instead, the dye is oxidised with effective fixing agents to make it stay on the denim. In contrast to conventional indigo dyeing, this method saves approximately 92 per cent of water, 87 per cent of cotton waste and 30 per cent of energy. More enzymes are used in the denim finishing process. This process not only improves the final product, it also results in less energy consumption and less pollution.

Levi Strauss was one of the first brands to introduce ecologically aware technology in denim production that reduces the amount of water used in finishing the garment by 28 per cent. In some other garments like jeans, denim jackets, etc this goes up to 96 per cent. Adjustments in finishing process like removing water from stone finishing and combining multiple processes reduces the amount of water.

0he brand has also launched denim made from plastic bottles. Swedish label Nudie jeans has also launched post-recycled denim rugs. The brand also uses 100 per cent organic fabric to produce variety of denim articles like jeans, bags, shirts, et al. The zero water technology, ozone processing for lighter shades, laser wash that uses no water at all and increased use of less toxic chemicals in denim, are some of the ways in which denim is transforming into a green industry.

Swedish retail giant H&M also launched jeans made from recycled, donated clothing. This range of denim utilises 20 per cent recycled cotton, which is the uppermost limit that can be used without impacting the quality of the finished product.

 

Denim Club India has alsodeveloped a range of garments made out of handloom denim. This collection isdesigned to ensure minimum wastage of fabric and the complete garment requiresminimal stitching. Many independent designers endorse green denim. Indiandesigner Deepika Govind launched organic denim collection for men and women.Scotland's Dawn Ellams advocates replacing cotton with Lyocell, a fibre fromwood pulp. This can trim down the carbon emission associated with cotton andthis also leads to less wastage of water.

The new methods associated withdenim production are concentrating on reduced water consumption, saving energy,using less or no chemicals, improved quality, strength and finish and reducedvolumes of wastes.

Eco-labelling

Denim industry is notorious for its water wastage and the usage ofchemicals. According to National Geographic magazine, a single pair ofjeans needs 11,000 liters of water between production of the raw material andthe finished jeans. This staggering figure indicates that there is an urgentneed for the denim industry to change the negative water footprint. Also,conventional indigo dyeing for denim results in a large amount of cotton waste.The huge size of production lines which are meant for passing the cottonthreads makes wastage unavoidable. When the colour of denim is changed, thefibres remaining in the machines are discarded. 

Though some major denim brands inbusiness have changed the production process in view of protecting the environment,many companies in developing and underdeveloped countries continue to apply thetraditional approach in producing denim. Many brands use harsh chemicals likehypochlorite and permanganate to get the fashionable washed-out effect.

Some of the denim brands operatein underdeveloped and developing nations, as laws in these nations do not banuse of toxic chemicals and rules regarding water usage are also flexible. Althoughhealth hazards associated with chemicals are grave, companies tend to exploitlabourers unabashedly. In spite of the Clean Clothes Campaign, an alliance oforganisations in 15 European countries dedicated to improving workingconditions and supporting the empowerment of workers in the global garment andsportswear industries, sandblasting to produce faded denim continues. Accordingto a report entitled Deadly Denim, large factories in Bangladeshexporting jeans overseas continue to use sandblasting. The process causes fatallung disease.

Countries like India, China andMexico, where denim is produced in large quantities are facing the consequencesof ignoring environment concerns. Mexico has not taken contamination of waterfollowing disposal of denim waste too seriously. As a consequence, Mexican somerivers have literally been dyed blue. It is important for brands to work ontheir environmental credentials to gain customer loyalty.

 

According to a ShopSmart study, anaverage American woman owns seven pair of jeans. If that is any yardstick,consider the huge consumption of denim worldwide since denim is popular virtuallyeverywhere. If brands do not adopt ecologically sound methods of producing denim,it will definitely hurt the image of brands besides causing serious damage to theenvironment.

Global landscape

Conscious denim collection ofH&M, Levi's eco-friendly jeans, Dutch brand Mud Jeans, Second Denim Co(Yoga Jeans) and Loomstate are doing well to make the denim industry moresustainable. Eco-sensitive consumers are often well-informed and thanks to therising number of such customers the scenario in developed countries ischanging. Nevertheless, companies that have given contracts to underdevelopedand developing countries struggle to ensure ethical production. In countrieslike India, China and Bangladesh, local manufacturers tend to ignore ethics. So,regardless of the stand a brand takes, if the denim production process isoutsourced to underdeveloped and developing nations, the production processremains conventional.

Lack of support from developingnations and unavailability of natural/organic products like natural indigo ororganic cotton are a potential threat in impeding growth of eco-friendly denim.The consumer behaviour also largely remains unchanged, as many consumers tendto overlook green aspect of denim.

So, although denim has come some distancein becoming a greener fabric, it still has a long way to go.

References:

1. Clariant.de

2. Psfk.com

3. Academia.edu

4. Nationalgeographic.com

5. Creeklife.com

6. Wgsn.com