It is astonishing and unfortunate that 64 percent of all 32 billion clothes that are made globally each year end up in landfills, yet this statistic is a fact. Every year, around 94 million kilograms’ worth of one-time-use garments are purchased, and approximately half of all consumers dispose of their unwanted clothing by tossing it away in the trash rather than reselling it or finding another use for it. If used clothing was stacked one on top of the other, it would take 42 seconds to reach the height of the Burj Khalifa, seven minutes to reach the summit of Mount Everest, and 228 days to reach the Moon (384,400 kilometers away).
On the other hand, it can take man-made materials like polyester and nylon up to two hundred years to decompose in landfills, but it just takes two weeks for linen to decompose on its own naturally.
Because of this, it should come as no surprise that sustainability has become a hot concern both in terms of waste and environmental impact. The fashion and textile sector is regarded as the joint third-highest producer of greenhouse gasses worldwide. In the beginning, fashion brands were sluggish to react, but now things are beginning to change. This has been particularly visible in the denim sector of the fashion business. This is due to the fact that one of the most fundamental components of all of our closets, a pair of jeans, comes at a tremendous cost to the environment. Because of the massive amounts of water and pesticides required for large-scale cotton cultivation, the production of denim has had a poor reputation for many decades. This is due to the enormous quantity of water that is required for processing, the harmful chemicals that are used in the treatment and dyeing processes that provide all of those interesting bleached, stonewashed, and sandblasted finishes, and the production of denim. The production of jeans is an extremely thirsty procedure. From the cultivation of the cotton crop to the production of the finished garment, it takes around 6,800 liters of water to produce a single pair of jeans, as stated by Sarah Ahmed, the founder of the New York-based denim brand DL1961.
We may count our blessings that an abundance of denim businesses are using innovative ways that are better for the environment. There are both up-and-coming brands like DL1961, Frame, Everlane, ELV Denim, and Reformation and Re/Done, as well as well-known brands on a worldwide scale like Levi Strauss & Co. But they can’t accomplish this on their own. The companies and the enormous mills that weave kilometers of denim cloth for them each year must work together on this project in order for it to be successful.
One of the initiatives that has been taken up by a new breed of denim manufacturers is the usage of recycled yarn. These denim manufacturers make use of a technology that was developed by Recover TM, a material sciences business that converts post-consumer trash into new yarn. Ms. Ahmed adds that the manufacturing process for DL1961’s denim generates a more circular economy because it makes use of previously loved cottons and knitwear. “To put it simply, the jeans you threw away a year ago or the tube top you wore every day while you were in college have been broken down, woven into a whole new cotton fiber, and are now a component of your favorite pair of pants,” Since the company’s beginning, sustainability has been one of the company’s guiding principles, and it takes great satisfaction in its ongoing exploration of new projects in fabric and sustainability technology. “Our clients have always admired our commitment to sustainability,” Ahmed continues, “but in the past two years, I’ve noticed a significant increase in the frequency with which they ask about it.” It’s encouraging to see that consumers as a whole are becoming increasingly demanding of fashion companies and manufacturers. It motivates us to innovate even more in the future.
Ahmed’s family runs ADM, Pakistan’s second-largest denim factory, which weaves 2.7km every month. It’s a vertical operation that produces 1 million pairs of jeans a month, from high-rise kick flares to traditional straight cuts.
The denim is manufactured with sustainable fibers like Recover TM (post-consumer waste recycled by ADM) weaved with high-tech Tencel TM, a recycled and biodegradable cellulose yarn that offers recycled cotton strength.
Using less water, dyes, and energy (ADM employs solar power) does not degrade the consumer’s product. “Most people are astonished that denim that feels so comfortable and fits so beautifully is sustainable,” said Ahmed. ISKO in Turkey is one of the world’s major denim fabric producers, weaving 300 million meters per year on 2,000 state-of-the-art looms and providing European designer names and smaller denim and designer labels such as NTMB, Filles a Papa, BITE Studios, and Bianca Saunders. ISKO introduced jeggings, a luxurious stretch denim with second skin fit and shaping, 12 years ago. The mill is pursuing a field-to-fabric approach throughout its chain. The EU Ecolabel designation recognizes ISKO’s dedication to product and process innovation, as well as environmentally and socially responsible products. We do this because it’s right — we’re transparent with our customers.`ISRO’s latest responsible invention is R-TWO TM 50+ sustainable denim, created with at least 50% recycled materials – mostly cotton lost in the spinning process. Polyester manufactured from plastic bottles is also recycled. The company has lowered the quantity of water needed to make denim and plans to reuse and recycle all process water by 2025.
Levi Strauss, founded 170 years ago, is significantly involved in establishing a circular ecosystem for its 2020 Buy Better, Wear Longer jeans. Levi Strauss has produced a new 501s fabric with organic cotton, environmentally sourced wood pulp, and recycled denim. Its other fashion outfits incorporate cotton instilled hemp and up cycled fibers. Its Water Less effort aims to reduce the amount of water used in jeans production and detoxify harmful chemicals. ELV Denim in London uses repurposed denim to create fresh designs from pre-loved jeans. Re/done uses repurposed denim and organic cotton. Everlane’s denim collection is made by Saitex, which recycles 98% of its water, uses alternative energy, and repurposes byproducts. American fashion brand Frame works with Saitex and Italian mill Candiani on two special initiatives, the (Bio) Degradable Jean and Pure, a spring capsule collection featuring designs that use virtually no water in their production (1.25 liters, of which 98% is recycled) and no bleach or stone washing.
Erik Torstensson, co-founder and CEO of Frame, said, “Conserving water and energy is another step on our way to produce sustainably and responsibly and to be better global citizens.” Frame’s (Bio) Degradable Jean has three new stretchy fabrics. All have biodegradable cotton that decomposes naturally and easily removed hardware with a QR code explaining how and where. The anthology, adds Torstensson, “has been tremendously well-received” “We identified a formula that doesn’t compromise Frame’s beauty and fit and is environmentally friendly,” he says. We’re committed to improving luxury denim, so we’ll keep researching and designing.” Customers want to buy better, ultimately. He explains, “They want to appear nice and do well.”
Reference:
Nurnahar Akter, Tania. “How the Denim Industry Is Cleaning up Its Act.” Textile News, Apparel News, RMG News, Fashion Trends, 8 June 2022, https://www.textiletoday.com.bd/denim-industry-cleaning-act/.
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