If you watched, heard or read about Stacey Dooley’s wildly popular BBC documentary last October about the fashion industry’s environmental footprint, you’ll likely have heard the frankly terrifying statistic that is can take over 15,000 litres of water to grow the cotton to make just ONE pair of jeans.
But all is not lost. It’s pretty awful, but it’s not lost.
With the industry finally being held accountable for its impact on the earth, companies are being forced to re-think the way they create their clothes in order to comply with the ever-growing sustainability demands of their customer. And, unsuprisingly, one of the most closely-watched areas is the denim sector.
Speaking exclusively to GLAMOUR UK about its mission to go 100% sustainable by 2020, denim stalwart J Brand addressed the pits and peaks of the transition.
“One of the biggest challenges can be understanding greener options, then learning and getting used to applying new techniques in an industry (like denim) that’s been around since the 1870s.”
“The road to sustainability is ongoing but once we began the learning process, we were surprised how much we are and will be able to achieve simply by adopting new practices.”
“Some improvements we’ve been able to implement in recent seasons include innovation of fabrics through laser technology, eco denim that uses up to 99% less water, reduction of toxic chemicals like bleach, and fabric development through scraps that are upcycled and turned into insulation.”
While we salute brands currently undergoing the complex transition process, scroll down to shop pieces that have already hit the sustainability nail on the head…
