The Denim Dilemma: Can Our Favorite Fabric Escape Its Unsustainable Past?
author & maverick: Cpt. JayR (cultural journalist, media producer,
founder of Digit PaxMentis, brain & obstetrician of Maverick’s Cove)
DigitPaxM/MC-23102024. Denim, the fabric synonymous with rugged individualism and timeless style, harbors a dark secret. Its production, from cotton fields to finishing mills, leaves an alarming trail of environmental and social damage.
As consumers awaken to the fashion industry's heavy footprint, denim finds itself under the microscope, forcing a reckoning with its unsustainable past and prompting the question:
Can we find a way to enjoy our Jeans without harming the Planet?
The environmental cost of a single pair of jeans is staggering. Cotton cultivation, the backbone of denim, demands immense water resources, guzzling up to 20,000 liters per kilogram. This thirst drains precious water reserves, particularly in regions grappling with scarcity. Furthermore, pesticides and fertilizers leach into water systems, polluting ecosystems and jeopardizing public health.
The manufacturing process only compounds the damage. Harsh chemicals used in dyeing and finishing procedures contaminate local water sources, further degrading ecosystems. The iconic indigo hue, achieved through traditional dyeing methods, often relies on toxic substances, impacting both workers and the environment.
The sheer volume of discarded denim amplifies these issues. Fast fashion trends, coupled with denim's durability, result in mountains of clothing ending up in landfills. Denim's slow decomposition rate means it can languish for centuries, taking up valuable space and potentially leaching harmful substances into the surrounding environment.
From Linear to Circular: A Denim Revolution?
A growing movement toward circular fashion offers a glimmer of hope. Recognizing the urgency to break free from the "take-make-dispose" model, innovators are exploring ways to recycle and upcycle denim, transforming waste into valuable resources.
Mechanical recycling, the most prevalent method, involves shredding old denim into fibers and blending them with virgin materials to create new yarns. This process, while relatively straightforward, results in a lower quality fiber due to shorter lengths. Additionally, separating blends, such as cotton and polyester, presents a hurdle for dyeing and further processing.
Chemical recycling, a newer technology, offers the potential for higher-quality recycled fibers. By dissolving and reconstituting cotton fibers, chemical recycling yields a material comparable to virgin cotton. However, this process is currently more costly and faces challenges in scaling up to meet industry demands.
Challenges on the Road to Circularity
Despite promising advancements, the path toward a truly circular denim industry is riddled with obstacles. The economic realities of textile recycling present a significant hurdle. The lower quality and higher production costs associated with recycled denim often make it less appealing than cheaper virgin materials. Consumer perceptions and expectations further complicate the transition. The demand for stretchy, comfortable jeans often necessitates higher elastane content, which can hinder recyclability. Brands face the challenge of balancing sustainability with consumer desires, urging a shift in mindset toward valuing durability and longevity over fleeting trends.
A Patchwork of Solutions: Innovation vs. Legislation
Addressing denim's sustainability crisis requires a multi-pronged approach. Innovation in recycling technologies, such as those pioneered by companies like MUD Jeans and Recover, holds promise for increasing the percentage of recycled content without sacrificing quality. The development of high-performance elastane with minimal content, like Hyosung's creora® 3D Max, enables stretch and comfort while adhering to recyclability guidelines.
Legislation plays a crucial role in leveling the playing field. The European Union's push for mandatory Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) programs, holding producers accountable for textile waste management, incentivizes circularity. Similar initiatives are emerging globally, signaling a shift toward more responsible practices.
Listen to our Podcast: DENIM Revolution.
playtime: 17 min 22 sec.
As always, our podcasts are available on-demand, with Karaoke-style subtitles for accessibility, and full transcripts can be downloaded at our archive ... https://www.pomshop.nl/transcripts
Global Actors and Timelines in Recycled/Upcycled Denim
The global landscape of denim recycling and upcycling is highlighting key players and hinting at potential timelines for mass production.
Countries at the Forefront
The Netherlands: The Denim Deal, a Dutch initiative, brought together over 50 stakeholders across the denim value chain, with a goal of increasing the use of post-consumer recycled (PCR) cotton in denim products. While the Denim Deal officially ended in 2023, its impact continues to be felt as it stimulated innovation and collaboration within the industry.
Italy: Candiani Denim, an Italian company, is known for its commitment to sustainable denim production. Their Re-Cyclone program focuses on developing post-industrial and post-consumer recycled denim, aiming to minimize waste and utilize alternative raw materials.
Sweden: Renewcell, a Swedish company, has developed a groundbreaking technology that transforms textile waste, including denim, into a new raw material called Circulose pulp. This pulp can then be used to create biodegradable viscose or Lyocell fibers, offering a promising solution for closed-loop denim recycling.
Australia: Researchers at Deakin University, supported by the Australian Research Council, have developed an efficient, low-cost method to convert waste denim into usable viscose-type fibres. This innovation has the potential to contribute significantly to the scalability of denim recycling.
Tunisia: Diesel, in collaboration with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), has implemented a pilot project in Tunisia to establish a closed-loop recycling system for denim-cutting scraps. This project demonstrates the feasibility of creating a local ecosystem for denim recycling.
Companies Driving Innovation
MUD Jeans (Netherlands): This brand is a pioneer in circular denim, implementing leasing programs and take-back initiatives. They have partnered with Recover to produce jeans with up to 40% recycled content. Notably, they are also working with Saxion University and Tech for Future to develop jeans made from 100% PCR denim.
Candiani Denim (Italy): As mentioned earlier, Candiani is known for its Re-Cyclone program and its commitment to recycled denim production. They also developed Coreva, a compostable stretch denim fabric that uses natural rubber instead of plastic elastic yarn.
Renewcell (Sweden): This company's Circulose technology is transforming the landscape of textile recycling, with brands like H&M and Levi's already incorporating Circulose into their products.
Bossa (Turkey): Bossa is a denim mill that has developed a method for creating high-quality yarn from short-length recycled fibres, overcoming a key challenge in post-consumer denim recycling. They are partnering with MUD Jeans to produce jeans with 100% PCR denim.
Kipas (Turkey): Kipas is a textile mill that is actively collaborating with Hyosung to utilize creora® Bio-Based elastane in their denim fabrics. This partnership showcases the industry's efforts to integrate sustainable materials into conventional production processes.
Hyosung (South Korea): While not directly involved in denim recycling, Hyosung plays a critical role by providing innovative elastane solutions that enable the creation of recyclable and more sustainable denim. Their creora® Bio-Based, creora® regen, and creora® 3D Max elastane options are being adopted by leading denim brands.
Research Institutions and Universities
Saxion University (Netherlands): Saxion's research group on Sustainable & Functional Textiles is actively involved in researching and developing solutions for denim recycling. Their collaboration with MUD Jeans and Tech for Future on 100% PCR denim highlights their contribution to this field.
Deakin University (Australia): The ARC Industrial Transformation Research Hub for Future Fibres at Deakin University is leading research in textile recycling, including their recent breakthrough in converting waste denim into viscose-type fibres.
Kaunas University of Technology (Lithuania): Researchers at this university have developed a multi-stage chemical process to recycle denim, effectively separating cotton and polyester fibres. This process is claimed to have a lower carbon footprint than traditional methods and offers the potential for economic viability at a commercial scale.
Timelines for Mass Production
Predicting precise timelines for mass production is challenging. However, several factors suggest that widespread adoption of recycled and upcycled denim is on the horizon.
Technological Advancements: Ongoing research and development efforts are continuously improving the quality and reducing the costs of recycled denim fibres.
Legislative Pressure: Regulations like the EU's EPR are pushing brands to incorporate recycled materials and adopt circular business models.
Growing Consumer Awareness: Consumers are increasingly demanding sustainable and ethical fashion choices, driving the industry to respond with innovative solutions.
While some companies are already producing jeans with high percentages of recycled denim (e.g., MUD Jeans' 40% recycled content), achieving mass production with 100% PCR denim or significant levels of chemically recycled denim for mainstream brands might still take several years. It will require further scaling up of innovative technologies, streamlining of supply chains, and continued collaboration between industry stakeholders.
Economic and Ecological Considerations
Despite positive developments, challenges remain. The cost of recycled denim fibres can be a barrier to widespread adoption, particularly in a market driven by fast fashion and low prices.
Furthermore, the environmental benefits of recycled denim must be carefully evaluated. While recycling reduces reliance on virgin materials and landfill waste, the recycling processes themselves consume energy and resources. Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs) are crucial for accurately assessing the environmental impact of different recycling methods and ensuring that recycled denim truly offers a more sustainable option.
Looking Ahead: A More Circular Denim Future?
The future of denim hinges on continuous innovation, collaborative efforts, and a shift in consumer behaviour.
Transparency and Traceability: Consumers need clear information about the recycled content and the environmental impact of their denim choices.
Design for Circularity: Brands must prioritize durability, repairability, and recyclability in their designs.
Investment in Innovation: Continued research and development are needed to improve recycling technologies and create new, more sustainable materials.
The Future of Denim: Threads of Hope and Consumer Choice
The future of denim hinges on a collective effort to transform a historically unsustainable industry. As technological advancements improve recycling quality and reduce costs, and as legislation encourages responsible practices, denim's environmental and social impact can be significantly mitigated. The key lies in a shift in mindset, both within the industry and among consumers.
Embracing sustainable practices, such as buying less, repairing and altering clothes, and supporting brands committed to circularity, drives demand for change. Ultimately, consumer choices hold immense power. Individuals can become conscious consumers, seeking transparency in supply chains, demanding recycled materials, transparency and prioritizing sustainable choices (longevity over fleeting trends).
Its up to us consumers, who will determine whether our beloved denim becomes a symbol of a more responsible and stylish future. By embracing circularity, denim can evolve from a symbol of environmental burden to a beacon of sustainable style.
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