Life is better with a good pair of jeans. Since Levis, the very first denim brand, was founded back in the fifties, they have become an indispensable item of clothing in every wardrobe; some of us spend a lifetime searching for our new favourite denim brand. Yet we are not aware of the impact this cyclical consumerism has. Fashion is the second most polluting industry in the world (after the oil) and jeans are a product that have one of the biggest and most damaging impacts on our environment. Did you know that it takes 20,000 LITRES OF WATER, 1KG OF COTTON to produce ONE PAIR OF JEANS? As a consequence, there are many initiatives brands can launch to lessen this negative effect denim production has on the world and at the same time, get attention from the public with creative and original marketing strategies.
(Photo Credit: www.lookbook.com)
Indeed, ethical clothing brands are becoming more and more popular among millennials, as we are realising that people want to wear clothes that differentiate them and make them feel good about themselves. Think about your favourite pair of jeans that you wear almost everyday because they suit you just perfectly. Maybe when your old favourites need replacing you could try an ethical fashion brand instead of a fast fashion chain? This way you get to look stylish in your new jeans and make our world a better place to live!
Studies on ethical spending have proven that consumers are willing to spend more money on better-quality products when they also come with an ethical guarantee. What’s not to love in a quality new pair of jeans made from organic cotton and decorated with various beautiful recycled pieces of clothing?
Here are some of my favourite ethical online denim brands with really cool initiatives you should definitely take a look at!
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MUD JEANS– Utrecht, Holland
(Photo Credit: www.treehugger.com)
This online brand came up with a very innovative concept that allows customers to lease jeans instead of purchase them. MUD works on the concept of circular economy and against the fast fashion phenomenon meaning you can get a new pair of jeans without feeling guilty and doing good for the environment!
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Patagonia– USA
(Photo Credit: www.patagonia.com)
This American brand is highly transparent on its whole production and distribution processes to help reduce the adverse social and environmental impacts of their products. Their jeans are made with environmentally friendly fabrics, such as organic cotton and have a huge variety of beautiful products.
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Nudie– Göteborg Sweden
(Photo Credit: www.nudiejeans.com)
Nudie Jeans is becoming a leader in ethical fashion; this brand focuses on producing high quality products which last longer than the average meaning quality over quantity, mixing together a modern look with current ethical fashions.
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AG Jeans– Amsterdam, Netherlands
(Photo Credit: www.models1blog.com)
AG Jeans offers not only denim products and jeans but also a full lifestyle line. They are always looking to reduce their environmental impact and have reduced the water consumption in their production process by 50% over the last year. They are highly innovative and their jeans are made with sustainable fibres Tencel and Modal.
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SOURCE DENIM– USA
(Picture Credit: www.sourcedenim.com)
“Comfortable. Durable. Sustainable. That’s better denim”. SOURCE DENIM offers jeans for everyone, classy and sophisticated but also rugged enough to be used for outdoor activities. What makes this brand different is that in order to eliminate the negative effect chemicals used on the dying process have on our planet, they use a biodegradable material instead made of crab shells! Their products are also 100% cotton.
WHICH IS THE LEADING COUNTRY IN THE DENIM PRODUCTION?
Amsterdam has a huge amount of jeans companies, which makes The Netherlands the leading country in the denim production. As a result, it is not surprising that the country also has a great advantage on ethical fashion brands specialised in jeans. It has also the world’s first school for denim!