News

• Cottonised hemp: the SEFF process transforms hemp’s naturally stiff fibres into cotton-like softness, making it viable for comfortable denim.
• Chemically-recycled fibres: innovations like Circulose transform worn-out garments into new cellulosic fibres, reducing landfill waste while preserving resources. 
• Mechanically recycled cotton: companies like Recover and Säntis Textiles are perfecting techniques to process textile waste back into spinnable fibres without chemical processing. 

While most alternative fibres currently available are not a one-to-one replacement for cotton, transformative companies like Galy are developing lab-grown cotton that grows in bioreactors rather than fields, potentially using 80% less resources. 

BEYOND MATERIALS: PROCESSING DENIM

Processing, and particularly dyeing and garment finishing (which play a critical role in defining the final look and feel of the product), tends to be the most resource-intensive stage. The environmental challenges tied to this phase are mainly related to two critical factors: the use of toxic chemicals and the intensive consumption and mismanagement of water. 

Indigo dye, the source of denim’s iconic blue, is notoriously resource-intensive. Traditional methods require multiple dips, rinses, and oxidation cycles, often using outdated techniques like overflow rinsing, once considered effective but now known to waste significant amounts of water. This is especially concerning given that denim production often occurs in water-scarce regions already facing drought and water stress. Beyond water use, synthetic indigo has also historically contained aniline, a carcinogenic substance, which relies on reducing agents that if not properly managed, produce toxic wastewater. These chemical challenges are particularly difficult to overcome, especially in areas lacking adequate wastewater treatment infrastructure and financing. 

Garment finishing, which is the stage where denim is softened, distressed, or given a “worn-in” look, is another major contributor, as it often involves chemicals, and uses abrasive techniques that, if not carefully controlled, can release harmful substances into the environment. Chemicals pose the greatest challenge in this stage4: only 29% of finishing processes are currently considered low-impact, while a significant 24% fall into the high-impact category. Many of these finishing processes take place in factories that don’t have access to safer chemistry alternatives or modern systems that reuse water and chemicals. On top of that, workers often don’t have access to safety equipment or receive enough training on how to use safer methods, or the factory lacks the technical know-how to make improvements. As a result, toxic chemicals from finishing processes can end up in nearby rivers and lakes, polluting the environment and putting local communities at risk.

There are clear opportunities to improve denim dyeing and finishing, especially when it comes to infrastructure and safety. Stronger regulatory frameworks can ensure factories follow safety protocols and train workers properly. Alongside this, standardised chemical inventories and greater supply chain transparency can make it easier to identify and eliminate hazardous substances from production. 

Industry-led efforts, such as the Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals (ZDHC) programme, are helping accelerate this transition by offering practical tools, guidance, and certification schemes to support suppliers in adopting safer, verified practices. These systemic improvements are essential, especially in regions where outdated techniques and limited wastewater treatment infrastructure remain common. 

In parallel, a wave of innovations is offering new ways to reduce the resource intensity of denim processing:

• Printing technologies that completely eliminate the majority of traditional dyeing and washing steps, like companies like NTX Cooltrans, which uses an innovative digital printing technology to create the classic worn and distressed effects on denim without water-intensive processes.
• Dyeing technologies with reduced water consumption, like IndiDye and Sonovia’s ultrasonic technologies for indigo dyeing.
• Drop in technologies that reduce harmful chemicals, such as FIBRE52’s patented prepare-for-dyeing system for cotton and other cellulose fibres at low temperatures.
• Process innovations like CleanKore‘s technology that results in keeping the dye on the surface of the yarn, eliminating the need for additional bleaching or spraying steps and reducing water, energy, and chemical use across the process.

THE CIRCULARITY CHALLENGE

Creating sustainable denim doesn’t only mean implementing better, safer, and less resource-intensive production methods, but it also requires a shift in how jeans are designed, used, cared for and disposed of. True circularity encompasses more than just recycling; it includes extending the lifespan of garments through reuse and repair, helping reduce overall demand for new materials and lowering environmental impact.

That said, one of the biggest challenges lies in designing denim that can actually be recycled at the end of its life. Material complexity is a key barrier: even small amounts of elastane, for instance, make denim difficult to process with current recycling technologies. Added to this are issues related to component variety (zippers, rivets, and back patches that all need to be removed), and this creates inefficiencies and material loss. Design innovation here plays a key role, and forward-thinking brands like Resortecs, who make dissolvable threads for easy disassembly, are exploring construction methods that make garments easier to take apart at end-of-life, simplifying recycling and reducing waste. 

Compounding the issue is technical limitation: conventional mechanical recycling technologies, which are currently the most accessible, environmental and cost-friendly option, are delivering outputs with a shorter fibre length, meaning recycled denim often lacks the quality of virgin material. Innovators like PurFi are leading change in this area by developing fibre rejuvenation technologies that restore worn-out cotton to near-virgin quality (potentially unlocking closed-loop recycling), while keeping at cost-competitive prices. 

The reality is that circularity is made of many interconnected players that operate at the design and material level, to collection, sorting, and recycling systems level. That’s why initiatives like the Denim Deal, which is supported by Fashion for Good, are fundamental in achieving change that is truly systemic, as they are already bringing together brands, manufacturers, and recyclers to commit to circular practices (such as including a minimum percentage of post-consumer recycled cotton in new garments), enabling collective commitment and support to sustainability.