New Sustainability Methods for Denim

Abstract

The production of denim is an enormous issue in today’s textile industry, as thousands of liters of water, massive amounts of energy, and an excessive use of chemicals are necessary to create just one pair of jeans. This research is an examination of new methods that manufacturers can use to produce denim in a more sustainable way, as to lower environmental impact. One of the major negative impacts on the environment from the creation of denim is the water pollution from the dyes that are used to create denim products (Radocchia, 2018). A second major issue with the production of denim is the fact that each manufacturer has their own individual standards for sustainability, creating many differing cycles of production, some of which are less sustainable than others. Until all of the manufacturers are using approved sustainable methods to produce denim, new methods and technologies in terms of upcycling denim will need to be explored to help counteract the negative impacts of denim production (Chua, 2020). This research explores new innovative ways to make denim more sustainable through various ways, such as upcycling, recycling, and overall reconstruction for consumer use.