Is Denim Sustainable? Different Sustainable Denim Fabrics

Denim is made using cotton, and cotton can indeed be sustainable. However, producing sustainable denim jeans from cotton can use lots of water, energy, and chemicals. And when that is the case, denim is no longer an ethical fabric, and can harm the environment.

Water and energy are used to grow and produce cotton (and most denim is some form of cotton fabric), but if a fashion manufacturer uses sustainable processes, they will use less water and energy. The chemicals used in the manufacturing process are for dyeing and finishing the fabric. As these can often be toxic, too, which means they will also negatively impact the environment.

Denim's Impact on the Environment

By default, denim is often neither sustainable nor ethical. Here is a guideline on the denim environmental impact, and how you can ensure you manufacture denim jeans sustainably, including other denim fabric items for your fashion products. Let’s discuss each impact separately…

Water

One of the denim jeans brands that has a notable history of epitomising denim jeans is Levi Strauss. This, of all the jeans brands in the United States, has also had to re-examine how they manufacture the fabric, because it was discovered they were using 3,780 litres of water to make just one pair of denim jeans. As a result, they are now using various sustainability initiatives to lessen the impact of denim jeans production on the environment.

Since Levi Strauss and other jeans manufacturers have started considering sustainability when they produce their products, the water used to grow cotton and to process jeans has been reduced substantially. The secret, many denim jeans brands have found, is to use organic cotton to make the denim; this requires less water to grow, as rainwater is used instead of an irrigation system, so it has less impact on the environment.

Energy

Weaving, spinning, and finishing denim material can also use a lot of energy from fossil fuels; this is a major contributor to air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. More jeans brands and manufacturers are using less energy when they produce sustainable denim fabric, to build a more ethical future for the planet, instead of having a negative impact.

Chemicals

Pesticides and fertilisers are often used when growing cotton, which denim is usually made from. These elements are toxic. Other harmful chemicals are also used to colour the material and finish it. Synthetic indigo is one of these chemicals that fashion manufacturers use to colour denim jeans and other products that distinctive denim blue, and give the fabric a special finish or specific texture; this requires chemicals like formaldehyde, which is unhealthy for factory workers. Toxic chemicals can also pollute the soil and water systems, which results in further health risks.

When it comes to dyeing fabric, chemicals such as Azo dyes contain carcinogens, which is a major risk to workers’ safety. Using indigo to colour the fabric denim blue isn’t much better. According to John Dueber, a professor of bioengineering who co-led research and published in the journal Nature Chemical Biology, “Dyeing for denim jeans is unfortunately a pretty dirty process”. He explains that most denim fabric dyeing isn’t done ethically, so it negatively impacts the environment; dyeing uses synthetically produced denim blue or indigo dye, either light or dark. Denim jean brands and fashion manufacturers usually use various toxic chemicals for dyeing, including formaldehyde, as we mentioned earlier, which also negatively impacts the environment.

For some inspiration, read our informative blog on Why Sustainability in Fashion is an Environmental Necessity.

Fashion Waste Ending in Landfill

One of the guides we previously created is an informative one on The Effect of Fabric Waste, which explains how fast fashion causes a vast amount of fashion waste that ends up in landfills or is incinerated, creating greenhouse gas emissions.

 In it, we mention three mind-bending facts:

1. “It takes over 200 years for these fabrics to decompose in landfill. And while these textiles decompose in landfills, the textile waste generates methane gas.
2. As a result of textile waste, toxic chemicals and dyes are now found in our soil.
3. Of 92 million tonnes of textile waste created globally by different fashion brands each year, the UK wastes 336,000 tonnes.”

When we consider these statistics and denim waste, we’re not even thinking about the vast amount of water contaminated with chemicals being released into the environment and the ocean, thanks to the fashion industry.

How are Denim Jeans Made?

Commonly, sustainable denim jeans are produced from twill cotton woven fabric. These cotton fibres are spun into yarn, and then go through the dyeing process to create the signature denim shade we know so well. Unfortunately, there is not enough organic cotton available to use, which would make the industry far more sustainable.

Cotton denim material is then woven to create the required texture for jeans. As stretch denim fabric is popular in global jeans culture, the denim material is produced with some amount of elastane and spandex, a stretchy polyester fibre. When jean brands and other fashion manufacturers use these cotton denim materials, this type of jeans material is less sustainable.

Some fashion manufacturers use more sustainable stretch fabrics, like TENCEL, Modal and Lyocell, all cellulose-based, man-made materials. Others use Recycled Polyester (made from recycled plastic bottles) as well as Recycled Elastane.

What is Sustainable Denim?

• To be sustainable, cotton must be GOTS-certified! GOTS (The Global Organic Textile Standard), guarantees the textile is sustainable worldwide. This certification includes manufacturing the cotton, harvesting it, and producing the textile. Read our guide to fabric certification, which details GOTS & other Textile Certifications here.
• Textile dyeing is also crucial in deciding whether the denim is sustainable. We’ve discussed how toxic chemicals like formaldehyde are used to colour denim jeans that famous hue, which pollutes waterways, and how this affects marine life and humans. We also compiled a comprehensive blog on Sustainable Textile Dyeing, especially for you.

Why Japanese Denim is Considered Superior

In 2025, everybody is talking about Japanese denim, especially because of its superior quality, the type of denim created (selvedge denim), and its distinctive dark blue colour. 

Don’t believe us? Apparently, American brand, Levis, ordered a huge portion of denim to use in its factories from Japanese brand, Kaihara on its 100^th anniversary in 2015. Why did they do this? Of course, it’s the superior quality. But there are other reasons, too, including:

·       Weight: the heavier the denim fabric, the better its quality. Japanese denim is known for being a more heavyweight fabric than denim from other parts of the world –  around twice as heavy. This is due to the denim’s thread count. The type of weaving used ensures that more fabric is woven into Japanese denim than other types. Of course, the shuttle looms they use are different, too. They are slower and sturdier than those used elsewhere.

·       Price: Certainly, Japanese denim is more expensive. The Japanese don’t cut corners.

·       Colour: The fabric colour is what makes Japanese denim stand out from the rest. The way these people dye the fabric is different, you see: the traditional technique is known as “aizome”, which uses a natural indigo dye that is extremely durable and maintains its shade even after washing numerous times. But that’s not all. Japanese denim isn’t dyed once; it’s dyed several times, which deepens the shade. Even when this denim fades, its colour is exceptional.

·       Selvedge: All Japanese denim has a selvedge, which means there’s no necessity to finish the hem with an overlocker – it’s already done. Manufacturers manage this by weaving the material back onto itself with the shuttle loom.

The Secret Behind Japanese Denim

·       The shuttle looms used to create Japanese denim are one of the reasons why the world covets this type of material. Shuttle looms are old-school; we don’t use them much in the rest of the world. We prefer 21^st Century projectile looms. Also, shuttle looms require a lot more skill to weave the material. Those shuttle looms may be old-fashioned, but that’s part of their charm. The old-world weaving process also gives the fabric much more character than a high-tech European or American pair.

·       The selvedge fabric is another reason this type of denim is so superior. Selvedges prevent the fabric from fraying. To produce this type of denim is more expensive, as it can only be woven at a width of 31 inches (around half the width or regular denim fabric).

·       Creating the fabric and garments from it is an art form in Japan, not just a manufacturing process. Interestingly enough, it was Japan’s obsession about recreating American jeans and being the world’s best that has resulted in the extraordinary craftmanship used by Japanese denim brands today. It’s also about the country’s culture, of having a passion and a respect for your creative work that has set Japanese denim fabric head and shoulders above the rest.

Manufacturing Denim Sustainably

Most Japanese denim is manufactured sustainably, as a result of of its industry focusing on environmentally friendly techniques, exceptionally high quality fabrics and long-lasting fabrics. But what about the rest of the world?  Jean brands and fashion manufacturers are doing their utmost to produce material more sustainably, including denim jeans. This is how they’re doing it:

• They choose organic cotton instead of regular; it uses less water, energy, and chemicals.
• Manufacturers apply techniques that require less water and fewer chemicals, including laser technology, which reduces water usage by up to 90%.
• Manufacturers use renewable energy resources like solar and wind power to make sustainable denim material for blue jeans and other products.
• Avoid using harmful pesticides and fertilisers.
• Choose natural, less harmful products for dyeing instead of synthetic ones.
• Brands use eco-friendly raw materials, not harmful chemicals for special finishes like distressed and faded denim fabric.
• Manufacturers also ensure workers work in a safe, green environment and receive fair wages and benefits.

Is all Denim Sustainable?

• Unless the denim material is 100% cotton, preferably 100% organic, the material is unlikely to be completely sustainable denim. So, how to make denim jeans sustainable? Often, fashion brands and manufacturers combine cotton with a polyester blend when they produce denim jeans material: this is not eco-friendly. Read all about Organic Cotton & why we Should use This Cotton Type.
• If a polyester blend is not used, cotton is often combined with elastane to make the fit more comfortable by stretching. This is another unsustainable denim blend.
• The methods used to create a particular texture of denim material for jeans and other products can also affect its sustainability. When jean fashion brands treat the denim textile with acid wash or sand-blasting for a ‘worn’ look, this isn’t environmentally-friendly. Harmful chemicals like chlorine are unhealthy to factory workers, making the textile unsustainable. Factories are now using more innovative, green methods to treat material including waterless dyeing, foam dyeing, and lasers for texture.

The Challenges of Recycling This Cotton Fabric

1. Even if the cotton textile is 100% organic and biodegradable, its fibres may have been blended with synthetic ones, like elastane, or dyeing the jeans textile could be done using a substance containing toxic chemicals to make a specific blue jeans colour.
2. Sadly, the process used for recycled cotton can involve mixing the material with harmful synthetic fibres.
   

maake Focuses on Sustainability for Printing 

As we focus on sustainability at maake, the material we use for printing is exceptional. It is 100% GOTS-certified cotton with a tight diagonal twill weave that is prominent on the print face. This adds an appeal to your final printed material.

Denim is a solid, sturdy textile, perfect for clothing like jeans, accessories, bags, upholstery and crafts. This material has no stretch. Denim is extremely hard-wearing, and a heavyweight material – the heaviest in our cotton range. Its white print face prints bright colours.

At maake we print on our cotton fabrics in one of the most eco-friendly ways possible, using sustainable Digital Pigment inks. We use no water in the printing process and around 95% less energy than traditional screen printing. Fabrics are printed in our North London factory, a zero-to-landfill facility.

If you’d like more information, read about our maakeLess Textile Waste project or contact us.

Follow this link to shop for cotton material from our extensive menu. Remember: if you don’t find what you’re looking for, please contact us.

Print your own design on denim material here 

Read all about Choosing Sustainable Fabrics for Your Eco-Friendly Products here.