Make Fashion Circular introduces jeans guidelines

By

Barbara Santamaria

Published
Jul 16, 2019

Leading fashion brands including H&M, C&A, Gap, Vero Moda and Tommy Hilfiger have joined forces with Make Fashion Circular to launch Jeans Redesign, a series of guidelines aimed at making denim manufacturing cleaner.

“The way we produce jeans is causing huge problems with waste and pollution, but it doesn’t have to be this way. By working together we can create jeans that last longer, that can be remade into new jeans at the end of their use, and are made in ways which are better for the environment and the people that make them. This is just the start,” said Francois Souchet from Make Fashion Circular as the initiative announced its latest efforts.

The Jeans Redesign Guidelines set out minimum requirements on garment durability, material health, recyclability and traceability with the aim of ensuring jeans last longer and are made in a way that is safer for the environment and industry workers.

It is based on the principles of the circular economy, which proposes a new system to minimise waste and make the most of resources.

The guidelines determine that jeans should withstand a minimum of 30 home laundries, include labels with clear information on product care and be free of hazardous chemicals. They also should be produced using cellulose fibres from regenerative, organic or transitional farming methods and be made with a minimum of 98% cellulose fibres to facilitate recycling. Further, brands are encouraged to reduce metal rivets to a minimum and ensure that any additional material added to the jeans can be easy to disassemble.

Make Fashion Circular, an initiative from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, said the first pairs of jeans produced in line with the guidelines will go on sale in 2020.