The denim industry faces some sustainability challenges. 

The water required to grow and process conventionally-grown cotton coupled with the industry’s poor labour standards, as well as dye and wet-processing issues that have led to polluted waterways, mean this is an industry ripe for disruption. 

The good news is consumers are on board with this too. Online fashion search engine Lyst, reported a 187% increase in page views for sustainable denim brands in 2018. 

Here are 8 of the best, including four CO Leaders.

Image: E.L.V Denim

Outland Denim 

Outland Denim received a 948% increase in traffic after Megan Markle was photographed wearing their black skinny jeans.

The womenswear range comes in high-rise skinny, girlfriend and relaxed skinny fits while the menswear line comes in skinny and relaxed slim fit - all in a range of washes.

Outland Denim’s mission: to provide employment to vulnerable women in Cambodia. They source more sustainable denim including GOTS certified organic cotton, using natural or Oeko-Tex standard dyes, buttons and rivets.

Retail price points: £160-£180 ($220-$230)

Connect with Outland Denim on CO

Mud Jeans

Dutch label Mud Jeans, offer a comprehensive range of womenswear and menswear in a large range of fits and washes that can be leased for a year (together with a free repair service) as well as a buy now option. 

Their denim is made from a blend of post-consumer recycled and organic cotton and their business model is designed to be fully circular. Other sustainability ticks include Cradle2Cradle indigo dye, a resale vintage program and a pre-loved denim take back scheme. 

Retail price point: €26 - €115 ($33-$145)

Connect with Mud Jeans on CO

E.L.V. Denim 

Offering a design-led collection of upcycled jeans all designed and made within a 5 mile radius in East London. Womenswear jeans come in straight, boyfriend and flare fit. 

Shorts, jackets and denim holdall bags complete the range. High-low hems and contrasting denim panels are their signature look and can be bought off-the-peg or made to order for the perfect fit. Fans include British fashion illustrator Quentin Jones and British make-up artist of the moment -  Isimaya Ffrench.

Retail price points: £140-£290 ($180-$370)

Connect with E.L.V on Co

Triarchy

Triarchy’s mission is to reduce the large volumes of water that go into denim manufacture. 

It refashions vintage denim into one-of-a-kind denim pieces as well as offering ready-to-wear men’s and women’s jackets and jeans. 

The Atelier Denim range elevates deconstructed denim to sustainable luxury with the addition of high-end materials and trims. The women’s range uses a Lenzing Tencel/cotton blend. Hardware is made from recycled sheet metal while the labels are made from recycled leather. 

Retail price points: £149 - £460 ($190- $580)

Connect with Triarchy on CO

Story mfg

A fashion-forward British brand, Story.mfg makes biodegradeable denim and casualwear in oversized, genderless silhouettes - using natural dyes including indigo. 

Their designs feature patterns - think contemporary tie-dye, crochet and embroidery -  and decorative motifs that showcase the craft skills of the forest based Indian artisans they work with. 

Retail price points: £100 - £435 ($130 - $550)

Ref Jeans 

Ref Jeans, launched in 2017 by Los Angeles sustainable brand du jour Reformation, uses deadstock and sustainable fibres to produce a 74 piece range of convertible jeans, from skinny high-waisted fits to cropped and wide leg, featuring retro detailing in keeping with the California-boho style that Reformation has become known for. 

Recycled and organic cotton is blended with Lenzing Tencel™ and Refibra™ and washed with biodegradable natural enzymes. 

Retail price points: £80 - £115 ($98 - $148)

Connect with Reformation on CO

Re/Done

US brand Re/done takes vintage Levi Strauss jeans and turns them into new styles. Made in Los Angeles, the jeans are manufactured using water conserving methods and without the use of harsh chemicals. In addition to a range of skinny, straight leg and wide fit women’s jeans, the range features denim skirts, shorts and jackets, each, one-of-a-kind.

Stocked by luxury e-tailers Net-a-Porter and FarFetch and worn by US celebrity influencers, Bella and Giselle Hadid, Kim Kardashian and Emily Ratajkowski.

Retail price points: £185 - £730

Boyish

The third LA brand to feature in our showcase, Boyish, is a womenswear brand that also draws upon vintage silhouettes. Yarn, fabric and manufacturing are within a 30 mile radius, helping to reduce CO2 emissions. 

Materials include recycled and GOTS certified organic cotton, Lenzing Refibra™, Tencel™ and deadstock fabric which are transformed into skinny, straight and wide-legged jeans as well as jackets, skirts, shorts and dungarees. Hardware is also made from recycled metal.

Retail price points: £110 - £150 ($138 - $188)