Jeans are a garment with a long history in fashion, but also with a significant environmental impact, especially regarding their manufacturing. Various studies have revealed the enormous environmental cost of producing this type of clothing, highlighting the use of large amounts of water, energy, and the pollution generated by dyes and washing processes. Moreover, the complexity of recycling jeans, due to the materials used, such as rivets or zippers, complicates their processing at the end of their useful life.
According to a study by the Polytechnic University of Madrid, the water impact related to the raw material of jeans, cotton, can be between 2,130 and 3,078 liters. This adds to the complexity of disassembling and separating the different components of jeans for recycling. In this sense, redesigning jeans with more sustainable criteria is presented as an alternative to move towards a circular economy in fashion.
Jules Lennon, Fashion Lead at the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, highlights the importance of changing the fashion system towards sustainability and mentions the Jeans Redesign initiative, which aims to promote collaboration between brands and manufacturers for the production of more sustainable jeans.
On the other hand, experts like Celia Ojeda from Greenpeace Spain warn about the environmental impact of fast fashion and disposable clothing, which produces low-quality garments at very low prices, contributing to an increase in greenhouse gas emissions and the wastage of freshwater worldwide.
In this context, the European Union is committed to addressing the issue of textile waste by promoting strategies that encourage reuse, recycling, and more sustainable consumption in the fashion industry. In Spain, the Waste Law sets specific targets to increase the preparation for reuse or recycling of textile waste, including jeans.
In summary, the manufacturing of jeans carries a significant environmental impact, from the use of natural resources to the generation of waste. It is essential to move towards more sustainable production models and promote conscious consumption to reduce the environmental footprint of this popular garment worldwide.
