NEW YORK—Fashion's Dirty Little Secret: Tackling the Denim Problem.
When you think of the word “overconsumption,” you might not think clothing, but the reality is that it’s a huge problem, and there’s no easy way to tackle it. That said, the most straightforward way to approach the issue is to confront it one category at a time, and the category with the most units produced in the world is denim, with jeans being the most common style. Around two billion pairs are sold each year around the world, with the amount produced annually being three times that, so we’re talking six billion. Thus, it makes sense to pick this category to focus on as our biggest waste-driver.
NEW YORK—When you think of the word “overconsumption,” you might not think clothing, but the reality is that it’s a huge problem, and there’s no easy way to tackle it. That said, the most straightforward way to approach the issue is to confront it one category at a time, and the category with the most units produced in the world is denim, with jeans being the most common style. Around two billion pairs are sold each year around the world, with the amount produced annually being three times that, so we’re talking six billion. Thus, it makes sense to pick this category to focus on as our biggest waste-driver.
We all know jeans are iconic; they’re perhaps the style most closely associated with Americana given that jeans were invented in California during the gold rush, not as high fashion, but as functional workwear. They have since gone on to become the defining wardrobe staple at every price point. While there is a devoted collector base of iconic denim pieces around the world, the most passionate collectors are undoubtedly in Japan. If we could determine new ways of making denim clothing, requiring the least amount of waste possible, then we will have a compelling formula on how to strategically approach reducing waste in other categories.
The most obvious solution? Never make another new denim garment. There are billions of pairs of jeans throughout the world—theoretically enough for everyone. There are also innovative ways to make something new out of what already exists. Solutions include upcycling existing jeans, creating new fiber from an old jean or denim scraps, and cutting up vintage denim styles into components to create a completely new end product—something that’s not a jean.
But if making a jean is absolutely necessary, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation has recently come out with a report detailing how to make the best jean possible. It includes a circular model, where the forever-garment is 100 percent recyclable. Coined “redesigning jeans,” it hints at the most important factors: changing consumers’ minds and their shopping habits. The importance lies in shifting the thought process and selection habits of shoppers, so that these shoppers only purchase upcycled jeans, or jeans that are recyclable.
Personally, I have a quite a bit of experience in the denim category: at Marc Jacobs, where I was head of product development; Draper James, where all denim was made in the U.S.; and Jordache, where we created an elevated high-end capsule for the Jordache rebrand.
The denim design at Marc Jacobs was inspired by vintage styles, which led to a historic approach to development and also solidified my love of the art of denim. Simultaneously, I learned how wasteful the entire process can be and how over-production and toxicity is prevalent throughout the industry, especially at that time. At Marc Jacobs, we sought to produce denim responsibility, but we were also (and continue to be) in a world driven by trend—that juxtaposition still challenges all of us in the fashion industry. Today, however, there is more environmental and societal awareness surrounding production—and over-production—which makes me hopeful for the future.
How do we begin? Where do we start? The short answer is at the top, convincing leading designers to simply halt the production of new denim. The good news? It has actually started to happen. Miu Miu featured upcycled denim styles on its website this month; Gabriela Hearst partnered with E.L.V. Denim to create two styles in her current collection; Coach has started a new division called Coachtopia, which is able to create and sell upcycled pieces. Once luxury brands make upcycling cool and desirable, the rest of the industry will surely follow. With their example, it will be important to demonstrate to the contemporary mid- and downmarket players what’s possible, and how they too can make beautiful clothing either from existing garments or using non-virgin components that are also salable. Only then will we be able to slowly start changing minds.
Sure, it may be slow, but we’re getting there, and I’m excited for the future.
