Denim is made from cotton, which is the most water-intensive and pesticide-heavy plant to grow. The dyeing process produces a lot of effluent which is extremely toxic. In countries like China where most denim is manufactured, the wastewater from the dying process often runs into rivers and contaminates the water supply.
On average, Australians buy 27 kilograms of new clothes each year, more than double the global average. Of the 23 kilograms, we throw away each year 85% ends up in landfill.
But there are people out there trying to make our obsession with blue jeans greener.
Kai Brown uses chain stitch embroidery to turn discarded denim pants and jackets into sought-after fashion items.
“I love vintage denim because it has a life and it has a story to tell,” he says.
Dr. Rebecca Van Amber has been researching the environmental impact of denim for years and has come up with what she hopes will be the solution that could trigger industry-wide change.
She calls it the Circular Denim Project. The aim is to take discarded denim and grind it down into fine particles. These particles can then be sprayed onto other fabrics using a binding agent that eliminates the need for the dyeing process altogether. The method requires no heat or chemicals and therefore less energy than regular dyeing methods.
“We're hoping that with this technology there will be some new kind of fashion effects that might come out of it… we really want this to be picked up by the industry.
See Kai and Rebecca at work:
