MUD is the new (ever)Green
Have you ever wondered what’s behind your beloved pair of Jeans? Exploring good practices of Circular Economy implementation in the Denim industry. The case of MUD Jeans.
As I wrote in the previous newsletter, sustainability and especially Circular Economy (CE) require a radical shift in perspective, that should be adopted from the very first stages of product and service design and development. This is exactly what the founder of MUD jeans did. They rejected the conventional idea that fashion must remain fast, beautiful, and one of the world's major polluting industries…
The environmental impact of the fashion industry and textile production.
To give you an idea, the fashion industry is estimated to be responsible for 10% of global carbon emissions – more than international flights and maritime shipping combined. According to the European Environment Agency (EEA), textile purchases in the EU in 2020 generated about 270 kg of CO2 emissions per person. Not enough, more than half of used clothes are sent to landfill or incinerated (roughly 3 out of 5 garments produced).
1 garbage truck full of textiles is being trashed every second.
Global textile production is projected to grow to 250 million tons by 2023 (almost three times higher 2000 level of production). And as consumer spending increases, especially in emerging economies, the clothing industry’s environmental impact could expand even further. Worsening the situation the average consumer tends to purchase 60% more clothing than 15 years ago and to wear each piece less than 10 times during its life span (EEA, 2023).
The environmental footprint of Blue Jeans.
Let’s focus on a specific product: blue jeans, one of fashion’s most classic and desired wardrobe staples. Over 70 jeans-related garments are sold per second which equates to more than 2.2 billion items bought yearly (Science and Industry Museum, n.d.). Unfortunately, they have one of fashion’s biggest environmental footprints. For instance, cotton crops, located in semiarid regions, are highly irrigation-dependent and the water demand is getting higher as rainy seasons decrease.
1 kg of cotton requires between 8,000 and 10,000 liters of water to grow, reaching peak of more than 22,000 liters per kilo in regions such as India.
Furthermore, to produce this classic garment, producers rely on indigo dye (either natural or synthetic). Indigo should be combined with harsh chemicals to properly bind the fibres, with a high risk for worker’s health and environmental pollution. The dying is water-intensive water as well.
A single pair of cotton jeans consumes on average between 10,000 and 20,000 liters of water along its supply chain.
MUD Jeans Case Study – the first circular denim.
MUD Jeans, founded in 2013, aimed to change the fashion industry's rules for the better. Today MUD Jeans sells the first 100% circular Blue Jeans.
How did this happen? They started with a mindset change, adopting a transparent and rational approach (committing to measure their environmental and social impact from the early days), and, most importantly, starting with a circular design approach.
Circularity by design.
MUD Jeans envisioned and produced (and still does) high-quality jeans, made to last for a long time, but that can also be easily recycled and reincorporated into production. The styles offered are classical in and fit and color, do not follow any trends. They are genuinely timeless.
“At MUD Jeans we do this by keeping it simple. We work with ten different fabrics, one button, one rivet and one zipper. We have substituted the leather patch with a non-toxic printed-on version. Most of our jeans are made from one of two fabric compositions.” (MUD Jeans,2020)
The actual jeans sold are made with up to 40% post-consumer recycled and 60% OCS-certified organic cotton (guaranteed to come from sources where no toxic chemicals, pesticides, or genetically modified seeds are used).
MUD Jeans promoted a take-back pre-loved denim program where the company collects any jeans from any brand, as long as they are at least 96% cotton. Indeed, mono-materiality is key for recyclability. MUD Jeans takes the jeans, shreds them into fibres and remixes them with fresh organic cotton to make new yarns. And so, the cycle begins again.
“All good things must end, they say. Not for MUD Jeans. The life of a MUD Jeans never ends it just restarts.” (MUD Jeans,2020)
Other ways of extending the jeans’ lifespan.
If the collected denim is still in good condition, it is washed, mended and sold as vintage. The company offers a good repair service that customers can use to keep wearing their beloved jeans (naturally, “sustainable shipping” is not free of charge!)
MUD Jeans also engages in other sustainable projects, such as the tree restoration initiative for each old pair of jeans collected, the knowledge hub to foster the much-needed cultural shift upon which a sustainable transition is built and the renowned leasing system. But these are stories we may explore later.
Outcome and results.
Since 2015, MUD Jeans has been a B-Corp and it is recognized as the world's best B-Corp for the environment. Their CO2 emissions and water consumption levels are far below the industry average. This success starts with product design (style and material), raw material selection (recycled or certified cotton, recycled water, renewable energy), partner selections, and process setups (take-back schemes, energy-saving and water-saving production techniques, no-stone stonewash).
“48.7 million of water saved in 2022, 251 kg equivalent CO2 emissions avoided in 2022, more than 18.000 jeans rescued from landfill and incineration” (MUD Jeans, 2022).
MUD Jeans exemplifies the implementation of different CE principles along the entire supply chain. While some may argue that CE can only be envisioned by new ventures, established brands, with far more economic power to foster innovative techniques (such as new dying processes and materials) should and could commit as well. Finally, the role of the consumer is key in supporting circular and sustainable companies and their products.
“When you wear Mud Jeans, you're wearing a symbol of empowerment—the power to effect positive change through your fashion choices. Together, we can close the loop!”
What about your beloved pair of jeans? Is it from MUD Jeans? Have you got any interesting examples to share? If you are interested in discovering more about CE principles and implementations in other industries… Stay tuned and drop a like. Thank you for your time!
Keywords: textile production, recycling, eco-design, fashion industry
Soundtrack: Man in the Mirror - Michael Jackson