3 Mindful Ways To Buy Denim – And How To Make It Last

The second week of January signals the time to pause, reflect and begin to put any new year’s resolutions into action. Eating healthier, reading more and traveling are all high up on the list of common goals, but what about your clothes? Now is the perfect time to decide to dress better – and by ‘better’, we don’t solely mean buying into all the latest trends. Instead, dressing better includes tweaking your fashion habits to shop a little more consciously. So, once you’ve taken stock of your closet and resold anything you no longer wear, the search can begin for hardworking wardrobe staples that go the extra mile – and few items work harder than denim.

Owing to its workwear roots, denim is known (and loved) for its power to endure. That said, denim isn’t sustainable by default in every sense of the word, and you can very quickly ruin jeans simply by throwing them into the washing machine without much thought. It’s easy to get the blues when thinking about how the traditional use of water, dyes and chemicals all contribute to the fabric’s environmental impact, too. The good news is that we’ve gained insight from a care-and-repair expert to help make your denim last, and brands such as Agolde, Chloé, Fforme and Toteme – all included in our NET SUSTAIN edit – are leading the charge by switching to kinder materials and implementing mindful processes. Read on to discover more.

When it comes to doing denim differently, Citizens of Humanity is a key name to know. To sum it up: the team behind this LA-based brand want you to feel good in your jeans – not only because you feel stylish wearing them, but also because you feel assured that they’ve been made in a way that’s respectful of people and planet. Qualifying with flying colors for NET SUSTAIN’s Considered Materials attribute, where at least 50% of the materials used are grown and produced with a significantly reduced environmental impact, its ‘Ayla’ jeans are cut from 100% organic cotton. Why does the percentage matter? Well, not only have no pesticides or synthetic fertilizers been used at the growing and production stage when something is 100% organic, but no elastane (also known as spandex or Lycra®) has been added to the fabric to make it stretchy, either – and don’t worry, this pair is soft and comfy enough without it. It might not seem like much, but elastane is an oil-based synthetic fiber that won’t break down, and when a fabric is made from a blend of different fibers, the garment becomes far more difficult to recycle at the end of its lifespan. The result: those once-loved jeans likely end up in landfill.

Organic cotton isn’t the only choice you can make that’s an alternative to conventional cotton. Citizens of Humanity is joining forward-thinkers like Stella McCartney to look at the positive impacts of regenerative cotton. Working directly with farmers in the United States and abroad to promote the education, adoption and growth of regenerative agriculture, Citizens of Humanity is in the process of moving all products to regenerative cotton in support of holistic farming practices that increase soil health, improve biodiversity and reduce carbon emissions. Also based in the US, premium denim brand Frame is already using the fiber to create some of its coolest designs. Modeled by Gisele in a campaign celebrating denim in dramatic proportions, the utilitarian ‘MC’ jacket is made with 80% regenerative cotton and 20% post-consumer recycled cotton. Featuring multiple off-kilter pockets and a drop-waist belt, the jacket is so oversized that it can even be worn as a mini dress when the weather heats up. For now, layer it over slim-fitting jeans to balance to the volume.