Denim's Environmental Footprint: A Historical and Sustainable Analysis

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of denim, examining its history, manufacturing processes, and environmental impact. It begins with a definition of denim and traces its evolution from its origins to its current status as a global fashion staple. The report delves into the various stages of denim production, from cotton cultivation and fiber extraction to dyeing, assembly, and distribution, highlighting the significant water usage, chemical waste, and carbon emissions associated with each stage. It also discusses the usage of denim in various applications, especially jeans and other apparel, and details the significant waste generated annually. The report further explores the pollution caused by the production process, including water contamination and soil degradation, and examines the history of Levi's denim as a case study. Finally, it provides a range of sustainable solutions, such as organic cotton production, enzyme-based washing methods, vegetable dyes, recycling programs, and waterless jeans, to mitigate the negative environmental effects of denim production and promote a more sustainable future for the fashion industry.

Running head: MANAGEMENT
Management
Name of the student
Name of the University
Author note

1MANAGEMENT
Introduction
The purpose of the study is to examine the history of a fashion item starting from the
manufacturing phase to the present life to understand the negative impacts of the product on the
surrounding environment. It will also provide recommendation on developing sustainable
method of remanufacturing the product. In this case, denim has been chosen as the fashion
product which is mainly used as a source material for jeans and shirts.
Definition of Denim and history
Denim is a cotton twill textile where the weft passes under more than one warp threads.
These threads are dyed in indigo colours where the material is blue on one and white on the
other. While manufacturing jeans, the blue part is kept on the outside (Meyanci, 2018). The word
denim has been derived from the fabric serge de Nimes, a material made in Nimes, a city in
France (DeMello, 2009). Denim has been used in America since the early 18th century where
denim is use for making jeans which is a type of cotton pants. The word jeans has been derived
from the word genes which was a name given by the French people to Genoa (Paul, 2015). In the
early 18th century, the gold miners required sturdy clothes that had a long lasting capability. Levi
Strauss and Jacob Davis supplied jeans to the miners made from sturdy and durable materials
(Beltran-Rubio, 2020). These pants had rivets on places where the tendency to tear was high
which increased the lifespan of pants.
Figure 1: Denim threads

2MANAGEMENT
Source: (Paul, 2015)
The high durability of the clothes made workers and labourers use these clothes at work.
The advent of denim in the Hollywood movies led to the popularity of the product which is
resulted in wide demand of the product (Meyanci, 2018). Denim became a fashion product in
the year of 1960s-1970s where it moved from counter culture towards being a fashion statement
(Paul, 2015). The plant Indigofera tinctoria was initially used to dye original denim jeans.
However, in the modern times, the use of synthetic indigo is more prevalent where the dye
process is repeated to develop a stronger colour (Annapoorani, 2017). The stronger colour does
not fade away easily and denim is often washed to soften the cloth and eliminate the chances of
shrinkage (Meyanci, 2018). Often an elastic stretch component is added to the product to make
it more stretchable. However, Denim is currently made from lycra, polyamide, polyester or with
polypropylene (Beltran-Rubio, 2020).
Usage and Wastage
Denim is primarily used for production of jeans which is one of the most versatile fashion
product in the market. It is used for manufacturing apparels but it is also used in other
applications of textiles in case of mobile cases, seat covers and other textiles (fashion2apparel,
2020). Denim has been used in developing various kinds of apparels and demand of the product
has resulted in numerous derivatives of denim. Different yarn counts are used to consecutive
ways to diversify the product quality (fashion2apparel, 2020). Now denim is used for making
every kind of apparel and accessories in the fashion industry and is used for denim wine bags,
pant, jacket, shirt, shorts, skirts, hats, suits, boots, athletic shoes, and belts, denim pencil case,
denim wine bags, denim pillows, denim apron, denim quilt, upholstery and lampshades
(Meyanci, 2018).
According to the data collected from Levi’s Strauss, 3,781 litres of water is used for the
production of a pair of jeans which results in the emission of 33.4kg of carbon dioxide into the
atmosphere (Wheeler, 2019). Therefore, it shows that there is an extensive wastage of water,
chemical resources and energy while developing a pair of denim jeans. It results in increase in
carbon emission and contamination of water and negative impacts on the atmosphere. Moreover,
denim textile waste contributes significantly to the landfill every year (Wheeler, 2019). The
product of denim also requires the use of aging, sand blasting and distressed look

3MANAGEMENT
(fashioninsiders, 2020). On the other hand, hazardous chemicals such as mercury, lead and
denim remnants are disposed into water. It has resulted in pollution in water and land where
clean drinking water is highly affected in manufacturing areas (Muthu, 2017).
Purpose of using Denim
Denim is used as a work wear in the initial stages as the durability of the cotton was
higher compared to any other textile material (Meyanci, 2018). It was used for making long
sleeve shirts and pants. Denim is made from cotton so it was breathable but the twill weave
makes it highly resistant to tears and abrasions.
Production and Dyeing system
The raw material for the production of denim is cotton which is harvested in more than
90 countries in the global market. The overall process starts with the production of cotton where
20,000 litres of water is required for producing a kg of cotton along with the use of higher
magnitude of pesticides (Periyasamy, Wiener & Militky, 2017). There are mainly countries
where unsustainable practices of farming has been used including heavy use of waters which has
resulted in the pollution of the environment and the eco system. The figure below depicts the
overall lifecycle of denim production (Shin, Yoo & Kim, 2012). The first stage of denim
production is cultivation and extraction of fibres where fibre is derived from the cotton (Paul,
2015). In this process, the cotton fibre is converted into a yarn by systematic process of ginning,
carding and spinning. Then one white yarn is used to convert it to fabric which is then dyed in
blue colour (Periyasamy & Militky, 2017). Synthetic materials such as spandex or polyester is
used for providing stretch. Twill weaving is used to develop denim fabric. The fabric is cut into
proportions which is then used for assembling jeans in different countries such as China, India,
Bangladesh and others (Paul, 2015). Assembly lines are used for sewing the product through
production units and finished good are developed.
These products are checked for analysing their quality and then packed and transported to
various part of the global market. The products are distributed through wholesale, online and
retail outlets. These products are then used by consumers through regular washing and
preserving where cold water wash and line drying can be used to reduce the environmental
impact (Periyasamy & Militky, 2017). The next disposal of the goods where the products after

4MANAGEMENT
usage are sent for recycling and the concept of recycling has been adopted by manufacturers,
retailers and various consumers. In majority of the instances, the recycling of denims are not
possible so they are sent for landfilling. The data suggests that more than 20 billion of denim is
sent for landfilling every year (Periyasamy, Wiener & Militky, 2017). The production of one
pair of denim has significant negative impact on the environment even though various
sustainable measures have been taken up by various manufacturing companies.
Figure 2: Life Cycle of denim
Source: (Periyasamy, Wiener & Militky, 2017)
Pollution due to production process
The demand for denim keeps on increasing significantly but it has staggering negative
impact on the production of denims in various countries. The brew of gallons of water and toxic
chemicals needed to dye and finish a pair of jeans takes a heavy toll on the environment resulting
in damages to the environment, communities and ecosystems in countries like India, China and
Bangladesh (Webber, 2018). The statistics suggest that 70% of the rivers in Asia are
contaminated by more than 2 billion gallons of waste water released from the textile sector
(Webber, 2018). This has caused significant to the flora and fauna corresponding to these rivers
along with lack of clean drinking water for the populations living in manufacturing areas. Water

5MANAGEMENT
pollution emerges from the three step process of developing cotton, dyeing and final product
(Annapoorani, 2017). The use of herbicides and other pesticides affects the contamination of soil
resulting in detrimental health impacts to the farmers (Akgün, 2016).
Levi’s Denim History
The birth of blue jeans was witnessed in the year of 1873 where Jacob Davis and Levi
Strauss obtained a patent which enabled them to put rivet into the working pants of men
(levistrauss, 2020). Levi Strauss was a business man in San Francisco who was able to develop a
successful operations of his dry goods business in two decades and Jacob Davis was a customer
of Levi’s. The concept started when Jacob was asked to make pants that had high durability and
fit for hard labour (Regan, 2015). Jacob came up with the concept of putting metal rivets at strain
points such as base on fly button and pocket corners to strengthen the trousers (Miller, 2015).
These new pants were hit and the tailor patented the concept but needed funds to continue the
process of production. Levi saw the potential of the concept and agreed to fund the development
of the new product where both of them shared the patent of the products (Miller, 2015). Once
the first riveted work wears were sold, denim was used to develop jeans which became the
traditional clothing for working men.
Solutions for decreasing pollution
Denim is one of the major component of modern day wardrobe for both men and women
as it is durable and fashionable. However, the production of denim results in emission of large
amount of greenhouse gases along with negative impact on rivers and soils (Muthu, 2017). The
increasing in demand for denim along with the pressure from governments from various
countries to develop sustainable measures for production of denim various methods have been
suggested to reduce the harmful impact. These recommendations and solutions are as follows:
 The production of cotton from organic materials which implies that jeans can be
developed without the use of bleach. The amount of desired denim can be developed by
either the dry method or the simple enzymes method which helps in reduction of water
waste. There are various methods such as scraping, grinding, distressing and whiskering
which can be used to reduce the environmental waste (Muthu, 2017). Vegetable dyes can

6MANAGEMENT
be used to get the indigo shade instead of using chemical dye which can significant
reduce the contamination of water.
 On the other hand, the concept of green jeans can be adopted to develop further
sustainable methods of denim production. The old garments and denims can be recycled
to develop new denim garments which will result in saving huge amount of water saving
during the overall process of production (Periyasamy, Wiener & Militky, 2017).
 The use of cotton and recycled water bottles is another option for manufacturing denims
Levi Strauss where 8-10 plastic bottles along with scrap cotton collected from the floors
in the factory can be used (levistrauss, 2020). These materials are often thrown in
landfills but the use of these materials reduces the consumption of water and use of
synthetic dye.
 Waterless jeans is another concept which is emerging in nature but can significantly
reduce the contribution of denim production on the surrounding environment (levi.com,
2020). Waterless concept does not signify that water would not be used but the use of
less amount of water and energy resources to produce the same pair of jeans.
 Denim jeans and products have to be made fully sustainable for the consumers where
the use of organic dyes and cotton along with buttons and rivets made from recyclable
materials is the need of the hour (Annapoorani, 2017). The use of bamboo buttons for
jeans is one of the most innovative ideas for developing the same product with
sustainable measures.
 However, even though the above processes, significantly reduces the negative and
harmful environmental impact of denim but the contamination in water and soil is still
relatively high. Water shortage is a global crisis and Advanced Denim is a process which
is the most suitable process in the modern market to develop sustainable measures of
denim production (Annapoorani, 2017). The green process can reduce the consumption
of water by 92%, consumption of electricity by 30% and wastewater is almost zero after
the production (fibre2fashion.com, 2020). Along with this, the wastage of cotton use can
be reduced by 87% by using the Advanced Denim method (fibre2fashion.com, 2020). It
is burned instead of adding to the carbon emission and greenhouse gases in the
atmosphere. The traditional method of denim production required production of 25
barrels of dye where the use of advanced method can reduce the use of dye to 1 barrel of

7MANAGEMENT
dye where eco-friendly concentrated liquid sulphur dyes will be used
(fibre2fashion.com, 2020). The other steps of traditional production of denims is
eliminated using this process which implies that water necessity of more than a million
people can be addressed in a single day. The use of the advanced technology can reduce
the generation of waste water by more than 8 million cubic metres along with energy
savings of more than 200 million kilowatt hours’ worth of electricity (Annapoorani,
2017). Furthermore, it can be used to curb the production of carbon dioxide during the
production process and this denim technology is the best in the current market to reduce
the harmful impact to minimal and is one of the most effective and sustainable method of
production.
Conclusion
The report has evaluated the lifecycle of a denim production to understand the process
and the harmful negative impacts on the surrounding environment. The brew of gallons of water
and toxic chemicals needed to dye and finish a pair of jeans takes a heavy toll on the
environment resulting in damages to the environment, communities and ecosystems in countries
like India, China and Bangladesh. The results suggest that more than 70% of the rivers in Asia
are contaminated due to the textile industries where the production of denim has resulted in
negative impact for the manufacturing families and farmers staying in the region. Even the
production of cotton causes the use of chemicals and pesticides which affects the soil. The soil
will become barren and lose its fertility with prolonged use of chemical fertilisers.
It is shocking to highlight that the overall process starts with the production of cotton
where 20,000 litres of water is required for producing a kg of cotton along with the use of higher
magnitude of pesticides. Water pollution emerges from the three step process of developing
cotton, dyeing and final product. Therefore, sustainable measures are required to produce denim
effectively. Denim was initially introduced as a means of producing clothes for workers and
miners as the durability of the products were higher than regular cotton pants. However, with
time and changes in modern trends, denim has become one of the most popular material for
apparel industry.
It can be concluded that denim is required for the fashion industry so sustainable
measures are required to produce denim with minimum harmful impact on the environment.

8MANAGEMENT
Advanced Denim is a process which is the most suitable process in the modern market to
develop sustainable measures of denim production. The green process can reduce the
consumption of water by 92%, consumption of electricity by 30% and wastewater is almost zero
after the production. Along with this, the wastage of cotton use can be reduced by 87%.
Therefore, it is one of the most effective way of reducing carbon emission and releasing toxic
waste water into rivers and water bodies. It can solve the global crisis of clear drinking water for
more than a million people a day.

9MANAGEMENT
References
Akgün, M. (2016). Denim production and silicosis. Current opinion in pulmonary
medicine, 22(2), 165-169.
Annapoorani, S. G. (2017). Introduction to denim. In Sustainability in Denim (pp. 1-26).
Woodhead Publishing.
Beltran-Rubio, L. (2020). Denim: Fashion’s Frontier. Fashion Theory, 24(1), 103-112.
DeMello, M. (2009). Feet and footwear: A cultural encyclopedia. ABC-CLIO.
fashion2apparel. (2020). Diversification and Uses of Denim Fabrics. Fashion2Apparel.
Retrieved 23 March 2020, from
https://fashion2apparel.blogspot.com/2017/01/diversification-uses-denim-fabrics.html.
fashioninsiders. (2020). Why Denim Manufacturing is Bad for the Environment? - Fashion
Insiders. Fashion Insiders. Retrieved 23 March 2020, from
https://fashioninsiders.co/features/opinion/how-denim-manufacturing-impacts-the-
environment/.
fibre2fashion.com. (2020). Sustainable Denim Manufacturing | Sustainable Denim Processing.
Fibre2fashion.com. Retrieved 23 March 2020, from
https://www.fibre2fashion.com/industry-article/7245/denim-companies-answer-to-the-
call-for-sustainable-jeans.
historyofjeans.com. (2020). History of Denim - Origin of Denim and Blue Jeans.
Historyofjeans.com. Retrieved 23 March 2020, from
http://www.historyofjeans.com/jeans-history/history-of-denim/.
levi.com. (2020). What Are Waterless Jeans? – Levi’s® Water<Less® | Off The Cuff. Off The
Cuff. Retrieved 23 March 2020, from https://www.levi.com/US/en_US/blog/article/how-
we-make-jeans-with-less-water/.
levistrauss. (2020). The History of Denim - Levi Strauss & Co. Levi Strauss & Co. Retrieved 23
March 2020, from https://www.levistrauss.com/2019/07/04/the-history-of-denim/.

10MANAGEMENT
Meyanci, L. (2018). Definition, history of denim fabric and Turkey's denim clothing export in
figures. Industria Textila, 69(4), 334-337.
Miller, D. (2015). Denim. Consumption Markets & Culture, 18(4), 298-300.
Muthu, S. S. (Ed.). (2017). Sustainability in Denim. Woodhead Publishing.
Paul, R. (Ed.). (2015). Denim: manufacture, finishing and applications. Elsevier.
Periyasamy, A. P., & Militky, J. (2017). Denim and consumers’ phase of life cycle.
In Sustainability in denim (pp. 257-282). Woodhead Publishing.
Periyasamy, A. P., Wiener, J., & Militky, J. (2017). Life-cycle assessment of denim.
In Sustainability in Denim (pp. 83-110). Woodhead Publishing.
Regan, C. (2015). Role of denim and jeans in the fashion industry. In Denim (pp. 191-217).
Woodhead Publishing.
Shin, Y., Yoo, D. I., & Kim, K. (2012). Process balance of natural indigo production based on
traditional Niram method. Textile Coloration and Finishing, 24(4), 253-259.
Webber, k. (2018). The Environmental and Human Cost of Making a Pair of Jeans. EcoWatch.
Retrieved 23 March 2020, from https://www.ecowatch.com/environmental-cost-jeans-
2544519658.html.
Wheeler, M. (2019). The Future of Denim, Part #3: Waste not; water not - Innovation - Fashion
Revolution. Fashion Revolution. Retrieved 23 March 2020, from
https://www.fashionrevolution.org/the-future-of-denim-part-3-waste-not-water-not-
innovation/.