9 Sustainable Denim Brands to Love - Your Guide to Ethical and Sustainable Jeans
Sustainable and ethical denim jeans are a staple in every conscious wardrobe since denim is a notoriously dirty product to make and the toxins produced in the dying process can be really harmful to workers, so it’s important to know where your denim comes from! So whether you’re shopping for sustainable denim in styles for women, men or kids (or all three!) there is something for you here (and btw this post contains affiliate links, so if you purchase an item through these links I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you).
I personally own sustainable jeans from ABLE and love them! I have worn them at least once a week since purchasing them in the summer. If you’re familiar with sustainable denim brands, which are your favourites?
Levi’s
A trusted name in denim that has been creating made-to-last jeans for ages, Levi’s is a safe bet if you want to invest in a new pair of jeans. As far as mainstream brands go, Levi’s is pretty good. After making several positive changes over the last decade (like reducing the water used in their production), Levi’s is on its way to sustainability (though they do still have a ways to go). Their options for men and women range from timeless to trendy, so they have something for just about any wardrobe.
Wrangler
Known for their high quality, stylish jeans and hardy workwear, Wrangler has been working to be more sustainable for many years. Several of their factories have gone zero waste and they have many environmental programs aimed at various targets, like helping cotton farmers improve soil health, reducing their water use and educating others in the industry about environmentalism in fashion.
Amour Vert
Amour Vert has many styles to choose from if you’re looking for sustainable and ethical denim, and they take great care to minimize their impact on the environment. As they say on their website, “Our AGOLDE x Amour Vert denim is crafted in L.A. using organic and recycled cotton in one of the only vertically integrated denim production facilities in the United States. To give the denim a vintage look, the AGOLDE factory employs an ozone wash technology that consumes less than 1/10 of the water that is traditionally used in denim production and eliminates the need for chemical processes like bleaching.”
Reformation
Though Reformation does have some work to do in sustainability, they offer a very detailed framework to show their intended progress, and I especially love their transparency regarding sourcing and creation of their products and materials. Currently, they are doing a great job at focusing on only using fibers that are both socially and environmentally responsible, and about 15% of their products are made from materials that were previously destined for the landfills. They currently only offer styles for women, but if you’re looking for sustainable denim brands with petite-size options, add this one to your list!
Patagonia
As far as sustainable denim goes, you’ll mostly find men’s and work jeans here, although they do carry a couple fashion styles. Patagonia is doing a pretty darn good job at creating sustainable fashion, which has earned them a great reputation overall. They are a Certified B Corporation that uses a lot of recycled materials for their products, are part of the 1% for the Planet initiative, and have launched their own Worn Wear initiative to minimize the amount of clothing that ends up in landfills and many of their items are Fair Trade certified. which means their jeans are ethically made. Nice!
ABLE
Some of my favourite jeans come from ABLE! Using a process that allows them to recycle any water used in the sustainable denim production process and by avoiding toxic chemicals, ABLE manages to make their jeans more eco-friendly. They are also super transparent about their workers’ wages and were the first fashion brand to publish their lowest wages back in 2018.
prAna
prAna was the first North American brand to produce Fairtrade certified clothing, and they continue to keep a strong focus on sustainability through several means (such as reducing their use of harmful chemicals, using organic cotton, partnering with BlueDesign, and using cruelty-free or recycled materials for a lot of their other products). Check out their sustainable denim options for both men and women.
SEA Jeans from Outerknown
These relaxed, sustainable jeans made from 89% organic cotton and 11% recycled cotton and sewn in LA will have you feeling good inside and out.
ThredUP
ThredUp is the world’s largest online second-hand retailer, which means all of your purchases automatically help reduce the amount of clothing dumped in landfills. You can find many designer and name brand items for a fraction of the cost for both women and children on the site, or even make some extra $$$ for yourself by listing your own high-quality used items.
