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person wearing outfit from dawn denim
02 Oct
person wearing outfit from dawn denim

The Ultimate Guide to More Sustainable Denim and Jeans

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From barrel jeans to straight leg and oversized cuts, denim trends come and go, but the material, and jeans as a garment, are enduring in fashion. The twill weave will withstand plenty of wear, and a well-fitting pair can stay in your wardrobe for years. Still, as with any material, there are sustainability issues to consider. Read on to learn about them, and meet the denim brands being transparent about their impact.

Denim—from workwear to fashion trend

Jeans were originally made for workers who needed something hardy to stand up to the wear and tear of manual labour, so longevity—a key aspect of sustainable design—has long been at the heart of this popular garment. Levi Strauss, owner of a wholesale fabric house in San Francisco, and tailor Jacob Davis solidified that when they added pockets and rivets to the garment and patented the design in 1873, making the style even more resilient to intense use. Some of these early pairs survive today.

But fast forward to 2025 and a new denim style is on the runways every season—whether it’s a new cut, like the barrel, balloon, or bootcut leg, or intentionally distressed denim to resemble the wear and tear that older pairs would’ve gathered over time. Either way, many of these new garments aren’t designed to last a lifetime like the early workwear pairs were. Instead, they’re a stopgap to the next trend cycle.

 

How sustainable is modern denim?

Denim’s sustainability is often quantified by a much-cited statistic on how many litres of water it takes to produce a single pair of jeans. The problem is that the number is old and difficult to find the original source for, so is unreliable as fact, and it doesn’t consider the other aspects of the garment’s lifecycle, like how workers in the supply chain are treated, or how easily the item can be disposed of.

What’s certain is that a lot of energy and water are used in the manufacturing of denim materials and garments. Cotton needs to be grown and irrigated before it’s harvested and transformed into yarn, and then those yarns are dyed, usually with indigo in either synthetic or natural form (the latter requiring significantly more water). Then the yarns are woven on a loom in a twill pattern to create the denim fabric we all know, before being used by manufacturers to cut garment pattern pieces and sew them together to make a pair of jeans, a jacket, dress, and the like.

It’s a lengthy process, and many stages of denim production can have serious social and environmental consequences. From high water usage, dye and water mismanagement leading to sludge-ridden rivers, and serious labour concerns.

And then there are the cotton-blends used for contemporary denim—the ones that give your jeans stretch or make the denim feel extra soft. There are real challenges to recycling fibre blends, so if a pair of blended denim jeans can’t be reused, they’ll likely end up in landfill. Pure cotton options, on the other hand, offer easier recycling, although it’s worth noting that the hardware on denim garments can also pose a challenge to their end-of-life handling.

Denim remains a hardy and reliable material, and, cared for correctly, a quality pair of jeans can still last decades. That’s why we’re encouraging you to look at your next denim investment as a lifetime purchase, and introducing some of the brands working to create great, and more sustainable denim jeans, jackets, and more.

In North America, for instance, there’s Triarchy (US)a brand producing what it says is the world’s only plastic-free stretch denim. Further down the guide, from Oceania, check out some more affordable options from Afends (AU). Meanwhile in the UK, E.L.V Denim is leading the way in localised production and upcycling deadstock denim. Finally, for readers who prefer menswear, ISTO. (Portugal) and ASKET (Sweden) make timeless styles for everyday wear. Skip to your region below.

Discover more sustainable denim brands from around the world

North America

 

Triarchy

Rated: Great

US-based Triarchy creates more sustainable jeans, skirts, shorts, jumpsuits, and jackets. The brand’s production system uses 85% recycled water by consistently reusing the “thick indigo laden sludge” that unmonitored factories dump into water systems.

Find most of the jeans in US sizes 24-32.

See the rating.

Shop Triarchy.

Shop Triarchy @ LVRSustainable.

Outerknown

Rated: Good

Founded by surf champion Kelly Slater, Outerknown is a more responsible brand that aims to blend style and function with the protection of natural resources. The brand is Bluesign certified and has partnered with the Fair Labour Association.

Find the range in sizes XS-2XL.

See the rating.

Shop Outerknown.

unspun

Rated: Great
A pair of more conscious men's denim by unspun.

Offline Jeans – Ships internationally from the US

 

unspun is an American brand, creating a denim world that reduces global carbon emissions by 1% through a zero-inventory and low waste process. We’re loving these masc cut loose fit jeans. unspun’s product sizing is totally customisable to ensure you always find the perfect fit.

See the rating.

Shop unspun.

 

Minimalist

Rated: Good
someone in tops and trousers by Minimalist

Anchored in timeless design, Minimalist is a curated collection of women’s ready-to-wear pieces all made in New York and designed to be recycled at their end of life. It seeks to be part of the solution to make fashion more sustainable, using certified lower-impact materials and ensuring fair wage and work conditions in the local New York City factories it supports.

Find it in sizes XS-L.

See the rating.

Shop Minimalist.

Whimsy + Row

Rated: Good

Whimsy + Row is a US-based lifestyle brand born out of a love for quality goods and responsible practices. Since 2014, its mission has been to provide ease and elegance for the modern woman. Whimsy + Row utilises deadstock fabric, and by limiting each garment to short runs, the brand also reduces packaging waste and takes care of precious water resources.

Find most products in XS-XL, with an extended sizing range up to 3XL.

See the rating.

Shop Whimsy + Row.

Shop Whimsy + Row @ Earthkind.

Levi’s

Rated: Good

Levi’s is committed to producing quality, hard-wearing products, and it continues to make strides with regards to environmentally sustainable production methods. This includes its Waste<Less range, made from 20 percent post-consumer waste.

See the rating.

Shop Levi’s.

Shop pre-loved Levi’s at Vestiaire Collective.

Shop Levis’s second hand @ Retykle.

Oceania

 

Outland Denim

Rated: Great

Outland Denim makes premium denim jeans and clothes, and offers employment opportunities for women rescued from human trafficking in Cambodia. This Australian brand was founded as an avenue for the training and employment of women who have experienced sex trafficking.

Find most of the brand’s range in US sizes 22-34.

See the rating.

Shop Outland Denim.

Afends

Rated: Good
Someone on roof wearing clothes by Afends.

Born in Byron Bay, Australia, Afends is a more responsible brand leading the way in hemp fashion. Drawing inspiration from the environment, streetwear, and surf culture, Afends’ mission is to create more sustainable clothing through innovation, action, and positive change. As true hemp advocates, it purchased 100 acres of farmland called Sleepy Hollow to grow its own hemp crops and ignite the hemp revolution.

Find most of the range in sizes XS-XL.

See the rating.

Shop Afends.

Kowtow

Rated: Great

Kowtow is a New Zealand brand that uses organic, fair trade cotton and non-toxic dyes to produce its clothes. It designs elegant, timeless womenswear, and also has a range of ceramics.

Find the clothes in sizes XS-L.

See the rating.

Shop Kowtow.

Elk

Rated: Good

A pioneer of independent Australian design, Elk was founded in Melbourne in 2004. Elk creates bi-annual collections that are informed by a design ethos where simplicity and sustainability meet innovation.

Find most items in AU sizes 6-18.

See the rating.

Shop Elk.

The UK

 

E.L.V. Denim

Rated: Great
Someone in upcycled denim jacket and jeans by ELV Denim.

E.L.V. Denim transforms old discarded denim into modern, sophisticated, and even made-to-measure jean jackets, pants, and accessories.

Find most jeans in UK sizes 24-32.

See the rating.

Shop E.L.V. Denim @ Rêve en Vert.

Shop E.L.V. Denim.

Fanfare

Rated: Good
people in white tops and recycled jeans by Fanfare

Fanfare is a UK-based more sustainable brand that transforms vintage clothes into unique pieces using recycled materials. It promotes slow fashion with its repair services, take-back scheme, and lifetime guarantee.

Find most items in UK sizes 4-18.

See the rating.

Shop Fanfare.

Shop Fanfare @ Earthkind.

Lucy & Yak

Rated: Good
Girl in light wash ethical dungaree by Lucy & Yak

Independent, handmade, and responsible, we love Lucy & Yak’s playful take on classic garments. With unisex designs for everyone, this UK brand will brighten up your day.

Find pieces inclusively sized in UK 4-32.

See the rating.

Shop Lucy & Yak.

non

Rated: Great
People in denim jackets and shirts by Non.

non is a UK-based label that offers raw selvedge denim jeans, jackets, and accessories that are designed to last.

The jeans are available in sizes 26-36.

See the rating.

Shop non.

Europe

 

MUD Jeans

Rated: Great
A man wears navy jeans and a blue top

Dutch denim brand MUD Jeans is all about sustainability. Not only does it offer a repair service, but it also provides a rental service where you can lease a pair of jeans for up to a year. MUD Jeans uses a combination of GOTS certified organic cotton and post-consumer recycled cotton.

MUD Jeans are available in a range of sizes, usually from W25 L30-W33 L32 for women and W28 L34-W36 L34 for men.

See the rating.

Shop MUD Jeans.

Shop MUD Jeans @ Shop Like You Give a Damn.

Kuyichi

Rated: Great

Established in 2001, Kuyichi is an organic denim brand with top-scoring labour and environmental ratings.

Offered in sizes XS-L.

See the rating.

Shop Kuyichi.

Shop Kuyichi @ Shop Like You Give a Damn.

Dawn Denim

Rated: Great
woman jumping in air

Dawn Denim is a German denim brand striving to change the way clothes are made, sold and worn. Making your butt look good in jeans is a welcome side effect.

Find the jeans in XS-3XL.

See the rating.

Shop Dawn Denim.

Shop Dawn Denim @ Shop Like You Give a Damn.

Nudie Jeans

Rated: Great
men's black ethical denim jeans by sustainable brand nudie jeans

Slim Fit Jeans – Ships internationally from Sweden

 

Nudie Jeans designs 100% organic cotton denim and is transparent about its production. The brand also offers a free repair service, resells second hand products, and even recycles worn out items. Made in Italy, these black slim fit jeans are perfect for everyday wear and tear.

Find the perfect fit with the Virtual Size Guide on the product pages.

See the rating.

Shop Nudie Jeans.

Shop Nudie Jeans @ Farfetch.

Shop Nudie Jeans Pre-Owned @ Vestiaire Collective.

 

ASKET

Rated: Good
People wearing tops, sweaters, jackets, bottoms and accessories by Asket.

ASKET has been creating timeless wardrobe essentials since 2015 with revolutionary sizing and fair pricing. The brand disregards seasonal collections, cuts out all the middlemen, and only sells directly to you—putting its entire focus on building a single permanent collection.

Find the range in sizes 2XS-2XL.

See the rating.

Shop ASKET.

Armedangels

Rated: Great

Innovative, responsible, and on-trend. Germany’s Armedangels gets a top score overall from us. The brand covers all the basics in womenswear and menswear. Armedangels’ quality and long-lasting pieces are made from lower-impact and certified materials, like Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) certified cotton. The brand also adopted the Fair Wear Foundation Code of Conduct to protect its workers abroad.

Its products are available in sizes XS-XL.

See the rating.

Shop Armedangels.

Shop Armedangels @ Shop Like You Give a Damn.

Kings of Indigo

Rated: Good

Kings of Indigo makes quality denim, tops, and accessories inspired by American classics with a Japanese eye for detail. The brand uses GOTS organic cotton as well as recycled cotton and wool, and avoids all chemicals from the REACH chemical list.

Offered in sizes XS-L.

See the rating.

Shop Kings of Indigo.

ISTO.

Rated: Good

Portuguese brand ISTO.’s mandate is simple: create clothes to transcend the seasons and work as staple items in your wardrobe all year round. It has one single collection and pursues quality over quantity to try and make its items permanently available. It uses organic materials and is transparent in showing you the true cost of your clothes when you go to purchase a piece for your wardrobe.

The range is available in XS-XL.

See the rating.

Shop ISTO..

Infantium Victoria

Rated: Great
young POC girl wearing preloved green velvet dress by ethical vegan brand Infantium Victoria

Infantium Victoria offers beautiful vegan luxury for all ages. This German brand scores highly across the board. Its products are certified by Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), and it sells previously owned products to minimise textile waste.

Find clothes for babies ages 6 months all the way to teens aged 16 years.

See the rating.

Shop Infantium Victoria.

G-Star RAW

Rated: Good

Amsterdam-founded G-Star RAW specialises in raw denim. “With innovation, sustainability and creativity at our core, we aim to bring pioneering styles and challenge industry standards, while constantly trying to improve our impact on people and [the] planet,” the brand says.

See the rating.

Shop G-Star RAW.

Shop G-Star Raw Pre-Owned @ Vestiaire Collective.

Japan

9-jour

Rated: Good
Model wearing 9-jour coloured jeans

9-jour is a Japanese denim brand specialising in jeans coloured every hue you could wish for. The brand only uses selvedge denim that’s dyed naturally with low-impact solutions. It manufactures its products locally and to order, reducing energy use and wastage versus conventional fashion supply chains.

Available in waists 69-90cm

See the rating.

Shop 9-jour.

Editor's note

Feature image via Dawn Denim, all other images via brands mentioned. Good On You publishes the world’s most comprehensive ratings of fashion and beauty brands’ impact on people, the planet, and animals. Use our directory to search thousands of rated brands.

We updated this article on 1 October 2025: Our editors frequently make updates to articles to ensure they’re up to date. We updated this list to reflect brands with recent ratings.

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