Make Cotton Sustainable

NEWS REPORT / NEW YORK TIMES

Ensuring Sustainable Denim Manufacturing

Not so long ago, denim industry was swept away with the organic wave. One could easily find a pair of organic jeans as most of the brands were offering them. But now, they seem to have disappeared from the stores. So, where has all the organic denim gone?

According to New York Times, some smaller lines were crushed by the recession and a crowded market. “In a matter of 12 months, I lost 25 to 30 percent of my customer base because of stores closing or scaling back orders and going with more price-conscious lines,” said Tierra Del Forte, who closed her eco-jeans line, Del Forte, in 2009.

However, all is not gloom and doom for organic denim. There are other initiatives being taken by reputed brands which promise to ensure a good future for sustainable denim manufacturing.

LaRhea Pepper, senior director at Textile Exchange says, "There are other companies extending their attention beyond cotton to the entire manufacturing process. Factors now being considered include water use, dye impact, soil health, labor issues and fair trade.

Brands like Adidas and Nike and Levi’s have joined the Better Cotton Initiative, another nonprofit, which focuses on sustainable-agriculture techniques, water use and economic and labor issues. “We want to shift the way cotton is grown around the world,” Michael Kobori, vice president for social and environmental sustainability at Levi Strauss said. “All cotton can be grown this way.”

To read the full story: In Eco-Jeans, the Green Becomes Harder to Spot