KNOWLEDGE IS POWER.
KNOWLEDGE IS POWER.
OUR DENIM'S CARBON FOOTPRINT
Our DetoxDenim are jeans made without hazardous chemicals since forever. But we know that's only one building block in creating more sustainable products. And we know that the fashion industry contributes up to 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions (GHG)*. That's why our impact strategy revolves around the climate and places special emphasis on reducing the carbon footprint of our products.
OUR DENIM'S CARBON FOOTPRINT
Our DetoxDenim are jeans made without hazardous chemicals since forever. But we know that's only one building block in creating more sustainable products. And we know that the fashion industry contributes up to 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions (GHG)*. That's why our impact strategy revolves around the climate and places special emphasis on reducing the carbon footprint of our products.
We are committed to making products with the lowest environmental footprint possible. This, of course, requires that we understand the carbon footprint of our products today and how the choices we make on materials, suppliers, and design affect the result. Therefore, we determined our autumn/winter'23 denims' footprint: we collaborate with our partner Carbonfact, whom we carefully selected aiming for the best transparency in calculations, strongest science behind, and smart tech.
We are committed to making products with the lowest environmental footprint possible. This, of course, requires that we understand the carbon footprint of our products today and how the choices we make on materials, suppliers, and design affect the result. Therefore, we determined our autumn/winter'23 denims' footprint: we collaborate with our partner Carbonfact, whom we carefully selected aiming for the best transparency in calculations, strongest science behind, and smart tech.
* hotorcool.org/unfit-unfair-unfashionable/
Here's what we learned:
Garment weight
First of all: our products are heavier than the average jeans. By itself, this is not a bad thing, as product weight often comes with product durability and quality. So, if we want to make the best products in terms of quality and the lowest carbon footprint – we need to be much better than the average in how we make our product.
Carbon footprint
Our product with the lowest carbon footprint measures ca. 9kg CO2eq while the one with the largest footprint measures 15.9kg CO2eq.
Benchmark: up to 30% lower carbon footprint
Our "best-performing" options show as much as a 30% lower carbon footprint compared to the reference product (14 kg CO2eq), despite their higher weights.
Recycled Cotton is one contributor
Our effort to increase the share of recycled cotton we use paid off: many of our "best-performing" options are made from 100% recycled cotton. By the way: if we look at the footprint not on a product-vs-product level but based on "footprint per kg of product", we observe savings of 50% and more on some options. Disclaimer: this does not comply with the way such benchmarking is done, however gives a good indication on the big contribution of recycled cotton. Once more, top performers also in this angle are styles made with recycled material.
For calculating the carbon footprint of our product, we capture the environmental impact of a product throughout its entire production chain, encompassing everything from the extraction of raw materials to manufacturing, transportation, distribution, sale, usage and end-of-life. And we compare our results to an industry average – the average of jeans sold in Europe.
Here's what we learned:
Garment weight
First of all: our products are heavier than the average jeans. By itself, this is not a bad thing, as product weight often comes with product durability and quality. So, if we want to make the best products in terms of quality and the lowest carbon footprint – we need to be much better than the average in how we make our product.
Carbon footprint
Our product with the lowest carbon footprint measures ca. 9kg CO2eq while the one with the largest footprint measures 15.9kg CO2eq.
Benchmark: up to 30% lower carbon footprint
Our "best-performing" options show as much as a 30% lower carbon footprint compared to the reference product (14 kg CO2eq), despite their higher weights.
Recycled Cotton is one contributor
Our effort to increase the share of recycled cotton we use paid off: many of our "best-performing" options are made from 100% recycled cotton. By the way: if we look at the footprint not on a product-vs-product level but based on "footprint per kg of product", we observe savings of 50% and more on some options. Disclaimer: this does not comply with the way such benchmarking is done, however gives a good indication on the big contribution of recycled cotton. Once more, top performers also in this angle are styles made with recycled material.
For calculating the carbon footprint of our product, we capture the environmental impact of a product throughout its entire production chain, encompassing everything from the extraction of raw materials to manufacturing, transportation, distribution, sale, usage and end-of-life. And we compare our results to an industry average – the average of jeans sold in Europe.
Nothing to hide
First of all, we share this information transparently on our product pages. To raise awareness for the carbon footprint each product – even more sustainable options - has. To help consumers in making educated choices. And, of course, to challenge ourselves: 2 out of 69 options (status: August 2023) show a higher CO2 footprint than the reference product. They, like all of our products, are all heavier than the benchmark, which in itself contributes to their footprint. But that's not an excuse for us.
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We won't save on fabric weight or quality. Because Denims made right, versatile and long-lasting, already have a lot of what it takes to be part of a climate-friendly wardrobe.
So, what's next? We keep working on reducing the carbon footprint of our denims and all other products. Insights we gain from the specific products help us make better choices in the next production round. Until we have the lowest footprint per product in the industry, we do not rest!
Detoxdenim Women Detoxdenim Men
Read more
We won't save on fabric weight or quality. Because Denims made right, versatile and long-lasting, already have a lot of what it takes to be part of a climate-friendly wardrobe.
So, what's next? We keep working on reducing the carbon footprint of our denims and all other products. Insights we gain from the specific products help us make better choices in the next production round. Until we have the lowest footprint per product in the industry, we do not rest!
Detoxdenim Women Detoxdenim Men
Q&A
The benchmark is derived from the average of jeans sold in Europe. This calculation takes into account numerous factors, starting from the material composition, energy mix, dyeing and washing processes, to name just a few. Additionally, the average weight of a pair of jeans in EU one can buy is estimated at 477g.
Consequently, our jeans are benchmarked against an average product. All of our jeans surpass the benchmark weight, as more material may be necessary to achieve higher quality and durability. Calculated based on a medium size (typically 29/32), the weights vary between 500 and slightly above 800g depending on the option. Therefore, we utilize more material than the average, which is already a significant influencing factor – in short, more material translates to a greater impact. A larger quantity of material, however, is also often connected with heightened quality and increased longevity. Nevertheless, nearly all of our jeans exhibit better values in terms of CO2 footprint compared to the average, with some even emitting up to 30% less CO2.
The average CO2 balance of jeans sold in Europe, according to this calculation, is approximately 14kg CO2eq (in the "cradle-to-grave“-method). For our Fall/Winter 2023 styles, almost all options fall below this value, in some cases significantly so. Styles that deviate up to 15% from the benchmark, either upwards or downwards, are labeled as "Medium CO2." Two of these options (as of August 2023) possess a CO2 footprint that exceeds the benchmark.
Our efforts to reduce the CO2 footprint of our denims and other products persist. The insights gained from our CO2 balance serve as motivation to make more informed decisions in the next production round and continue promoting transparency and clarity. We do not cease until we can offer products with the smallest possible footprint in the industry!
CAN YOU DECIDE ON THESE PRODUCTS WITH A CLEAR CONSCIENCE?
The answer is clear. Our denims are produced in a more responsible manner, free from hazardous chemicals and in alignment with ecological and social standards. This implies that if you seek a more sustainable pair of jeans, you are making a good and appropriate choice with these styles. Jeans are inherently durable and versatile garments that seamlessly integrate into a climate-friendly wardrobe. However, concerning the CO2 footprint, these are not our benchmarks for excellence. Should you be in search of jeans with the slightest CO2 footprint, we even offer superior alternatives: watch out for styles with a high share of recycled content.
We suggest visting carbonfact.com