How Ripped Jeans Are Ripping Our Planet Apart
We all love wearing jeans, and the right pair of jeans can compliment any outfit. But did you know that the average pair of jeans can take up to 8 gallons of water to produce, which is equivalent to three days worth of water usage for the average American household? This is a huge amount of water for one pair of jeans alone, and does not take into account the other harmful environmental impacts of producing denim. The dye used in denim can lead to pollution in local waterways, and the cotton crops used in the fabric of denim require a large amount of chemical pesticides, which disrupt natural ecosystems and can be toxic to human health. The average American alone purchases 4 pairs of jeans per year, which is a lot of water usage. With the impact denim can have on our environment, it is vital to explore the different alternatives to reduce the harmful effects.
In addition to the water usage of producing a pair of denim jeans, producing ripped jeans is even worse for the environment. In order to create a pair of ripped jeans or ripped denim, the denim must first be made without any holes or rips, and then with either a laser or by hand with various tools the jeans are ripped. Typically fast fashion brands use the laser technique, where the jeans are secured against a metal backdrop and then a laser is targeted at the denim, where it works by burning holes according to a pattern that has been programmed into the software. This technique can cut intricate patterns, and only takes a minute to finish each pair. This laser technology can create “high temperatures [which] cause the surrounding air to expand. Once materials are being treated by the laser beam, they’ll emit gases that rapidly expand and release dangerous particles.” If the denim is ripped by hand it can take many hours of labour, and this technique is often only used by higher end brands.
In addition to the process of making denim, with the rise of micro-trends such as patterned denim or denim with various cutout designs, our denim is having increasingly shorter lives and ending up in thrift stores or landfills sooner. If you walk into any second hand or thrift store today, there is a large selection of skinny jeans or “jeggings” which were popular only a few years ago but are now considered “out of fashion”. According to BBC, around 85% of all clothing that is thrown away or donated ends up in landfills. Historically, denim is meant to last many years and is one of the most durable fabrics. As our society continues to move at a faster pace, with trends coming and going monthly and yearly, consumers are getting less wear out of their jeans in order to keep up with trends. This not only creates more waste, but teaches us that clothing is highly disposable and should only be kept while the item is considered trendy. The short life of denim combined with the environmental impacts of producing denim means it is even more important to purchase sustainable denim and make it last as long as possible.
So, what can we do to help combat these negative effects of jeans? The first and most simple answer is to buy less jeans. Good quality denim is durable and should last many years. It is important to purchase high quality denim when possible, which although can be pricey will last much longer and reduce waste in the long run. Fashion trends are often cyclical, and even if something is out of trend now it will likely come back into fashion in only a few years, so hold onto denim if possible. Another simple way to reduce waste is to repurpose your denim. Denim can be made into other clothing items, bags, decorations, rugs, pot holders, and so much more. If you do have your heart set on that new pair of ripped jeans, consider purchasing a pair of jeans that are not ripped and rip them yourself at home. This is an easy way to reduce the harmful effects of creating ripped jeans, and is quite simple to do. To create a ripped look, you can use scissors or a razor to cut holes. If you want to create a distressed denim look, you can use a piece of sandpaper, a cheese grater, or a pumice stone and rub it across the jeans until you have your desired look.
There are so many ways to repurpose old jeans, and if you are done with a pair of jeans or piece of denim, donating is still a better option than simply throwing them away. However if you cannot find a new purpose for your jeans, consider handing off your denim to a friend or family member that you know could get use out of it. It is vital that we reduce our consumption of clothing, especially denim. Next time you're out shopping, make sure you only buy the jeans you really need, and purchase ones that will last long.
Sources:
https://denimology.com/2017/07/ripped-jeans-making-of-look-behind-scenes
https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/is-denim-eco-friendly.php
https://www.airsystems-inc.com/air-purification-news/the-harmful-side-effects-of-laser-cutting/
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200710-why-clothes-are-so-hard-to-recycle