The way jeans are processed in the factory largely determines the environmental impact of washing them at home.
A new study shared on LinkedIn by nonprofit, science-based organization The Microfibre Consortium (TMC) shows that the combination of mercerized yarn (treated cotton) and certain washes can reduce fiber loss in a wash cycle by 77 to 93 percent.
The edits for two popular ones finishes proved to be particularly problematic: stonewashed and towel washed. Stonewashed is popular because of the faded look it gives to jeans. At towel washed The jeans are washed with bleach-soaked cloths to achieve a speckled effect. The friction causes damage to the fabric during these processes. This means that many fibers are still released even after five washes at home.
This effect occurred to a much lesser extent with more intensive bleaching washes (heavy bleach) and ice washes on. At ice washes The jeans are treated with pumice to create a ‘frozen’ effect, where the blue color of the jeans turns white. Because these processes smooth the fabric, further fiber breakdown in the laundry is slowed down.
The study shows how important design decisions are for the sustainability of the denim industry. However, these are preliminary conclusions on which a brand should not yet rely. Additionally, while strong chemical washing may benefit fiber preservation, it may perform worse in other areas such as water contamination during production. TMC therefore calls on brands to find a balance between a clean production process and a more sustainable use phase.
The study, ‘Evaluation of microfiber emissions from treated denim fabrics in domestic laundry: Exploring low-emission treatments’, was published in the Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering.
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