Sustainability and Social Responsibility

A Framework for Evaluating Sustainable Jean Attributes

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Abstract

Denim accounts for theworld’s largest segment of the clothing industry with jeans making up themajority of denim usage (Research and Markets, 2017). Prized for its durabilityand strength, denim is considered one of the most versatile fabrics in fashion.But the production of a single pair has an enormous environmental footprintusing an average 2,113 gallons of water, 48 kilowatts of energy, (Levi’sStrauss, 2015), and 1.1 pounds of toxic andcorrosive chemicals (Candiani Report, 2016). The demand for sustainabledenim is growing and fashion brands are making efforts to improve jeansproduction by reducing environmental and social footprint of this product.Thus, it is timely to ensure that sustainability claims are neither deceptive normisleading but are compliant with laws and are premised on justifiable sustainabilitymetrics. This paper provides a framework for retailers and consumers to betterunderstand sustainability information. 

Keywords: Environmental footprint, Sustainability framework, Denim

How to Cite:

Jestratijevic, I. M. & Hawley, J. M., (2020) “A Framework for Evaluating Sustainable Jean Attributes”, International Textile and Apparel Association Annual Conference Proceedings 77(1). doi: https://doi.org/10.31274/itaa.12070