Brands in the US are becoming sensitive about the water and chemicals being used in denim production. It can take up to 1,800 gallons of water to make just one pair of standard jeans. That’s about 500 billion gallons to create the jeans sold in the US every year. A lot of stretch fabrics have polyurethane-based fibers and polyesters that are harder to wash. They require more harsh chemicals.

Brands like Boyish and Triarchy are on a mission to redefine the traditional denim supply chain, from sourcing to spinning, production and finishing. They’ve brought different perspectives and approaches to the issue of sustainability in denim. They are proponents of redefining the material from the ground up, using varied combinations of organic and recycled cotton in their denim formulations, along with cellulosic fibers. Recycling material cuts down water consumption. Many of Boyish’s jeans are made with a blend of recycled cotton (from salvaged fabric or the company’s own re-spun scraps), certified organic cotton from farms that pledge efficient water use and Tencel Lyocell with Refibra technology. Boyish uses mostly rigid denim because it washes beautifully, looks vintage and mixes with the recycled cotton. Triarchy has also championed recycling with its premium Atelier line, which is made from vintage denim.