After years of BCI cotton, organic cotton, laser technologies and more, it still costs brands to make and sell environmentally-friendly jeans. The reason some good innovations are still relatively expensive is critical mass hasn’t yet been reached. Brands show interest in sustainable alternatives, but cost is always a concern.

Companies are focused on the price of the fiber instead of looking at the total garment price. This micromanaging of pricing at each step makes it very hard. The only way to get around the issue of price is for all of the links in the supply chain to come together and really try to build the right price that’s fair to start accelerating change.

Educating the consumer about the innovation, and making it available at a price they’re already comfortable with paying, may make it easier to sell sustainable denim at a higher price down the road. In the future, if a brand needs to increase the price, consumers will understand why.

Rather than fixate on cost, the industry needs to shift its message to focus on value. Price is associated with value, and if the right value is provided, consumers will pay the price. So consumers need to be given what they want and at a good value.