With a global market of 3.1 billion pairs in 2022, denim jeans could easily be considered a wardrobe staple. Despite this, there has been limited innovation to address the many sustainability challenges of denim production, such as water and resource intensity, heavy chemical use and dyeing, as well as limited recyclability when blended with materials such as polyester and elastane.

Sustainable textile material company Spinnova has today presented the first blended denim fabrics made with wood-based SPINNOVA® fibre at the annual Kingpins denim trade show in Amsterdam. The pilot products showcase Spinnova’s technology’s potential to improve the sustainability of denim on multiple fronts. When SPINNOVA® fibre is produced from certified eucalyptus pulp, it has various environmental benefits such as 99% less water consumption and 74% fewer CO2 emissions compared to conventional cotton*. The fibre spinning process uses zero harmful chemicals and thanks to the unique mechanical process, the fibre has a natural hand-feel. Finally, the raw material used to make SPINNOVA® fibre can be traced back to its origin.

The denim industry doesn’t compromise on quality, which has been a challenge for denim manufacturers exploring new materials in the past. While most man-made fibres lack the quintessential, sturdy feel of cotton-based denim, early tests have shown that denim produced with a blend of SPINNOVA® and cotton maintains those qualities and meets the aesthetic requirements of denim.

“We see a huge opportunity in changing the way that raw materials are sourced and treated for a product as iconic and timeless as denim. It’s exciting to see that we can already address many of the existing sustainability challenges with Spinnova’s technology, while upholding the quality associated with a good pair of jeans. Spinnova works together with partners in the denim segment to optimize the share of SPINNOVA® in the fabric for the best use of the qualities of the fibre,” says Spinnova’s Chief Sustainability Officer Shahriare Mahmood.