Press Release: The Jeans Redesign: Insights from the first two years – circular economy lessons for the fashion industry

Working with some of the biggest names in fashion to create jeans fit for a circular economycircular economyA systems solution framework that tackles global challenges like climate change, biodiversity loss, waste, and pollution. It is based on three principles, driven by design: eliminate waste and pollution, circulate products and materials (at their highest value), and regenerate nature., the Ellen MacArthur Foundation has published The Jeans Redesign: Insights from the first two years. 

To date, participants of The Jeans Redesign have put more than half a million pairs of circular jeans on the market, meeting minimum requirements for durabilitydurabilityThe ability of a product, component or material to remain functional and relevant when used as intended., traceability, and recyclabilityrecyclabilityThe ease with which a material can be recycled in practice and at scale., while using safe materials and processes. Although the number of circular jeans makes up just a small part of the total market, the insights gained can go a long way in informing bold action towards creating more products in this way.  

The Jeans Redesign: Insights from the first two years reveals the barriers, solutions and innovation gaps faced by the 72 brands, retailers, garment manufacturers, fabric mills and laundries signed up to The Jeans Redesign’s common guidelines and definitions. 

Throughout the first two years of the ongoing project, some criteria were consistently reported as being among the toughest requirements for participants to meet. They include identifying and sourcing cellulose-based fibres produced in nature positive ways, hardware solutions that prohibit conventional electroplating – a technique that generates hazardous waste, zippers that can be removed and reused or recycled without losing fabric, and limiting non-cellulose based fibres to 2% or less to ensure recyclability, while still delivering styles and comfort that appeals to customers (including jeans with stretch).

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Laura Balmond, Make Fashion Circular Lead, at the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, said: “The Jeans Redesign supports organisations to build the confidence to explore and learn about how to use circular economy principles to put products on the market. The collective challenges and solutions identified made it clear where investment and innovation are needed. The Jeans Redesign demonstrates it is possible to create garments fit for a circular economy and now the concept has been proven, there’s no reason to delay progress. We call on industry and government to build on this growing momentum to rapidly transition to a circular economy for fashion at scale."  

  To build on the momentum of The Jeans Redesign, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation calls on:

1. All businesses in the fashion industry to take bold action to adopt circular economy principles today

2. All businesses – including collectors, sorters, and recyclers to collaborate and innovate to overcome barriers to a circular economy for fashion

3. All businesses and policymakers to align on definitions and parameters for regenerative productionregenerative productionRegenerative production provides food and materials in ways that support positive outcomes for nature, which include but are not limited to: healthy and stable soils, improved local biodiversity, improved air and water quality. and sourcing, and put in place enabling mechanisms to support the production of materials that have nature-positive outcomes

4. Policymakers to create the enabling conditions for the circular economy to emerge at scale in the fashion industry, building on a set of common policy goals

For more information or to request an interview, please contact Gabriella Hewitt gabriella.hewitt@emf.org 

Notes to Editor

About the Ellen MacArthur Foundation 

The Ellen MacArthur Foundation is an international charity, committed to the creation of a circular economy that tackles some of the biggest challenges of our time, such as climate change and biodiversity loss. Driven by design, a circular economy eliminates waste and pollution, keeps products and materials in use, and regenerates natural systems, creating benefits for society, the environment, and the economy. 

Further information: www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org | @circulareconomy

About Make Fashion Circular

Make Fashion Circular was launched by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation at the Copenhagen Fashion Summit 2017, and brings together leaders from across the fashion industry to work with cities, philanthropists, NGOs, and innovators. Make Fashion Circular is leading international efforts to stop waste and pollution by creating a circular economy for the industry, where clothes are used more, are made to be made again and are made from safe, recycled or renewable materialsrenewable materialsMaterials that are continually replenished at a rate equal to or greater than the rate of depletion..

Further information:http://tiny.cc/makefashioncircular 

Assets

All assets, including the report and guidelines can be found here.