From old cutting scraps to sustainable jeans

Denims are popular but extremely controversial, as they’re produced in a way that is anything but environmentally friendly. Polluted water, poor working conditions, and high CO₂ consumption are just some of the issues that scratch at the image. To polish it up, brands are looking for innovative materials and alternative production methods.

Armedangels also addressed this issue. Since its founding in 2007, the German brand has been committed to sustainable fashion that is fairly produced and eco-certified. However, the fashion label is not only critical towards the production of conventional jeans, but also consumerism in society. Far too many barely worn garments are still being disposed of in the trash – and the trend is rising.

In times of cheap fast fashion, this tendency isn’t surprising. Often, a garment that is no longer trendy is discarded without ever being worn. And why not? For 30 francs you can buy a new pair of pants, which, according to influencers, are the latest fit.

Armedangels want to stop this cycle. With its new «Circular Denim», the brand takes up this issue: cyclic pants are made from old cut scraps and organic cotton.

Zero Waste

The collected material, for which Armedangels has initiated a jean take-back system, is shredded piece by piece until it becomes loose fibres. These are spun together with organic cotton into new yarn. Then the dry indigo technique is used for dyeing, which requires no water and 89 per cent fewer chemicals than conventional dyeing.

Last but not least, Circular Denim doesn’t need additions such as rivets and leather patches. Their solution: screwable buttons, denim instead of leather patches, prints instead of labels and embroidery instead of rivets. Jeans can only be easily reprocessed without these components.