Responsible Design
A great deal of water goes into producing denim. Water is a key part of Amsterdam life and a resource that we value, which
is why we challenge ourselves to improve our practices, sourcing better materials and reducing our environmental impact
through monitoring and lowering our water, chemical and energy use.
is why we challenge ourselves to improve our practices, sourcing better materials and reducing our environmental impact
through monitoring and lowering our water, chemical and energy use.
OUR DIRECTION
The decision to use better materials is made at the design stage, when sourcing the fabrics. With every collection we aim to increase our use of organic, recycled and regenerative fibres, as alternatives to conventional sources. See our Better Materials section for information about our materials standard, benefits of these materials and our roadmap to achieving our goal.
Denim is traditionally made from conventional cotton. This fibre has a significant impact on the environment – due to the use of pesticides and fertilisers, high water consumption and the soil degradation it causes – which is why we are committed to replacing all conventional cotton in our collections with better alternatives (organic, recycled) by 2025. See our cotton commitment for information on these, the benefits and our roadmap to achieving our cotton commitment.
With regard to water use during production, we've been working with our partners to implement technologies such as e-Flow® – a technology from Jeanologia™ that reduces the need for water in the finishing process – to reduce water use wherever possible. From Spring 2022, we'll be tracking the environmental impact of each denim item we make, using the EIM (Environmental Impact Measurement) scorecard by Jeanologia™. This scorecard measures water, chemical and energy consumption as well as worker health in the garment finishing stage of denim production. By formalizing the way we measure, we can take further steps to improve and reduce our impact.
Our efforts in responsible design are not limited to the fabrics or production processes. Designing for longevity is also part of our way of working, creating styles that you'll be able to wear for many seasons. We also explore ways to reuse, repurpose and recycle garments, extending their life cycle.
Denim is traditionally made from conventional cotton. This fibre has a significant impact on the environment – due to the use of pesticides and fertilisers, high water consumption and the soil degradation it causes – which is why we are committed to replacing all conventional cotton in our collections with better alternatives (organic, recycled) by 2025. See our cotton commitment for information on these, the benefits and our roadmap to achieving our cotton commitment.
With regard to water use during production, we've been working with our partners to implement technologies such as e-Flow® – a technology from Jeanologia™ that reduces the need for water in the finishing process – to reduce water use wherever possible. From Spring 2022, we'll be tracking the environmental impact of each denim item we make, using the EIM (Environmental Impact Measurement) scorecard by Jeanologia™. This scorecard measures water, chemical and energy consumption as well as worker health in the garment finishing stage of denim production. By formalizing the way we measure, we can take further steps to improve and reduce our impact.
Our efforts in responsible design are not limited to the fabrics or production processes. Designing for longevity is also part of our way of working, creating styles that you'll be able to wear for many seasons. We also explore ways to reuse, repurpose and recycle garments, extending their life cycle.
OUR DENIM COMMITMENT
At Scotch & Soda, we're committed to making a positive impact, which is why we're part of a forward-thinking denim community here in Amsterdam, where we share our expertise. The group consists of a wide range of denim experts, from brands to weavers to production companies and beyond, all working together to improve the future of denim.
In 2020, during the annual Amsterdam Denim Days event, we cemented our commitment to a more sustainable denim production. We joined several other brands and suppliers in a landmark move – The Denim Deal – which is focused on making the post-consumer recycling of textiles the new industry standard. As a group, we have agreed to working as quickly as possible to a standard of 5% recycled textile in all denim garments. We have also collectively pledged to make three million denim garments containing at least 20% recycled textiles.
Read more about the initiative here.
In 2020, during the annual Amsterdam Denim Days event, we cemented our commitment to a more sustainable denim production. We joined several other brands and suppliers in a landmark move – The Denim Deal – which is focused on making the post-consumer recycling of textiles the new industry standard. As a group, we have agreed to working as quickly as possible to a standard of 5% recycled textile in all denim garments. We have also collectively pledged to make three million denim garments containing at least 20% recycled textiles.
Read more about the initiative here.
Image courtesy of the Denim Deal