Producing a single pair of jeans can consume up to 5,000 liters of water, yet the denim industry still lacks a standardized method for measuring that consumption. At Kingpins Amsterdam, industry leaders acknowledged that while transparency tools and sustainability frameworks are evolving, discrepancies in measurement methodologies and regional differences continue to fragment efforts. This article explores why a unified water baseline remains elusive for the denim sector—and what steps companies, regulators, and technology providers can take to align global practices with environmental accountability.
Fragmented Metrics Undermine Industry-Wide Accountability
While most denim manufacturers share the ambition of lowering water consumption, inconsistencies in measurement methodologies pose a fundamental barrier. Each factory, region, and brand tends to use its own benchmarks, rendering external comparisons difficult. Representatives from Crystal International Group shared how internal baselines—like a 2022 benchmark to reduce freshwater use by 20% by 2030—help guide strategy, but lack global comparability. As Janet Lui from the group pointed out, “we still need to compare internally, factory by factory.”
The lack of alignment doesn’t stem from negligence but from the sheer complexity of denim production. Inputs such as laser finishing, chemical treatments, and regional water sources each affect outcomes differently. For instance, while laser finishing reduces water and chemical usage, it increases energy demands, revealing the trade-offs that come with even the most promising technologies.
Technologies Offer Hope, But Lack of Standards Hinders Progress
Advanced frameworks like the Water Footprint Network—which categorizes usage into blue, green, and gray water—have enabled companies like Vicunha to better understand and reduce their environmental impact. Vicunha reported that of the 5,000 liters required to produce a jean, a significant 82% was green water (rainwater), underscoring the nuance in lifecycle assessments.
Similarly, Jeanologia has developed an Environmental Impact Measuring (EIM) tool based on data from more than 200,000 finishing processes. This innovation has helped standardize internal benchmarks across clients, reducing water use in the finishing stage to an average of 45 liters per garment. However, despite such efforts, broader adoption remains limited due to a lack of regulatory enforcement and sector-wide standardization.
Technology provider 3M and supplier collaborations like BluConnection have also advanced wastewater reduction by introducing natural, biodegradable alternatives to salt-heavy chemicals. Their innovations can decrease salt concentrations in wastewater by up to 60%, improving outcomes for water treatment and reuse.
Investment Pressure on Suppliers
As industry actors push toward sustainability, financial responsibility often falls on suppliers, not brands or retailers. “The reality burden of investments for water-focused technologies falls on suppliers like fabric mills, laundries, and garment manufacturers,” said Carmen Silla of Jeanologia. This imbalance slows industry-wide innovation, especially among smaller players without access to large capital reserves.
Initiatives like those led by Fashion for Good seek to close this gap through pre-competitive collaboration and funding models that spread risk and reward. Still, unless downstream buyers commit to long-term sustainable procurement, upstream manufacturers will remain overburdened with the cost of transition.
A Sector in Search of Common Ground
The industry agrees that alignment is essential. Whether through shared tools, regulatory frameworks, or collaborative innovation hubs, the denim sector needs a common language for water impact. Without it, meaningful progress toward ESG goals and supply chain accountability will remain fractured. Until measurement becomes as standardized as ambition, sustainability will continue to be an uneven playing field.
Conclusion
Despite promising technological advances and growing commitment across the value chain, the denim industry still lacks a standardized water baseline—hindering collective progress toward sustainable production. As companies like Jeanologia, Crystal International, and Vicunha demonstrate, the tools to measure and reduce water use exist. The next step requires a coordinated push from brands, regulators, and sustainability platforms like Fashion for Good to unify standards and financing mechanisms. In a climate-constrained future, what can’t be measured accurately can’t be managed effectively—let alone improved.