New Partnerships Help Denim Mills Scale Sustainability

Angela Velasquez
·7 min read

No longer an add-on or special feature, sustainability is ingrained in the production of leading denim mills.

With many already using water-efficient dyeing and finishing processes and sourcing better ingredients, mills are pulling together their efforts to improve and scale environmental savings in their Fall/Winter 2025-2026 collections.

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Crescent Bahuman Limited (CBL) is putting buzzwords into action with its S.T.A.R. capsule collection (short for sustainable, traceable, aware and responsible). Described as the cornerstone of the Pakistani mill’s sustainability initiatives, it consolidates responsible materials and processes into one cohesive collection.

Materials are made with recycled cotton, Refibra, recycled polyester, eco-elastane, OnceMore viscose, Tencel, Ecovero, and Re-Gen Cotton. Partnerships with Fibertrace and Papertale allow the mill to offer traceable solutions embedded within these materials. A key fabric in the collection is XA-4147-G, made with regenerative cotton and Refibra, dyed with a 100 percent hydrosulfite-free dyeing process and finished with a zero-water technique. 

Sapphire Mills is launching Greenverse by Sapphire, a new platform dedicated to pioneering sustainable collections. “With Greenverse, we’re leading the charge towards stylish and ethical fashion,” said Ismael Abdullah, Sapphire Mills director.

Designed for longevity, the inaugural collection embraces circularity principles and includes popular fabrics crafted from recycled materials. This season, the mill is prioritizing eco-friendly fibers like Regenagri, Recover and Ecovero, which Abdullah said helps reduce Sapphire’s environmental impact while enhancing product quality. The collection is powered by clean energy and certified for environmental compliance.

ESG compliance as dictated by legislation is going to be top of mind for many brands and retailers as they plan their F/W 25-26 collections, said Henry Wong, AGI Denim’s VP product development and marketing, North America. “While there is no certainty that the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and other legislation will be the panacea to ending greenwashing, there are existing solutions that proactive companies can take to provide transparency to their supply chain,” he said.

AGI Denim has collaborated with Green Story for this purpose. “We’re leveraging their sustainability analytics platform to accurately measure our denim’s environmental impact. This data is easily accessible through QR codes, allowing our clients—brands and retailers—to transparently communicate this information to consumers in a trustworthy and compelling manner,” Wong said.

Raw Materials

Locally sourced regenerative cotton is at the center of Vicunha’s collection. Through the Regen by Vicunha project, Kursad Çakılcıoglu, product development and sales manager for Vicunha Europe, said the Brazilian mill is “committing continuously and consistently to regenerative cotton as a crucial raw material in our production.”

“Currently, Vicunha’s three production units located in the Northeast region of Brazil are Regenagri certified, enabling end-to-end traceability of regenerative cotton from cultivation to the final consumer, while also ensuring the well-being of both the soil and the people who tend to it,” he said.

The Brazilian mill also uses ABR-certified cotton, hemp, linen, man-made cellulosic fibers and recycled materials sourced from its production facilities.

Cone Denim’s F/W 25-26 Remastered capsule of denim fabrics focuses on attainable sustainability and is designed for longevity. New colors include natural, black and a bright indigo cast.

“This capsule [offers] timeless denim looks produced with mindful raw materials to reduce the percentage of virgin fiber in our collection. A small percentage of recycled fiber in a denim program can have a significant impact compared to using 100 percent virgin raw material,” said Pierette Scavuzzo, Cone Denim design director.

Tat-Fung also focused on fabric designed to last. “We’re championing a denim culture that eliminates the distressing process. We are well aware of the concerns surrounding denim sustainability, particularly regarding washing,” said Tim Huesemann, Tat-Fung sales director.

The mill’s Fadeless Denim collection meets the needs of brands looking for a refined and clean aesthetic. The fabrics eliminate the need for extra chemicals during production and cater to those who appreciate the raw denim aesthetic.

The new season is an opportunity for Soorty to grow several of its fiber-focused projects, including its denim-to-denim recycling brand Second Life, Soorty Organic Cotton Initiative and Soorty RegenAgri Initiative, a new partnership with the Rural Education and Economic Development Society that focuses on revitalizing agricultural ecosystems through regenerative farming practices.

Naveena Denim Mills collaborated with Circular Systems to bring a new low-impact fiber derived from crop leftovers to the market.

“Crop residues are sometimes burned, left to rot, or used in low-value industrial applications,” said Berke Aydemir, Naveena Denim Mills head of R&D and technical sales. “The Agraloop technology upgrades these residues into natural staple fiber ready to be blended and spun into yarns with other natural fibers like organic and recycled cotton.”

The fibers are used in Naveena’s Biotech fabrics, which Aydemir noted are durable and have unique natural fiber aesthetics.

Orta is introducing a family of fabrics called Natural Comfort, which contains 100 percent natural fibers but has a comfort level stretch performance. This mono-fiber, no poly-based fabric can be mechanically recyclable and potentially biodegradable.

“We started with 100 percent virgin cotton developments first but today we also have 20 percent recycled cotton versions too in this family. Thanks to special spinning and weaving techniques, Orta’s Natural Comfort family reflects a vintage attitude with added comfort, blended to be effortlessly memorable,” said Sebla Onder, Orta’s marketing and sustainability manager.

Responsible Water Usage

DNM Denim takes a multi-prong approach to environmentally friendly production. The Egyptian mill is equipped with a zero liquid discharge closed treatment plant and solar panels for solar and thermal energy sources.

“We believe that reducing water consumption and preserving natural water resources are crucial steps,” said Zuhal Karaçayır, DNM Denim assistant marketing manager. “All water used in production undergoes treatment at our plant, achieving a 100 percent treatment rate. Additionally, 90.2 percent of our total water requirement is met through recycled water, minimizing water use and preventing environmental pollution. To measure these efforts, we regularly carry out water and carbon footprint measurements every year.”

SM Denim is debuting IndiCan, an indigo alternative technology that reduces water usage by 72 percent in dyeing, cuts chemicals by 50 percent, reduces steam by 65 percent and water usage by 75 percent in finishing. The mill is filing a patent for the process.

In addition to using sustainable and circular fibers, Siddiqsons Limited is focusing on water and chemical conservation The in-house Retrive dyeing system reduces Siddiqsons’ water usage by 33 percent. A partnership with CleanKore, a patented technology that dyes yarn without the use of potassium permanganate (PP) spray, is also leading to sustainable gains.

“Through our close collaboration with CleanKore, we have developed a complete line of fabrics that use less water and energy, and eliminate the need for PP spray and bleach, all while remaining cost-neutral,” said Ampelio Dal Lago, Siddiqsons Limited head of R&D.

Tat-Fung is updating its C-Zero collection, which boasts zero water usage in production and elevated hand feels and fabric textures. The Chinese mill’s color denim is also made with a water-free process.  The blue tones serve as an alternative to conventional indigo dye and is engineered for a soft touch with a vintage flair reminiscent of old-school Levi’s.

Tat-Fung is also looking at sustainable methods for coatings as well. “We are introducing a black coating that uses algae instead of petroleum. This material is remarkable because it is bio-based, produced from algae by-products, and serves as a sustainable alternative to carbon black pigment,” said Tim Huesemann, Tat-Fung sales director. “There are no limitations; we can coat this on denim or PFD fabrics, thanks to our in-house coating facility that makes it much easier to handle than outsourcing.”

The mill is also looking outside the traditional confines of denim to advance its sustainable footprint. Huesemann said the company is teaming with Ponda, an innovative sustainable insulation provider, to introduce a new puffed body warmer featuring Biopuff insulation. Made from bulrushes, Biopuff is warm, puffy, and naturally water repellent, offering a cruelty-free and traceable alternative to traditional fillers, he explained.