By Morgan Ginn and Courtney Jones
Whoever makes the mess cleans it up, right? This is a basic idea that most people are taught during childhood but it rarely translates into consumption. This is the same simple thinking that inspired the idea for MUD Jeans, the idea for a circular economy.
A good pair of blue jeans is a staple in every person’s closet. Even minimalists. The only thing better than jeans that fit perfectly is great fitting jeans that are ethically sourced and do good for the environment, talk about a win win!
But, what a lot of people don’t know about their favorite pair of blues is the toll they take on the environment.
Producing one pair of jeans takes around 7000 liters of water. That’s almost 1850 gallons of water. With all that water you could fill a 18’x36’ pool. Let that image seep in…
The amount of overconsumption in today’s fashion culture results in 135 million kilos of clothing being burned in the Netherlands every year, and billions of garments globally. That’s approximately 297,624,053 pounds. The weight of approximately 22,894 African Elephants. We’re trying to break these numbers down so you can visualize and comprehend them better, but at the end of the day, you have to know and care that we are burning a hell of a lot of clothes.
What did you think happened when you threw away your clothes? Really think about this question and try to break down this barrier. We know that it is easy to have the “out of sight, out of mind” mentality, but it is not safe for the environment or its people to continue this way of thinking anymore.
As we’ve discussed before, the fashion industry is the the 2nd most polluting industry in the world, behind oil. What is even worse is that over 90% of textile wastes sitting in landfills is perfectly recyclable.
Our over consumption of textiles and natural resources is a driving force behind MUD Jean’s desire to design a better model that is both beneficial for the consumer and for our planet. Honestly they should be called MOM Jeans for keeping after us and because mom jeans are dope. Don’t lie to yourself. You love the look, we all do.
MUD Jeans dares to view waste not as something to fill landfills but as a possibility to create something new. Their unique circular model allows consumers to shop for denim eco-consciously and guilt-free.
It begins with circular design. From the very first stage of production,
designing the jeans, MUD has the end goal of recycling in mind. All of the materials are carefully selected and designed to ensure high quality denim, a good comfortable fit and most importantly that the jeans will be able to be recycled at the end of their life.
Then comes production. The jeans are made from BCI and GOTS certified organic cotton and are constructed in fair factories. MUD believes our clothing starts with the people who make them so they only utilize factories that practice ethical and fair practices (learn more).
When shopping for a pair of jeans on their website you have two options. You can either choose to lease or buy. By leasing a pair of jeans you become a member of the MUD community and pay a small fee every month for your jeans. At the end of your lease you have the option to keep the jeans or switch them out for another pair. If you choose to buy the jeans right off then you pay full price and the jeans are 100% yours.
Then comes your role–wear the jeans. It’s your job to give the jeans life. Dress them up. Dress them down. Wear them on a first date, to school, or to a sporting event. Give them grass stains. Wear them every day. How about casual Friday? The point is to make them yours.
Then once your lease is up or you have worn the jeans out return them.
After assessing the jeans, MUD will decide whether to upcycle or recycle the jeans. If they get upcycled they will get a new look and be sold as vintage. The coolest part is the jeans will be named after you.
If the jeans cannot be reused then they will be recycled, shredded, and constructed into a brand new pair of jeans. Beginning the process all over again–a new pair of jeans, a new owner and a new life. We don’t know about you guys, but this makes our heart smile. Just think about those happy jeans living their life, and knowing they will continue on in a new form instead of sitting in waste. Honestly where is Pixar to make a movie about these jeans?
The beauty of the MUD model is it is responsible consumption. It’s about taking responsibility for our own mess, valuing products from the beginning of their life till the very end, and viewing waste as not something to fill landfills but an opportunity for the creation of something new. This is the anthem of MUD Jeans. We want to live in the type of world they’re dreaming up, a world without waste. A world where our Earth is healthy and clean.
Lease, buy, or learn more here: http://www.mudjeans.eu
NOT THE NEW BLACK 