The global denim market is projected to surpass USD 115 billion by 2029¹, yet its growth is tied to conventionally cultivated cotton – a fibre which carries a considerable environmental burden. While cotton is valued for its inherent softness and cost-effectiveness, the conventional methods of its cultivation are notably resource-intensive. These often involve substantial water and pesticide inputs, contributing to a heavy global environmental footprint and social impact across the entire production chain. Such impacts raise pressing concerns about the fibre’s long-term sustainability.

Although hemp may offer a more climate-resilient alternative, requiring fewer resources and improving soil health, its integration into denim has been limited. Typically, total hemp content in denim does not exceed 20%, due to challenges in achieving the desired handfeel and aesthetic criteria demanded by consumers. This limitation can necessitate a challenging trade-off across performance, price, and environmental impact parameters. These factors have collectively contributed to the limited adoption of hemp as a mainstream fibre in denim.

To address these challenges, Fashion for Good has launched the “Beyond50 Denim: Combining Cottonised Hemp and Green Chemistry” project, bringing together brands BESTSELLER, C&A, Reformation, PDS Limited, and Target, innovators SEFF and FIBRE52™, and manufacturers Bossa (Turkey) and Nice Denim (Bangladesh).

“Our goal at Reformation is to help drive the kind of innovative solutions that have the potential to transform fashion. Beyond50 Denim is a chance to really put promising solutions like hemp and green chemistry to the test: to learn, validate, and hopefully help open the door for a more sustainable future for denim.” Carrie Freiman Parry, Senior Director of Sustainability at Reformation.

The project will validate the synergistic integration of two innovations: SEFF’s Nano-Pulse™ technology transforms raw hemp into refined, cotton-like fibres that are easier to spin and integrate into fabrics, while FIBRE52™’s unique chemistry solution can impart a softer handfeel to cellulosic fibre-based fabrics.

“Hemp’s limited adoption in denim production reveals how entrenched industry practices can systematically prevent transformative innovations from reaching their potential”, says Katrin Ley, Managing Director at Fashion for Good. “With Beyond50 Denim, we aim to demonstrate that overcoming these barriers requires more than isolated technological advances. By strategically combining breakthrough fibre technology with green chemistry, the project shows how different innovations can work together to tackle long-standing challenges in the denim industry.”

By combining these two innovative technologies, the project aims to validate how hemp content can exceed 20% and reach 50% and beyond in denim applications while maintaining performance parity with conventional cotton. Through this approach, the project seeks to demonstrate that hemp can meet or surpass the functional and aesthetic benchmarks established by cotton, while simultaneously offering a more sustainable alternative for the denim industry.

Learn more about the project at this link:

https://www.fashionforgood.com/case-study/beyond-50-cottonised-hemp/

¹ Research and Markets. (2024). Denim Jeans Market Outlook, 2029.