The journey of recycled jeans

Recycled denim is the key ingredient in circular jeans. With textile waste piling up around the world, finding better ways to reuse materials is more important than ever. In this discussion, we’ll dive into the issues with our current economic models, look at the pros and cons of today’s recycling systems, and check out some cool solutions from Candiani that support a circular economy. Let’s take a closer look at recycled jeans!

The problem with the linear economic model

Did you know that, according to the UN Environment Programme, around 92 million tons of textile waste get tossed out every year? The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) data are even more alarming, reporting that 120 million metric tons of clothing waste were produced in 2024. However, the European Environment Agency says that only about 1% of used textiles are recycled into new fibers, which is really low!

The problem is that our current way of producing and consuming things is linear: we take raw materials, make products, use them for a bit, and then throw them away. This model relies on cheap materials and high energy use, and it encourages companies to plan for obsolescence. It ends up pushing us to buy new stuff all the time, which creates significant environmental and social issues.

On the flip side, the circular economy is all about making the most of materials and cutting down on waste. It focuses on designing products that last longer and promotes ideas like sharing, leasing, reusing, repairing, refurbishing, upcycling, and recycling. If we adopted more effective circular models, as the European Parliament suggests, we could use fewer natural resources, protect our environment, reduce supply chain risks, and even create new jobs—all while saving consumers money!

Why is recycling important in the denim and textile industries?

According to Greenpeace, about 2 billion pairs of jeans are made every year, which results in a lot of waste. This includes leftover fibers, fabric scraps, damaged pieces, and jeans that end up getting thrown away. A 2015 study found that we generate around 2.16 million metric tons of denim waste each year.

Cotton is the main ingredient in jeans, and Wired says that we use about 1.4 million metric tons of raw cotton annually to make them. Textile Exchange also points out that cotton made up about 19% of the fiber market in 2024, with roughly 24.5 million tons produced worldwide. However, only 0.3 million tons of recycled cotton were produced in 2024, which shows that recycled cotton is only about 1% of the total.

That’s why it’s super important to improve both the denim recycling process and broader textile recycling programs. We’re wasting too many valuable resources that could be reused. According to BCG, the annual value of textile waste is estimated at $150 billion worth of raw materials—resources that are just going to waste. If we could recover just a quarter of that, it could pay for the material needs of the world’s 30 largest fashion companies.

Breaking down and rebuilding denim fibers

When it comes to recycling textiles, there are two main methods: mechanical and chemical. Mechanical recycling works best for fabrics made from a single type of fiber, and involves breaking them down into smaller pieces after removing zippers and buttons. The downside is that these fibers usually become shorter and weaker, so businesses often mix them with stronger virgin materials to keep the final product durable.

Chemical recycling, on the other hand, can fully break down fabrics into their basic molecules, allowing for the creation of new yarns without losing quality. However, this method can only be used for synthetic materials, not natural fibers like cotton. Additionally, mechanical recycling is cheaper and more established, while chemical recycling has the potential for higher quality but is still developing, and handling the chemicals in this process needs to be approached with care.

Mechanical recycling is still the go-to method in the denim and textile industries, and recycling 100% cotton jeans is definitely easier than dealing with synthetic fabrics. However, even though textile recycling has a lot of potential, there are still some hurdles that keep it from really taking off.

For starters, recycled fibers usually cost more than brand-new raw materials because production methods are better suited to the new stuff. Plus, there are worries about the quality and availability of recycled fibers. Then, our current systems just can’t keep up with all the textile waste that’s piling up, and the way we sort clothes right now is mostly set up for resale and relies on manual labor. That makes it tricky to sort through products or get rid of contaminants efficiently. On top of that, many consumers aren’t sure how to properly dispose of their clothes, which doesn’t help. Finally, let’s not forget that a lot of fabrics are blends of natural and synthetic fibers, which most recycling systems can’t process effectively.

Learn more about Candiani’s recycled denim and how to get it

Recycling has always been a key part of our approach, alongside reducing and reusing, even before sustainability became a buzzword—it was mostly about being efficient. Recently, we’ve stepped up our game with textile reuse, collaborating with trusted partners who specialize in textile recycling to create the recycled yarns we use in our fabrics.

In 2019, we kicked off our ReGen line, which showcases a cool recycled fabric made from post-industrial cotton waste and TENCEL™ x REFIBRA™—a mix of leftover materials like cotton and wood. Then, our ReLast collection brought in a unique pre-consumer recycled elastomer sourced from the byproducts of elastane manufacturing and certified by the Global Recycled Standard.

Currently, we are strengthening the use of mechanically post-industrial and post-consumer recycled (PCR) cotton. Our PCR program combines recycled fibers from old, worn-out jeans with our proprietary Blue Seed cotton, ensuring our recycled denim is high-quality and traceable. Plus, in 2026, we want to take our fiber management to the next level. That’s why we’re boosting the use of post-industrial recycled cotton from the unavoidable waste generated during denim and jeans production. In fact, full-width fabrics in our new Primo Jean line include 40% post-industrial recycled cotton, giving you jeans that are not just stylish and comfy but also circular.