Denim Recycling

Abstract

The magic of denim jeans has overpowered the global right from the day it was invented. History has seen its development through many ages and periods. Sustainability and recycling is the buzz word today, and all stake holders in the apparel supply chain right from manufacturers to consumers are working toward this cause. This focus has called for research and development all over the world to undertake many issues related to denim recycling to make the best use of used materials for new product development. Many retailers take immense efforts to showcase their involvement in the closed-loop recycling initiative by encouraging consumers to bring back old used garments for new ones and converting these garments for the manufacture of raw materials or intermediate substances. Manufacturing compostable jeans without the use of nylon threads and rivets shows the change in the manufacturing process, and new technologies are in the pipeline to recycle fibers from denim with unchanged quality. The governmental support has also been extended by means of many programs on solid waste management, reduction of load to landfill by reuse and recycling and laws and regulations for environmental protection. This chapter deals with the importance of denim and its impact on society, manufacturing and landfill issues, the technologies involved in the reuse and recycling of denim, the appraisal of work done by many organizations around the globe to recycle denim for regenerated textiles and reclaimed products along with the roadmap for denim recycling in terms of sustainability. Denim, one of the most widely used material in the world, has significant impact on environment in manufacturing and waste management stage. Denim recycling has opened vast opportunities for savings in the use of raw materials, energy and water consumption, chemicals and auxiliaries and waste water treatment. Reprocessed fibers from denim waste have the coloration from the raw material used, and hence, dyeing and finishing processes can be eliminated to a great extent. Many leading retailers like H & M, Adidas and Nike showcase and market their products with the percentage of recycled material in the product profile; their statistical reports reveal the quantity of clothes they have collected from their shoppers and the amount they contribute to international charity from their proceeds. Raising the awareness of the consumer’s contribution toward sustainability and environment safety has paved the increase in recycling of not only denim but also many other materials that are used today. The focus should move toward manufacturing products without waste, and if waste occurs, it should be recycled to lead to a zero waste economy.