Spinnova unveils sustainable denim at Kingpins trade show

Sustainable textile material company Spinnova presented the first blended denim fabrics made with SPINNOVA® fibre. Using Spinnova’s unique technology, the SPINNOVA® fibre for the denim is produced without harmful chemicals and its CO2 emissions and water consumption are significantly lower compared to conventional cotton production* – presenting a less resource-intensive way of making jeans without compromising the sturdy feel and aesthetics of denim.

With a global market of 3.1 billion pairs in 2022, denim jeans could easily be considered a wardrobe staple. Despite this, there has been limited innovation to address the many sustainability challenges of denim production, such as water and resource intensity, heavy chemical use and dyeing, as well as limited recyclability when blended with materials such as polyester and elastane.

Sustainable textile material company Spinnova has today presented the first blended denim fabrics made with wood-based SPINNOVA® fibre at the annual Kingpins denim trade show in Amsterdam. The pilot products showcase Spinnova’s technology’s potential to improve the sustainability of denim on multiple fronts. When SPINNOVA® fibre is produced from certified eucalyptus pulp, it has various environmental benefits such as 99% less water consumption and 74% fewer CO2 emissions compared to conventional cotton*. The fibre spinning process uses zero harmful chemicals and thanks to the unique mechanical process, the fibre has a natural hand-feel. Finally, the raw material used to make SPINNOVA® fibre can be traced back to its origin.

The denim industry doesn’t compromise on quality, which has been a challenge for denim manufacturers exploring new materials in the past. While most man-made fibres lack the quintessential, sturdy feel of cotton-based denim, early tests have shown that denim produced with a blend of SPINNOVA® and cotton maintains those qualities and meets the aesthetic requirements of denim.

“We see a huge opportunity in changing the way that raw materials are sourced and treated for a product as iconic and timeless as denim. It’s exciting to see that we can already address many of the existing sustainability challenges with Spinnova’s technology, while upholding the quality associated with a good pair of jeans. Spinnova works together with partners in the denim segment to optimize the share of SPINNOVA® in the fabric for the best use of the qualities of the fibre,” says Spinnova’s Chief Sustainability Officer Shahriare Mahmood.

“We've had considerable interest from brands and look forward to expanding cooperation with denim mills and brand partners to launch our first commercial denim products together,” continues Allan Andersen, Chief Sales Officer at Spinnova.

Spinnova is expecting to see the first fabrics and consumer products made with SPINNOVA® fibre enter the market within the next 12 months. The first denim pilot products are showcased at Kingpins show in Amsterdam on October 18-19, 2023.

*Product carbon footprint study is conducted by a third-party expert following the ISO 14067:2018 standard. The footprint calculation includes CO2-e emissions associated with raw material supply, transportation of raw materials, and manufacturing of the product (cradle-to-gate). Furthermore, Ecoinvent database is used as the source for global average emissions of conventional cotton. Water consumption is calculated by a lifecycle impact comparison, conducted for Spinnova by a third-party expert.