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BANG FOR THE BITE
If 10,000 Biters make their next jeans purchase organic, we'll keep the weight of eight male walruses in pesticide-treated cotton out of production. But we'll all be broke.
COCKTAIL FACT
The most expensive jeans in the world come from Escada's couture line. Prices start at $7,500.
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home › tip library › Organic Jeans
Do organic-cotton jeans just have better DNA?
The Bite
YY, yes they do. Tons of designers are adapting their denim lines by bringing Earth-friendly fabrics into the mix. Check 'em out, and watch your wardrobe evolve.The Benefits
- Planet-friendlier pairs. Organic farms that compost, frequently rotate crops, and plant cover crops maintain healthy soil without synthetic fertilizers.
- Rivet-ing details. Our picks are high-quality (so they'll last longer), and the designers pay extreme attention to detail - gold-plated rivets, anyone?
- Businesses with green flare. Many brands have long-term sustainability goals; some will take back your old jeans for recycling and even give you a discount on your next pair.
Personally Speaking
We return the clothing samples we test, but let us tell you, Sara had a helluva time parting with those Del Fortes.Wanna Try?
- Del Forte Day and Night Denim Trouser - dark-wash, organic-cotton, low-rise jeans with wide ankles. Send them back to the company when they're threadbare for recycling, and get 10% off your next pair ($192).
- Sling & Stones - H-O-T. Fair-trade jeans with gold-plated hardware ($260-$350).
- Loomstate Mission Jean - men's loose-fit jeans; organic-cotton with a little bit of Elastane for stretch and durability ($174-$176).
- Certified Jeans - basic women's jeans in three color options ($74-$88).
- Levi's Eco Low Skinny 531 Jeans - skinny, low-rise fit in black or light blue; organic cotton with recycled buttons ($68).
- Rogan for Target Trouser Jeans - designer organic-cotton, dark-wash trouser jeans on the cheap ($40).
Jun 03,2008
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All editorial suggestions in this tip are the result of testing and a preference for the tip topic. No advertiser has paid to have its company referenced in the tip. For more information, please read our Editorial Policy.
Jean Expression
As a male, my Y chromosome largely dissuades me from spending money on clothes, but I've come to really dig nice jeans. I used to just buy cheap pairs, but they always ended up falling apart in a matter of months, forcing me to buy new ones - very annoying, and not very eco.
My intro to the world of swanky denim came courtesy of an ex who gifted me a fancy pair, and they've held up beautifully, especially considering I practically wear them every other day. (I do wash them from time to time, in case you're wondering.) So even though they might cost a little more up front, I'm still saving because I don't have to buy eight replacements, and anyone who says they don't care for the occasional "Your butt looks hot in those jeans" from the opposite sex is a liar of the highest order.
SF Editor Mike...off to drop his pencil...
Biter Comments...
Sorry--yet again the green offerings assume only the smaller half of the population care about the planet. I am 5'!0" and need at least a 34" inseam to wear flats. I wear a size 18 or 16W. The average woman, while well shorter than me, wears a size 14. Most of these barely get there, and those of us with hips, or over 25 want something that rises closer to ur waists. Listen up manufacturers: the larger half will buy it if you make it. We are starved for options in the regular stuff. We'd lap up well made, well designed green clothes!
spending $300 on a pair of jeans is not being green, it is being STUPID! the prices on all but that last "recommendation" were insane. save the planet by NOT spending a completely mind blowing amount of money on a PAIR OF PANTS. trust me, your butt can look just as good in cheap pants too and in the end, most of us are more impressed by those who can save a few (hundred) bucks and still look hot!
Dude, I have no idea what you are doing in your jeans- but I spent $40 (expensive, in my book) and have had my jeans for around 4 years- no holes, no worn spots. They have faded, so I am planning on giving them a face lift this weekend with a dye job. I saved around $200 by not going with your recommendations, and yes- my butt looks hot in my bargain jeans.
I am all for using less pesticides and being eco friendly but most of us can't afford $200 jeans. Also when your jeans have holes in them you can put them in your recycling just like you do with your plastics and what not. You don't have to throw them away. You can turn them into cleaning rags. Just get creative. I normally really like the ideal bites but this one is really ridiculous.
Oh! Look forward to hearing about the Chicago wood! Even tho’ expensive, while visiting my daughter there in July, it would be a fun excursion, in addition to her favorite resale shop!
And speaking of expensive….I’m all for eco-friendly jeans, but since I usually shop at a wonderful resale shop here in TX, the idea of paying $200+ for a pair of jeans just blows my mind!!!
Just saw on the news last night that Austin, TX (a mere 40 min drive south) is paving a hwy with “eco-friendly asphalt.” SOUNDS like a good idea, even if it DOES sound like one of the familiar oxymorons: jumbo shrimp. But……who knows???
Organic jeans are nice, and all, but lets remember that the biggest impact from jeans is the very eco-unfriendly dyes that are used to make them blue jeans in the first place. This almost always counteracts the "goodness" of organic fabrics.
How about keeping the jeans we already have instead of rushing out and buying new ones!
I really like my eco Levis. They were $60 - pretty average for a pair of jeans these days - and they fit and look great and have lasted through rough use of the past year.
To Kathyrn and other curvy petites, Levis does have some shorter hem sizes, but personally I just take em to the local tailor. $10 for a perfect fit.
My fav organic jeans were from H&M and were only $40.
I'm all For going to the thrift store!!! Ziggee I'm with you. That sounds a lot more earth friendly if you ask me. You're buying a pair of Jeans, or whatever for that matter, so the companies who sell jeans, don't have to sell more and no one has to worry about spending a Lexus car payment on a pair of Jeans. I would never in my life spend that much on jeans. I spend about $30-$40 on jeans, and I'm just now giving them away, to my daughter and neice, because I hit 30 and gained some weight, but they are still in perfect condition. Now it's time for ME to hit the thrift stores.
"Dude, I have no idea what you are doing in your jeans- but I spent $40 (expensive, in my book) and have had my jeans for around 4 years- no holes, no worn spots."
If your creative you turn the legs of the jeans into a fabric gift bag, the butt of the jeans can be made into a purse. If you can't use the butt of the jeans, then you can use the pockets to make lil purses and the rest of the jeans for patches on other jeans.
Personally, i would not spend a couple hundred dollars on jeans, but I think it is great that these clothing companies are making the effort to go green. The products are great for the high income population. However, if I were to buy any of these products I would stick with the Levi's line or new line offered at Target. Both were affordable compared to average clothing cost. Typically I shop at resale stores and swap clothes with friends and family. Clothes that other people are tired of are sometimes the best finds. I agree that it is more eco-friendly to wear out the jeans we have than to go out spend alot of money on new ones. When your clothes do get rugged, just go shopping in a friends closet.
Okay, as others have said before me, I can't wear those low slung abominations, so again, I wait for the high waist or natural waist version...As for paying ludicrous amounts for something that is basically not good for your physical frame in the first place is a crazy idea to me. All clothing materials should be organic in my minds eye. However cotton always brings up visions of 1000's of African American slaves bent over picking cotton, which by the way has given into thousands of Mexicans picking cotton. Why not promote something that is sustainable , ecofriendly, healthy for the environment and your purse? HEMP clothing is the answer ... not cotton, folks! It'snot a dirty word, ya know. Only in the US is it banned. And I might add only since the 40's! Hemp has been around for millenia. It will last over 100's of years. So replacing is not needed, unless of course your size changes, like mine has done countless times! And it's not expensive! Around $40 to $60 a pair. What do you say ol Green biters?
ideal bite, i love u. even though yes, i have to agree with most of the responses, i am a starving artist and too broke for the $200 eco-friendly jeans. the thought is nice tho. but what i really want to know is why you would encourage people to purchase jeans from sweatshop abusers like tar-get and levi strauss? are we not all in agreement that the so called "thrifty" prices of these eco-friendly jeans does not outweigh the human rights abuses going on in garment factories that create these goods all over the world? in my book, just because the jeans are organic, doesn't make it ok to exploit people. nuff said. i still love yous guys.
My dh just came home with a bag of jeans from one of his co-workers. Depending on the condition of them I might make gift bags out of them. If they are in really good shape I will donate them so others can wear them.
ZIg
I'm glad others thought the $200 and $300 price tags for the organic products were insane. How about re-use? You can either swap with a friend or buy at a consignment store. Still better than new production. $200 for jeans...what's the world coming to.
gift bags out of old jeans? that is very creative. i love it but i wouldn't know how to do it.
I cut the legs off the jeans, fold the left over legs in half and have two bags to make. Then I take the hem out at the bottom, turn it inside out and sew, then (while the material is still inside out) I fold some of the fabric toward me, and sew. I do this so I can add a ribbon or string to make a draw stringbag.
Zig
I hope I explained that well.
HOW IS THIS GREEN?
You have an excellent point. I have tried to economize by buying "cheap" jeans and have found that I just have to buy them at least twice as often as good quality jeans. The same holds true with other types of clothing, as well. Find a hip, upscale consignment shop and you will never have to worry about choosing between a high price tag and good quality. A good consignment shop will offer gently-worn name brand clothing at low prices which allows you to save money and be very eco-friendly while helping a variety of different people: yourself, the consignment shop owner(s) and the person who placed the items on consignment.
I have to agree with the last posting on How is this Green?
The best way to solve the problem is find an upscale, hip consignment shop that sells True Religion, 7 for All Mankind, Joe's Jeans or any top denim designer brand, then buy it from there.
It should be cheaper, it's eco-friendly, and you don't end up paying way too much for a good pair of jeans.
the water bucket in shower tip was great, gonna start doing it when winter comes ´cuz my water takes a long time to heat, then I can put the water down for the pets, all done, saves time for me, wish I had that water saved after 3 days with no water after saying Hello to Dolly
PHOTO ALBUMS
Posted by: ziggee | June 03, 2008 at 05:00 AM