Jeans are a wardrobe staple. They’re stylish, durable, and comfortable. But… I’m assuming you’re here because you’ve discovered how toxic jeans actually are. Maybe you’ve heard about all of the harmful chemicals and dyes used in jeans production, or seen those videos of indigo sludge being discharged into waterways.

Or, perhaps you’re also concerned about the health impacts of the toxic chemicals (dyes, phthalates, heavy metals, solvents) in your jeans. You’ll be relieved to learn there are many sustainable, non-toxic jeans brands providing healthier alternatives to conventional denim. You don’t have to wrap your nether regions in hazardous fabric any longer.

1. MUD Jeans: Best Overall
2. Nudie Jeans: Best for Organic Selvedge Denim
3. Boyish Jeans: Best for Wide Leg Women’s Jeans
4. Reformation Jeans: Best for High-End Women’s Jeans
5. Unspun Jeans: Best for Made to Order Jeans
6. Triarchy Jeans: Best for Sustainable Stretch Denim
7. Outerknown: Best for Casual Jeans
8. ARMEDANGELS: Best for Ethical Alt-Fashion Jeans

Brace yourself… this list of chemicals used in traditional jeans production may shock you. It shocked me when I first learned how denim is made. There’s no need to go stripping off your jeans right away. But you may want to consider opting for more sustainably produced jeans in future.

⚠️ Synthetic Indigo Dyes

Traditional indigo dye, often used to give denim its iconic blue color, is synthesized from petrochemicals. The dyeing process requires significant chemical usage and can lead to harmful wastewater discharge, often containing heavy metals like lead, chromium, and cadmium.

⚠️ Sulfur Dyes

Sulfur dyes are frequently used to achieve different shades of denim. These dyes can release toxic sulfur compounds into the environment, which are harmful if not treated properly.

⚠️ Formaldehyde

Used in the finishing process to give denim a wrinkle-free appearance, formaldehyde is a carcinogen that can cause respiratory problems and skin irritation.

⚠️ Potassium Permanganate

This chemical is used in denim finishing to create a worn, faded look. Potassium permanganate is corrosive and can damage aquatic life if released untreated into water sources.

⚠️ Chlorine and Bleaching Agents

Chlorine-based bleaches are often used to lighten denim, but they produce harmful byproducts, including dioxins, which are highly toxic and can cause environmental damage.

⚠️ Pesticides and Fertilizers

Cotton, the primary material in denim, is one of the most pesticide-intensive crops. These pesticides can contaminate soil and water, posing risks to ecosystems and human health.

⚠️ Heavy Metals

In some cases, denim may contain traces of heavy metals such as mercury or lead, used in dyeing or finishing processes. These can accumulate in the environment and are harmful to human health.

You’ll be relieved to know it’s possible to get jeans that are made from 100% organic cotton and free from harmful chemicals. The sustainable jeans brands we’ve researched go far beyond the bare minimum of environmental and social responsibility. They’re all bringing the fight to fast-fashion and proving there are better ways of doing things.

We invested a lot of time researching brands to create this list. While any “best of” list is subjective, all of these ethical denim brands had to meet certain criteria, including:

The 8 Most Sustainable Jeans Brands On The Planet

We set the standard so high that we’re currently only recommending 8 sustainable jeans brands. These brands are upholding the highest environmental and social standards and are leading the charge when it comes to transforming the jeans industry. High five to these brands! If you think we’ve missed anyone, please get in touch and let us know. We’re always willing to consider new additions.

MUD Jeans is a sustainable clothing brand with a focus on ethical jeans and denim products. Founded in the Netherlands, as a lot of forward-thinking brands seem to be, MUD Jeans have built a reputation for high-quality jeans that are better for the planet (and for your health!).

The company uses Organic Cotton Standard-certified cotton, recycled denim (up to 40%), hemp, TENCEL™ Lyocell, and a small amount of recycled elastane (up to 3%) in their jeans. They are transparent about the factories they use, claim to pay fair wages, and have been audited by the Fair Wear Foundation. The main factory that dyes MUD Jeans has stringent sustainability and water-saving measures in place. The dyeing process uses no harmful chemicals and the water is purified and cleaned before being released.

MUD Jeans has created a circular system for their products, including repair, upcycling and recycling programs. They even let customers lease jeans to encourage reuse or recycling. The company has also significantly reduced its carbon emissions in recent years (by more than 40%) and offsets their remaining footprint.

Beyond the impressive sustainability standards, MUD Jeans are also high-quality, stylish and available in a wide range of cuts for men and women. When it comes to ethical jeans, you won’t find much better than MUD Jeans.

MUD Jeans Reviews

“Have them in three different colours, as they are really nice to wear. I wear them all day everyday. Had an issue once, but that was fixed immediately by the fantastic customer service. I order them 1/2 sizes smaller than my normal width as they are stretch that is fine.” — Regular Dunn Stretch – Stone Black

“Very comfortable and a great fit. I’m really glad that they’ll go on to jeans reincarnation once I’ve worn them out. I will buy again.” — Regular Swan – Authentic Indigo – RCY

Denim might be notorious for its environmental impact, but Nudie Jeans, hailing from Sweden, flips the script with their planet-friendly approach. A whopping 95% of their materials are sustainably sourced (mostly GOTS-certified organic cotton) with ambitions to hit that 100% mark soon.

Their 112-page Sustainability Report delves into every nook and cranny of the business and the company is completely transparent about its factories and supply chain.

Not only are their jeans premium quality, but they also come with a lifelong commitment: Free repairs forever. Plus, their “take back” scheme lets you trade in old jeans for recycling and score a discount on your next purchase.

Nudie Jeans offers dry/raw denim, selvage denim Collaborating with Advanced Clothing Solutions (ACS), Nudie Jeans is committed to creating a truly circular fashion system.

To top it all off, the brand is legitimately badass. They have their edgy vibe down pat, the jeans are stylish and well made, and while they are 100% committed to sustainability they don’t flaunt it everywhere on their homepage. Nudie Jeans is a high fashion jeans brand that also gives a damn about the environment.

Nudie Jeans Reviews

“Lovely jeans, plain and simple. The denim quality is very good and very comfortable to wear. Beautiful texture and patina in the denim fabric. The craftsmanship of these jeans is properly done with solid stitching down to every last detail.” — Gritty Jackson Day Dreamer

“These jeans may have changed my life! A bit of an exaggeration, but at over 40yrs old I have never found a pair of jeans that fit so well until now. Incredibly comfortable for my body shape without me losing any shape anywhere in the fit. May need to alter the length slightly but with free alterations that is no problem at all. I am looking forward to buying more in different styles and colours. It looks like I am a jeans person now.” — Breezy Britt Simply Blue 

Boyish Jeans are sustainable jeans made for “boyish” women. They say they use “men’s fabrics and fits tailored for a women’s body” to achieve that “tomboy” look. Boyish is based in Los Angeles and has that effortless, cool California style.

The brand has a strong commitment to sustainability and ethical fashion. They use organic cotton and recycled denim, natural plant-based dyes, and work to reduce water and energy consumption. They work with Candiani Denim in Italy, recognized as one of the world’s finest and most sustainable denim producers.

Boyish Jeans has a supplier Code of Conduct, which upholds labour rights, fair wages, and sustainability standards.

In terms of style, they tend towards more high-rise, wide-leg and loose fit cuts, but I’m sure this will change in line with current trends. They don’t provide customer reviews on the site, but based on third-party reviews, people like the quality, comfort and sustainability of Boyish jeans. There have been some issues with sizing so make sure to check your measurements before investing in a pair of these jeans, because they ain’t cheap.

Los Angeles-based Reformation is a big player in the sustainable women’s fashion world. It took me the best part of a morning to wade through their latest Sustainability Report and, it’s safe to say, they’re not mucking around when it comes to ethical fashion.

Reformation makes a lot more than women’s jeans, but their jeans are right up there with the best of them. Most of their jeans are made from a blend of regenerative cotton and TENCEL™ Lyocell, a semi-synthetic fabric made from wood pulp. They have a strong focus on “clean chemistry” which means using non-toxic dyes and chemicals in the production of their jeans. They have several ways of verifying and testing this, including their partnership with bluesign® and OEKO-TEX 100 certification. In 2023, Reformation reported using 97% recycled, regenerative or renewable fabrics. That would be impressive for a jeans brand, but it’s incredible for a clothing brand that also produces shoes, bags, sweaters, and wedding dresses. They also use less water and energy than “traditional” jeans and the brand’s on its way to being Climate Positive and 100% Circular.

Reformation has a wide range of jeans styles, including high-rise, mid-rise, wide leg, straight leg and relaxed. There are no customer reviews on the website, but from trawling the depths of Reddit, I can tell you people mostly love Reformation. Aside from a few fit issues with their jeans, they have a solid reputation.

Unspun is reimagining the future of fashion. They’ve created a new way of manufacturing jeans known as Vega™, 3D weaving technology that allows them to produce garments on demand. You can think of it as 3D printing for apparel. Alas, Vega™ is not used in the production of jeans (yet), but it gives you an idea of Unspun’s vision for the fashion industry.

Unspun has men’s and women’s (masculine and feminine) jeans in several different styles. While they aren’t 3D-weaved, they are made-to-order and come with a 100% fit guarantee. You simply choose your style, fill out a fit survey, scan your body with your phone, and Unspun customizes your jeans just for you. This approach means Unspun doesn’t carry any inventory, they have fewer returns, and less waste.

Most of Unspun’s jeans are made from 97%-100% certified organic cotton and a Life Cycle Impact Assessment found they have 42% lower carbon emissions than the benchmark. The denim is made using circular design principles, which means the components, such as buttons and brass zips, are designed to be reused.

I’m a huge fan of Unspun. Rather than trying to make the broken fashion system less broken, they’re reinventing the system to be more sustainable from the outset.

Unspun Jeans Review

“I don’t know the magic behind this, but I get perfect fit in jeans every single time and I’ve bought four pairs. It just never ceases to amaze me and the quality of the [jeans] are perfect. I will only ever buy from Unspun.” — Straight Fit Jeans in Organic Mid Vintage

Triarchy is a family-owned (two brothers and a sister) sustainable denim brand based in Los Angeles. They started the business to transform the denim industry one pair of jeans at a time. Triarchy is committed to moving the fashion industry forward, not simply working within the current paradigm.

They created the world’s first plastic-free stretch denim, made from regenerative cotton and natural rubber, rather than elastane or spandex. They use a blend of organic (or regenerative) cotton, recycled cotton, Tencel, and natural rubber in all of their denim products. Triarchy jeans are dyed using reduced sulfur indigo to create authentic colors without the use of toxic chemicals. They have a supplier Code of Conduct, pay average wages over the minimum wage, and have their facilities vetted by third-party audits.

We love that each pair of jeans comes with a Product Passport, which provides complete transparency of materials used, workplace conditions, and environmental impact. This is the level of transparency and accountability we like to see.

Triarchy has a wide range of women’s jeans (44 styles at the time of writing), including mid- and high-rise cuts in wide leg, baggy, straight and skinny fits. They don’t have reviews on the website and there are very few reviews online, although the ones we could find praised the quality of Triarchy jeans. We also hear men’s jeans may be on the horizon?

Outerknown is an ethical clothing brand co-founded by professional surfer Kelly Slater. The brand produces a wide range of apparel, but their sustainable jeans get two thumbs up from us. The fact that they make organic men’s jeans is a big plus.

Outerknown jeans are made using 99-100% organic or regenerative cotton with a little bit of recycled spandex in their stretch denim. They only work with bluesign® approved factories and chemicals and have a Restricted Chemical List that prohibits the use of substances that pose a risk to people and the environment.

Outerknown jeans are less high fashion and more cool, calm, and comfortable. The men’s and women’s jeans come in a range of styles, including skinny, slim, straight, relaxed and wide leg. Customers rave about Outerknown jeans, but some people report issues with fit and sizing, which is par for the course with denim brands. Just make sure you read the size guide closely.

Outerknown Jeans Reviews

“These jeans are love at first sight. The material is exactly as I’d hoped – soft, breathable cotton with a vintage feel. The cut is flattering and comfortable. Thanks for making my new favorite jeans!” — The Strand Straight Jean, women’s

“What I thought about these jeans is clearly expressed by the fact that after wearing them for a couple of days I turned right around and ordered another pair.” — The Cove Slim Jean, men’s

ARMEDANGELS is a Germany-based sustainable clothing brand that’s deeply invested in making the world a better place. You only have to skim their latest Action Report to see how devoted they are to their mission.

Their men’s and women’s sustainable jeans are made from certified organic and recycled cotton. They’ve coined the term DetoxDenim, which refers to the non-toxic methods they use in their jeans production. ARMEDANGELS only uses toxicologically tested GOTS-approved chemicals in their jeans. They also use less water and have lower emissions than jeans produced using conventional methods.

In 2023, they created their first DetoxDenim made from 100% recycled materials, which reduces the resources required for growing and processing new cotton — a seriously epic achievement.

ARMEDANGELS has a wide range of men’s and women’s jeans styles and they also have a second hand store where you can send your old clothes in and get a discount on your next purchase.

We’re seriously impressed by ARMEDANGELS. They’re going above and beyond to make sustainable jeans and they’re not sacrificing style points in the process.

ARMEDANGELS Jeans Reviews

“I’ve been a big fan of the Lejaani model for years. The pants fit great and are of good quality. The only downside: I own the pants in 3 different widths. The length always fits perfectly, unfortunately you can’t rely on the size when it comes to the width. This results in unnecessary returns.” — Lejaani Jeans Straight Leg High Waist, women’s

“I have made it a bit too big and therefore have to wear it with a belt, but it is very comfortable and looks great. The quality is almost perfect anyway – typical for Armedangels.” — Aarjo Tarpa Jeans Tapered Leg Mid Waist, men’s

It fills me with optimism to see so many great sustainable jeans brands changing the fashion industry. They are showing what’s possible when profit isn’t the only driver in business. If you’re wanting to make the switch to sustainable jeans, you don’t have to do it all at once. Start with one pair (I started with a pair of Nudie Jeans) and go from there. Wait for sales. You can start making change with small, gradual purchase decisions. I’m sure you will feel better (both on the inside and outside) wearing organic cotton jeans from world-changing brands.