The Belgian men’s label Atelier Noterman has come up with a ‘Detox Denim’ collection. Its basic principles? Using 80% less water, cutting energy consumption by 80% and achieving a considerable reduction in the use of toxic substances.

For the creation of Detox Denim, Atelier Noterman could rely on the expertise of the Italian denim manufacturer ItalDenim, known for its unique and sustainable production process that drastically reduces the use of water. Atelier Noterman went a little further, also lessening their use of chemicals and pollutants.

A sore point in the traditional process of producing denim is the typical indigo color. To attain this, the yarn has to be treated with PVA, a highly toxic substance. To get rid of the substance again at the end of the process, the fabric needs to go through several hot rinses -- you need 300 liters of clean water per kg, to be precise. ItalDenim replaces PVA with Chitosan, a biodegradable alternative that is made from the exoskeleton of crustaceans. Chitosan is 100% natural and non-toxic, thus putting a stop to excessive water use, water pollution as well as energy consumption.

This is part of ItalDenim’s commitment to the Greenpeace Detox guidelines, which were created to ban chemicals from the fashion industry.