Producing jeans presents fashion brands with several huge challenges – both in terms of environmental footprint (think of the enormous amounts of energy and water that are traditionally involved in the process of making denim) and in terms of working conditions (after all, dyeing and crease-prevention usually require harmful chemicals). Belgian brand HNST was quick to realise that there’s a lot of room for improvement there, and it promptly took up the task of producing the most sustainable jeans in the world.

To make this happen, HNST relies on recycled denim, among other things. The fabric it developed together with the European Spinning Group (a Belgian, family-owned textile group) even earned them a Henry van de Velde Gold Award. Their innovative ‘ESG Green yarn’ consists of 50% discarded jeans and 50% Tencel®. Impressed? You’d better be, because 50% recycled denim is the highest percentage currently feasible. In 2019, HNST is the only brand that lives up to this standard.

Moreover, HNST garments don’t travel too far (unless their globetrotter customers put them on to go and see the world), because the entire production process takes place in the EU. Want to know who made your clothes? Then this Belgian brand is right up your street: HNST knows exactly where all the materials come from and keeps a close watch on every step of the production chain. Transparency: check.

The sustainability story of an HNST item continues to be written after its arrival in the stores, because the brand offers a maintenance and repair service that enables customers to enjoy their jeans for as long as possible. How about their ‘Morning After Spray’, for instance, which contains probiotics that will clean any jeans without washing? If customers do fall out of love with their HNST pants, jackets or overalls, they will be pleased to hear that all items are biodegradable thanks to their smart design.