The Lowdown on the Sustainable Denim Brands That Are Literally Saving Water

AG's approach to sustainable denim? Go big or go home. To offset the water usage for pieces like this AG Adriano Goldschmied Giselle Dress ($218), the brand implemented two state-of-the-art water filtration systems — one for each of its factories in Los Angeles and Mexico — which have recycled over 20 million gallons of water to date. Its primary goal is to recycle 50 million gallons a year — the equivalent of 75 Olympic-size swimming pools (!).

Not only are these Carve Designs Maui Shorts ($68) just the spring bottoms you were looking for, but they're also made with organic cotton, which uses significantly less water and energy to produce than conventionally grown cotton.

You'll look and feel amazing in this Citizens of Humanity Liu Jumpsuit ($398) knowing that the Los Angeles-based label does its part to help California avoid another disastrous drought, including developing its own ozone-layer process and using high-efficiency machines to reduce water and power.

These D'Iyanu Haraka Jeans ($65) are just one example of Pennsylvania-based designer Addie Elabor's creative use of African-inspired prints. Compared to the industry standard of using 1,800 gallons of water for one pair, D'Iyanu uses about 1,120 gallons for every 400 pieces.

Not only do these DL1961 Bridget Boot Jeans ($179) have a superb fit, but less than 10 gallons of water was used to make them. That's a win-win for us.

It's worth noting that these Ética Devon Wide Leg Crop Jeans ($158) are made using E-flow technology, which essentially converts water into vapor, translating to significantly less being used. It doesn't stop there, though — after saving thousands of gallons of water, Ética then recycles the water it does use for local farmland. Plus, every purchase made plants one tree.

As if the foiled detail on this Venim Denim Jacket ($390) wasn't enough to get psyched about, the made-in-Cali label creates all (yes, all) of its jackets from deadstock fabrics, meaning it skips the entire fiber-growing process. Bonus: each one is unisex.

Take a minute to admire the detail of these covetable Frame Mosaic Pleated Jeans ($278), then let the fact that Frame's lasering techniques help reduce water usage and eliminate chemical waste wash over you.

We're big fans of this progressive new brand that utilizes organic cotton for its designs and repurposes fabric scraps to create its labels. These Ser.O.Ya Maggie Jeans ($260) just may be the new cool-girl style.

In addition to saving water, the Kut From the Kloth Mia High Rise Fab Ab Slim Fit Skinny ($89) is made using E-flow technology that increases washing capacity by 200 percent — meaning Kut From the Kloth gets to expedite its denim production just for you while using fewer resources.

When creating its signature denim, such as these Lee Vintage Modern Stretch Union-Alls ($138), the all-American brand addresses sustainability and water preservation at every point of the production cycle, from fibers to finishing. As recently as 2019, Lee celebrated saving one billion liters of water (and counting).

These Still Here Recycled Stripe Tate Jeans ($280) require virtually no water to create, aside from a quick rinse. Additionally, Still Here uses postconsumer waste to create the unique stripe detail on the back legs.

As the OG cult-favorite denim, it's only right that Levi's is stepping up to meet environmental needs. This Levi's Adjustable Trucker Jacket ($198) is part of its sustainable WellThread collection made from cottonized hemp. Compared to cotton, it not only saves resources but requires fewer chemicals and leaves behind healthier soils, too.

Behold, Gap's Gen Good True Skinny Jeans ($49), aka your new favorite skinnies — and one of the most sustainably produced. For its part, Gap has saved 402 million liters of water since 2016, and 91 percent of its denim is made via its water-saving Washwell program. With this pair, which is part of the Generation Good capsule, the company commits even further to less waste and lower emissions — each style is either made using at least 50 percent recycled materials or organic cotton.

Earth-toned denim courtesy of Warp + Weft's NCE Wide Leg Jeans ($98)? Yes, please. The eco-minded company uses less than 10 gallons of water to make each pair and reduces its carbon footprint by using solar panels to help power operations in its factories. Talk about leading by example.