Denim-Washing Industry Sustainability Efforts Stall on Chemical Impact Issues

Takeaways

• The denim-washing industry is improving overall sustainability, with 66% of textile finishing processes now classified as low impact.
• Energy efficiency shows strong progress, but chemical impact remains the sector’s biggest environmental and health challenge.
• Traditional techniques like pumice stones and potassium permanganate continue to slow down meaningful transformation.

The denim-washing industry is making steady progress on sustainability, but new findings show that chemical usage continues to weigh heavily on its environmental performance. According to the 2025 report by the Environmental Impact Measurement (EIM) platform, published on June 5 to coincide with World Environment Day, the sector is improving in several areas, but not evenly.

The study reviewed 100,280 textile finishing processes from 359 manufacturers during 2025. It found that 66% of these processes are now classified as low impact, reflecting gradual improvements in production systems. Medium-impact processes account for 30%, while high-impact operations have dropped to just 4%. The report links this shift to better technologies and more optimized production formulas being used across factories.

Among all sustainability indicators, energy efficiency stands out as the strongest performer. Around 85% of processes are now considered low impact in terms of energy use, and average consumption has dropped by nearly 7%, reaching 1.09 kilowatt-hours per garment. The report also highlights a positive spillover effect on worker health, with 68% of operations showing low health-related impact.

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However, not all categories show the same momentum. Water management in the textile finishing processes appears to be slowing after years of gradual improvement. While 69% of processes are rated low impact for water use, average consumption remains steady at around 30 litres per garment. The EIM report notes that further gains will likely depend on advanced recycling and treatment systems, which require significant upgrades to existing infrastructure in the sustainability in textiles value chain.

Despite these improvements, the chemical impact of the denim-washing industry remains the most difficult challenge. Only 28% of processes are considered low impact in this category, while 46% fall into the medium range, and 27% are still high impact. The continued use of commodity chemicals and poorly characterized formulations is a major factor behind these results, according to the Environmental Impact Measurement (EIM) report.

Legacy practices continue to slow progress. The use of pumice stones, though slightly reduced, still appears in 14% of operations and automatically triggers the highest chemical-impact scores. Similarly, potassium permanganate sprays are used in 15% of processes and are linked to negative outcomes for both environmental and worker health indicators.

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The report concludes that while the denim-washing industry has made meaningful progress in energy efficiency, garments, and broader production optimization, the next phase of sustainability will depend on the full phase-out of outdated and chemically intensive techniques. Without this shift, the chemical impact of textile finishing processes is likely to remain the sector’s most persistent barrier to sustainable transformation.

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Source: FASHION NETWORK