Last year, AEO surpassed its initial goal of reducing water use per pair of jeans by 38%, outperforming its original 30% target by one year. Now, AEO is intensifying its commitment to minimize water consumption and advance water recycling, with a particular focus on denim. The company aims to recycle 70% of the water used in its denim laundries by 2025 and achieve a 30% reduction in its overall water footprint by 2028, encompassing its own operations, strategic factories, and mills. In the previous year, AEO recycled 9 million gallons of water at its laundries, representing 64% of the total laundry water consumption. Furthermore, it has conserved 4 billion gallons of water by implementing improved production practices at denim factories since 2017.

Following the launch of the Levi’s x Emma Chamberlain 501 jeans in August. Levi’s recently introduced a six-piece collection that draws inspiration from the podcast host’s childhood in Northern California and her favorite thrift store finds. Describing the collection as “nostalgic, outdoor-inspired and timeless,” Chamberlain said, “All the pieces also sort of remind me of things that I would freak out over if I saw them at the thrift store. I wanted them to have classic silhouettes that you could wear for the next ten years and never get sick of.”

— Asmitha, 18, IL (Cassandra Collective)

In the ever-evolving textile industry, where innovation in fibers is a constant pursuit, cotton has remained the reigning champion in the denim realm. Despite the industry's tireless efforts to diversify, cotton's supremacy endures. Nevertheless, textile mill Panther Denim is gearing up for a battle against climate change, and it's expanding its arsenal of eco-friendly fibers with the introduction of kapok. Derived from the ceiba tree, which thrives in tropical and subtropical regions, kapok boasts a remarkable set of eco-credentials. It's fully renewable and recognized for its hypoallergenic properties, anti-microbial attributes, and resistance to dust mites. Although kapok's potential in the denim industry has been somewhat overlooked due to limited marketing and development, Panther Denim is now on a mission to elevate its profile.