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Sustainability Report
2018
Table of contents
What is going on? 4
Our story 5
Why this report - word by Eva Engelen 6
Mission 8
Vision 9
MUD Method 10
Some facts about us 14
Our sustainability journey 18
A hell of a lot of impact 20
MUD Jeans, a B Corp 26
Sustainable Development Goals 28
Stakeholders 30
On growth 35
Sustainability strategy 36
Circular Economy 37
Circular Product 39
Circular Production 41
Circular Consumption 48
Fair Factories 53
Recycle tour 54
Production Tour 56
Fair wages 58
Working environment 60
Equality 62
Positive Activism 65
Inspire 66
Research & educate 68
Collaborate 70
The future is circular 72
Appendix 74
2
What is going on?
Thanks to fast fashion’s linear model of take, make and waste,
the fashion industry has earned itself a place among the most
Our Story
p o l l u t i n g i n d u s t r i e s w o r l d w i d e . A n d t o m a k e i t ev e n w o r s e , M U D Je a ns w a s f o unde d i n 2 0 1 2 a nd o r i g i na t e s
n e a r l y t h re e - f i f t h s o f a l l c l o t h i n g e n d s u p i n i n c i n e ra t o r s o r from the belief that there should be an
1
l a n d f i l l s w i t h i n a y e a r o f b e i n g p ro d u c e d . B u t d o n’ t w o r r y, a l t e r na t i v e t o f a s t f a s hi o n. Te a m M U D w i s he s t o
t h ere’s an alterna tive: the Circ ular Ec on om y. ra d i c a l l y c h a n g e t h e f a s h i o n i n d u s t r y, s t a r t i n g
with the most popular clothing item, a pair of
j e a ns .
I n 2 0 1 3 M U D J e a n s i n t ro d u c e d ‘ L e a s e A J e a n s ’ ,
a n i n n ov a t i v e w a y o f g u i l t - f re e c o n s u m p t i o n ,
a l l ow i n g c o n s u m e r s t o s h o p c o n s c i o u s l y, d o
go o d f o r t he e nv i ro nm e nt a nd l o o k f a s hi o na bl e .
T h e re f o re , t h e c o m p a n y w o n s ev e ra l a w a rd s ,
such as the Sustainability Leadership Award and
t he Pe t a Ve g a n A w a rd .
B y b e i n g p a r t o f t h e C i rc u l a r E c o n o m y, M U D
J e a n s i s c re a t i n g a w o r l d w h e re t h e re i s n o
s uc h t hi ng a s w a s t e . A t t he m o m e nt , M U D Je a ns
contain between 23% and 40% post-consumer
re c y c l e d d e ni m .
“We wish to take the number
one wardrobe classic, a pair
of jeans, and change it for the
better, forever.”
4 5
Why this report
“ W i t h o u r f i r s t s u s t a i n a b i l i t y r e p o r t , e v e r,
w e w i l l l o o k a t t h e p a s t a n d t h e f u t u re . A s
a circular denim brand and B Corp, we
have a big impact, of that we are sure.
H ow ev e r, b e i n g a s c a l e - u p w e h a v e n o t b e e n
a ble t o precisely mea sure this imp ac t, w h ic h w e
will do in t h e near future. Modern tran sp are n c y
is what we live by. In this light, we are extremely
p ro u d a n d exc i t e d t o s h a re w i t h y o u h ow w e
s t r i v e t o b e m o r e s u s t a i n a b l e a n d c i r c u l a r.
E v a E n g e l e n , CS R at MU D J ean s
“Let’s talk about how we
measure our impact, our
sustainability strategy and
some of our kick-ass goals for
2020.”
6 7
Vision
We believe that being mindful of nature and people
is a necessity. We see a future in which our fashion
i n d u s t r y f i n d s a w a y o f p ro d u c i n g a n d c o n s u m i n g
t h a t d o e s n o t s t a n d i n t h e w a y o f o u r e n j oy m e n t
no r t ha t o f f ut ure ge ne ra t i o ns .
Mission
O u r m i s s i o n i s t o ra d i c a l l y c h a n g e t h e f a s h i o n i n d u s t r y by
taking the most popular fashion item in the world, a pair
o f j e a n s , a n d p ro d u c i n g i t i n t h e m o s t s u s t a i n a b l e w a y
wit h o u t lo s ing a timeless sense of sty le . T h is is h ow w e m ake
i t ex t re m e l y e a s y f o r o u r c o n s u m e r s t o p a r t i c i p a t e i n o u r
mis s io n .
8 9
By being part of the Circular
E c o n o m y, w e a re c re a t i n g a w o r l d
w h e re t h e re i s n o s u c h t h i n g a s
waste. At the moment, our jeans
MUD Method
contain between 23% and 40%
post-consumer recycled denim. The
re c y c l i n g p ro c e s s s a v e s re s o u rc e s
but is more expensive than the
production of virgin cotton. The
We are changing the fashion industry re a s o n f o r t h a t i s t h a t w e p a y t h e
a c t ua l c o s t s o f o ur p ro duc t s , ra t he r
through the MUD method. The MUD than taking shortcuts on the back
o f o t he r s o r o ur p l a ne t .
method consists of 9 concepts, let us
Fair Fashion
break it down for you. We learned that if something is
surprisingly cheap, someone else,
s o m ew h e re i n t h e w o r l d , i s p a y i n g
for it. That ’s why we keep our supply
chain short, and see our suppliers
a s o ur f r i e nds ra t he r t ha n bus i ne s s
acquaintances. We are proud to say
t h e d e n i m ex p e r t s i n t h e f a c t o r i e s
s ew a nd s t i t c h w i t h a s m i l e o n t he i r
face and earn above minimum
w a ge .
Z e ro I m pa c t Je a n s
We s a i d g o o d by e t o t h e o l d a n d
dirty techniques. We eliminated
P P s p ra y, u s e C ra d l e 2 C ra d l e ( C 2 C )
indigo dye and our factory ’s laundry
re c y c l e s 9 5 % o f i t s w a t e r t h ro u g h
reverse osmosis. Oh, also our paper
t a gs a re C 2 C c e r t i f i e d.
10 11
Prem i um Q uality O rga n i c & Ve ga n
6 c ollec t ion s a y e ar ? N o th an k y ou . At MUD Jeans we have a holistic
Our styles are made to last. By a p p ro a c h t o c a r i n g . We c a re a b o u t
buying our high quality jeans you t h e e n v i ro n m e n t , t h e p e o p l e a n d
are officially entering the Slow also the animals on this planet,
F a s h i o n m ov e m e n t w h i c h n o t o n l y t h a t ’s w h y o u r j e a n s c o n s i s t o f
m e a n s t h a t w e d o n ’ t t h row a w a y re c y c l e d a n d o r g a n i c c o t t o n a n d
our leftov e r s ev e r y tw o m on th s b u t we use printed labels instead of
also that you’ll be able to buy that l e a t he r p a t c he s . N o a ni m a l s , pl a nt s
perfect pair of jeans you found over o r p e o p l e w e re h a r m e d d u r i n g t h e
a nd over. pro duc t i o n o f M U D j e a ns .
Repai r S e rv ic e S e n d O l d Je a n s
We want our customers to wear We take back pre-loved denim,
their MUD Jeans as long as possible. w ha t ev e r bra nd t hey a re f ro m . They
For the members of our MUD j us t ne e d t o b e m a d e o f 9 6 % c o t t o n
c o m m u n i t y w e o f f e r f re e re p a i r s o r m o re . N ew c u s t o m e r s g e t € 1 0 , -
during their leasing period to make o f f t h e i r p u rc h a s e o r a m o n t h f re e
them wear and love their MUD Jeans l e a s e a n d w e ’ l l re c y c l e t h e m i n t o
even long e r. new, c o o l de ni m .
Upcycled Jeans L e a s e A Je a n s
We b e l i ev e t h a t g o o d q u a l i t y, p re - D o y o u re a l l y ne e d t o be t he ow ne r
l ov e d M U D J e a n s d e s e r v e a s e c o n d o f t h e j e a n s y o u a re w e a r i n g ? We
chance. That is why we sell used introduced a pioneering Lease
MUD Jeans through our Vintage A Jeans model. This innovative
Program. The jeans are washed and, approach aims to prevent
i f n e e d e d , f i xe d u p w i t h s o m e re p a i r ov e rc o n s u m p t i o n . C o n s u m e r s c a n
l ov e . A f t e r w h i c h t h ey w i l l b e s o l d ‘re n t ’ t h e j e a n s a n d re t u r n t h e m t o
b e a r i n g t h e n a m e o f t h e p rev i o u s us after a year of use. This way we
ow n e r. We ev e n re s c u e j e a n s w i t h e n s u re w e s t a y t h e ow n e r s o f t h e
l i t t l e p ro d u c t i o n f a u l t s a n d m a k e ra w m a t e r i a l a n d g e t t h e m b a c k a t
them extra cool by customising t he e nd o f l i f e .
them.
12 13
In a nutshell
• 11 employ ees
• 5 different nationa lities in Team M UD
• 60% wo m en in Team MUD
• Headqu arters is ba sed in Laren , th e Ne th e r lan d s
• B C o rp, using business as a forc e f or g ood
• 25. 000 jeans sold in 2018
• 100% of MUD Jeans are produced by Yousstex International
• O u r jean s are sold in 300 store s in ov e r 2 9 c ou n tr ie s
Certifications
• O rga ni c c o t t o n: E CO C E R T c e r t i f i e d
• R e c y c l e d c o t t o n: GR S c e r t i f i e d
• B ut t o ns & r i v e t s : O E KO TE X , IS O 1 4 0 0 1
& IS O 1 9 0 0 0 c e r t i f i e d
• Ind i go D y s t a r D y e : C 2 C c e r t i f i e d
• Pa pe r l a be l s : C 2 C c e r t i f i e d
• Zi p pe r s : O E KO TE X c e r t i f i e d
• A l l M U D Je a ns : N o rd i c E c o l a be l c e r t i f i e d
Awards
• Ve ga n PE TA a w a rd 2 0 1 5
• B Corporation Best for the World Environment
Ho no re e 2 0 1 8
• S us t a i na bi l i t y L e a de r s A w a rd s 2 0 1 5
14 15
Suppliers
F a br i c
Te j i d o s R oy o
S pa i n
P a pe r L a be l s
Partners
VÖ GE L I AG
S w i t z e r l a nd
C o n f e c t i o n & L a u n dr y
Yo us s t ex Int e r na t i o na l
Tuni s i a
S ew i n g Ya r n
C uc i r i ni R A M A
It a l y
C o t t o n L a be l s
IB R O D E T
Tuni s i a
Buttons & Rivets
PR Y M
It a l y
Z i ppe r s
YKK
Tuni s i a
16 17
Our
sustainability
journey
18 19A hell of a
lot of impact
A s a B C o r p a n d a c i rc u l a r d e n i m c o m p a n y, Wa t e r
w e c re a t e a l o t o f i m p a c t , b o t h f o r p e o p l e a n d
A re p o r t by B l u e D o t p o i n t e d o u t t h a t M U D J e a n s u s e s 1 5 0 0
plan et .
l i t e r s o f w a t e r t o p ro d uc e a pa i r o f j e a ns . O n a v e ra g e , o t he r
de ni m bra nds us e up t o 7 0 0 0 l i t e r s p e r p a i r o f j e a ns . S o f o r
each pair of jeans we sell, 5500 liters of water are saved - this
Numbers of MUD Jeans sold in the last 3 years:
a m o unt s t o ne a r l y 3 0 0 m i l l i o n l i t e r s i n t he pa s t t hre e y e a r s !
25000
Water consumption per pair of jeans:
18300
9300
7000 L 1500 L
2016 2017 2018
T he deman d for susta inable jeans is on th e r ise . INDUSTRY M UD JEANS
I n t h e p a s t t h re e y e a r s , M U D J e a n s ’ s a l e s h a s STANDARD
grown by 14 7% . This ma kes it pos sib le f or u s to
h ave a po s itive impa c t on this plan e t.
Water savings:
5500 L 300 mil L
PER M UD JEANS OV ER TH E LAST 3 Y EARS
20 21P a c k a gi n g
In the past three years, we have partnered
with Repack to ship our jeans in a long-lasting
re u s a b l e p a c k a g i n g . A l l M U D J e a n s o rd e re d o n
our website are shipped in these envelopes that
customers can use to send their jeans back to
us f o r re c y c l i ng . A c o m pa ra t i v e s t udy by R e Pa c k
has shown that RePacks’ carbon footprint is 80%
s m a l l e r t ha n t ha t o f t hrow a w a y p a c k a g i ng.
I n t h e p a s t t h re e y e a r s , w e s u c c e s s f u l l y u s e d
4494 Repacks, avoiding a lot of plastic waste and
4
CO 2 e m i s s i o ns .
CO2
More than 8% of global greenhouse-gas
e m i s s i o n s a re p ro d u c e d by t h e a p p a re l a n d
2
fo o t wea r industries.
At MUD Jeans, we wish to minimise these
emissions. A BlueDot analysis revealed that
b e c a u s e w e u s e re c y c l e d m a t e r i a l s a n d e m p l oy
i n n ov a t i v e p ro d u c t i o n t e c h n i q u e s , w e e m i t 6 1 %
les s CO2 tha n other regular d e n im b ran d s.
O v e r t h re e y e a r s , t h i s re p re s e n t s 7 0 0 . 0 0 0 k i l o s
o f CO 2 a v o i d e d , a s m u c h CO 2 t h a t w o u l d h a v e
b e e n e m i t t e d t o p ro d u c e a b o u t 3 0 0 . 0 0 0 k g o f
p e a n u t b u t t e r ! N ow t h a t ’s a l o o o o t o f p e a n u t
3
bu t t er (we a re pinda kaa s ad d ic ts h e re at M UD) .
22 23R ecy cl i ng M U D J e a n s c u s t o m e r s c a n p a r t i c i p a t e i n t h e C i rc u l a r E c o n o m y by
sending us their old jeans for recycling. We don’t only accept pre-
loved MUD Jeans, but also other brands, as long as they are at least
J e a n s s a v e d f ro m l a n d f i l l a n d i n c i n e ra t i o n by
96% cotton.
us in g them i n MUD Jeans prod uc tion:
The critical readers might have noticed by now that the number of
jeans recycled exceeds the number of jeans collected. As we speak
5500 w e d o n o t c o l l e c t e n o u g h p re - l ov e d j e a n s o u r s e l v e s t o s u s t a i n
4028 o u r p ro d u c t i o n o f n ew M U D J e a n s . H e n c e , o u r re c y c l e p a r t n e r
R e c ov e r t ex c o m p l e t e s t h i s v o l u m e by a d d i n g t h e i r ow n c o l l e c t e d
p o s t - c o n s u m e r j e a n s . I n t h e f u t u re , w e w i s h t o o n l y u s e o l d M U D
Jeans in the production of new MUD Jeans.
1953
“ K n ow l e d g e i s p ow e r a n d
knowing is cool.”
2016 2017 2018
I n t h e p a s t t h re e y e a r s , o u r j e a n s h a v e b e e n m a d e
o f a ro u n d 2 3 % o f re c y c l e d c o t t o n . T h i s i s g o i n g t o
i n c re a s e i n t h e f u t u re a s w e d ev e l o p c o o l e r a n d W h e re t o n ex t
cooler recycled fabrics with our recycling masters in
Spain. For us, traceability and transparency throughout the supply chain
i s e s s e n t i a l . We k n ow t h a t w e a re o n t h e r i g h t t ra c k t ow a rd s a
b e t t e r f a s h i o n i n d u s t r y. O f t e n c h a n g e s a re i m p l e m e n t e d t o m a k e
Number of j eans sent to us for re c yc ling :
our products even more sustainable. Unfortunately, we don’t really
k n ow t h e ex a c t i m p a c t t h e s e d ev e l o p m e n t s h a v e o n o u r ov e ra l l
impact.
3200
Here’s what we will do about it:
B y 2 0 2 0 w e w i s h t o c o n d u c t a n ex t e n s i v e L i f e C y c l e A s s e s s m e n t
( LC A ) . A n LC A c a l c u l a t e s t h e e n v i ro n m e n t a l i m p a c t o f a p ro d u c t
1600 t h ro u g h o u t i t s e n t i re l i f e c y c l e , s t a r t i n g f ro m re s o u rc e ex t ra c t i o n
a l l t h e w a y t o t h e e n d - o f - l i f e s c e n a r i o . We w i s h t o c o n d u c t t h i s
800 research for our entire product portfolio. The results of this study
will not only vastly contribute to the scientific research on recycled
fibres, it will also help us to prioritise environmental, supply chain
and project development projects and motivate other brands to use
2016 2017 2018 more recycled fibres in the fabric portfolio.
24 25MUD Jeans, a B Corp
M U D J e a n s h a s b e e n a c e r t i f i e d B C o r p o ra t i o n
since January 2015. Back in the days,
we were one of the first B Corps in the
N e t h e r l a n d s , w h i c h w e s t i l l l i k e t o b ra g a b o u t !
B u t w h a t ex a c t l y i s a B C o r p a g a i n ? B C o r p s
are for-profit companies that use business
a s a f o rc e f o r g o o d . T h ey a re c e r t i f i e d by t h e
non-profit organisation BLab, which checks
s p e c i f i c s t a n d a rd s o f s o c i a l a n d e n v i ro n m e n t a l
p e r f o r m a n c e , t ra n s p a re n c y a n d a c c o u n t a b i l i t y.
As a certified B Corp, MUD Jeans signed
the Declaration of Interdependence,
officially embedding our ambition to create
economic, social and environmental value
i n t h e s t a t u t e s o f o u r c o m p a n y. W e a r e
part of a community of more than 2600
companies in 60 countries that have made it
a p r i o r i t y t o u s e b u s i n e s s a s a f o rc e f o r g o o d .
Check out our B Corp assessment here.
This year we are even prouder to say that
MUD Jeans scored in the top 10% of all B
5
Corporations in the environmental field.
“Using business as
T h i s m a k e s o u r c o m p a n y a n h o n o re e o n t h e
B e s t F o r E n v i ro n m e n t L i s t o f B t h e c h a n g e .
a force for good”
26 27Sustainable MUD Jeans’ mission & vision closely
align with one SDG in particular: SDG
12 - Responsible Consumption and
7
Development Goals
Pro d uc t i o n
G o a l 1 2 e n s u re s t h a t w e d ev e l o p a
sustainable way of consuming and
Our favorite framework to use business producing, which is at the core of
MUD Jeans’ DNA. With our Lease A
Jeans concept, we offer customers
as a force for good is the United a s u s t a i n a b l e w a y o f c o n s u m i n g . We
a re c re a t i n g a w a re n e s s a b o u t w h a t i s
Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable going on in the world and why we need
t o d o t h i n g s d i f f e re n t l y. S u s t a i n a b l e
p ro d u c t i o n i s w h a t w e s w e a r by. G o
Development. check out p74 to hear more about how
w e t a c k l e S D G1 2 ’s t a rg e t s .
In September 2015, at the historic United Nations (UN)
s u m m i t i n N ew Yo r k , t h e w o r l d l e a d e r s a d o p t e d t h e 2 0 3 0
A g e n d a f o r S u s t a i n a b l e D ev e l o p m e n t , a p ro g ra m w i t h 1 7
S us t ain able Dev elopment Goals (S DG s) . T h e CO P 21 in P ar is,
With our circular denim, we also
D e c e m b e r 2 0 1 5 c o m p l e t e d t h e i n t e g ra t i o n o f t h e s e g o a l s . 8
With the SDGs, the UN aims to mobilise governments, contribute to achieve the following SDGs:
companies, organisations and individuals worldwide to
pro mo t e prosperity while protec ti n g th e p lan e t. A s a B Cor p ,
6
w e a re s t e e r i n g o u r b u s i n e s s a c t i v i t i e s t o c o n t r i b u t e t o
s everal SDGs, effec tiv ely using bu sin e ss as a f orc e f or g ood .
We wi l l u s e t h e s e p i c t o g r a m s t h r o u g h o u t t h e r e p o r t t o s h o w y o u
h o w o u r s u s t a i n a b i l i t y s t r a t e g y a l i g n s wi t h t h e S D G s .
28 29Stakeholders Retailers
We s e l l o u r j e a n s i n a ro u n d 3 0 0 s t o re s ov e r 2 9
countries. Through their amazing shops, they help
u s s p re a d t h e w o rd a b o u t c i rc u l a r d e n i m . O u r
M U D J e a n s i s m o re t h a n a j e a n s b ra n d , i t i s p ro o f
re t a i l e r s h a v e t h e i r ow n B 2 B p o r t a l , w h i c h i s k i n d
of concept, a statement against fast fashion. This
o f l i k e a w e b s ho p , but f o r re t a i l e r s . He re t hey c a n
i s b i g g e r t h a n j u s t u s , w e a re t a k i n g t h i s j o u r n ey
p l a c e t he i r o rd e r s , s m a l l o r b i g, a t a ny t i m e o f t he
t o get h er with a bunc h of people. Le t u s in trod u c e
d a y. O ur c o l l e c t i o n i s t ra ns s e a s o na l , w hi c h m e a ns
t h em t o yo u.
a l l o u r i t e m s a re n ev e r o u t o f s t o c k . O c c a s i o n a l l y,
new s t y l e s m a k e i t i nt o o ur p e r m a ne nt c o l l e c t i o n.
Consumers
Supply chain partners and workers
With our circular jeans, we provide consumers with
a s u s t a i n a b l e a l t e r n a t i v e t o f a s t f a s h i o n . We c a l l We see our suppliers as equals, collectively working
o u r a u d i e n c e t h e c o n s c i o u s ex p l o re r. We i n t e ra c t t o g e t h e r t o c r e a t e a b e t t e r f a s h i o n i n d u s t r y.
with them through our mail, livechat, social media, To g e t h e r, w e c o n t i n u o u s l y i m p rov e o u r p ro d u c t s
blog, newsletter, events and by sharing as much as a n d m a k e t h e m m o re c i rc u l a r a n d s u s t a i n a b l e .
po s s ible o n our website. T h a n k s t o t h e i r f l ex i b i l i t y a n d m o t i v a t i o n t ow a rd s
sustainability we have successfully implemented
industry-breaking denim innovations in our
p ro d uc t i o n.
Academia & NGOs:
B e i n g a p ro o f o f c o n c e p t f o r c i rc u l a r b u s i n e s s
m o d e l s , w e a re , a s a c o m p a n y, o f m a j o r i n t e re s t
f o r N GO s w ho a re exe c ut i ng re s e a rc h o r a c t i v i t i e s
on the topic. We work closely together with
organisations such as the Ellen MacArthur
F o u n d a t i o n , C i r c l e E c o n o m y, B L a b a n d h a v e
b e e n m e n t i o n e d i n re p o r t s by G re e n p e a c e a s a
s u s t a i n a b i l i t y f ro n t - r u n n e r. F u r t h e r m o re , w e a l s o
re g u l a r l y c o l l a b o ra t e w i t h s t u d e n t s , u n i v e r s i t i e s
a n d re s e a rc h e r s t o s h a re o u r ex p e r i e n c e s a n d
l e s s o n s l e a r n e d , b u t a l s o t o g a i n n ew i n s i g h t s
f ro m a d i f f e re n t p e r s p e c t i v e . A m s t e rd a m F a s h i o n
Institute, Saxion and Fontys are some of the
U ni v e r s i t i e s t ha t w e a re c ur re nt l y w o r k i ng w i t h.
30 31Other denim brands T h e re i s a n e e d f o r i n d u s t r y - w i d e c h a n g e . T h i s i s why in 2016, we joined the Alliance for Responsible D e n i m ( A R D ) , i n o rd e r t o c o l l e c t i v e l y c h a n g e t h e st an dards in the denim industry. A f te r all, w e’re in t his t o get h er. Sustainability champs The world is full of sustainability champs, those w h o w a n t t o c h a n g e t h e w o r l d f o r t h e b e t t e r. We work closely together with some of these inspiring p eo ple. We collabora te with c onsciou s in f lu e n c e r s on a mo n t h ly basis. You c a n find th e ir stor ie s an d w h y t h ey lov e our jeans on our blo g . Team MUD Team MUD is an energetic crowd with a shared aim o f c re a t i n g a c h a n g e i n t h e f a s h i o n i n d u s t r y ; y o u could hypothetically call us idealists. But we do m ak e t h in gs happen. Our tea m v ar ie s f rom y ou n g t o o l d , c o m p o s e d o f p e o p l e c o m i n g f ro m v a r i o u s backgrounds and a multitude of countries. We have d i f f e re n t p o i n t s o f v i ew a n d t h a t ’s w h e n i t g e t s i nt eres t in g. Our spa c ious offic e is b ase d in Lare n , the Netherlands where we bake our own bread. On We d n e s d a y s a n d F r i d a y s w e g o f o r a t e a m r u n i n the beautiful nature surrounding our forest office. Oh an d o u r c ompany c ars are elec tr ic . 32 33
On growth
T h e c r i t i c a l c o n s u m e r w i l l h a v e n o t i c e d by n ow
that sustainable fashion is a contradiction within
i t s e l f. In t o da y ’s w o r l d , f a s hi o n m o t i v a t e s s ho r t -
t e r m ov e rc o n s u m p t i o n o f l ow q u a l i t y p ro d u c t s .
S u s t a i n a b i l i t y, o n t h e o t h e r h a n d , t r i e s t o s t e p
a w a y f ro m t hi s .
For us, sustainable fashion means long lasting,
hi gh qua l i t y pro duc t s . B e c a us e o f t ho s e v a l ue s ,
o u r c o l l e c t i o n i s b a s e d o n e s s e n t i a l s t h a t d o n’ t
need to change every season. We carefully select
n ew w a s h i n g s a n d s t y l e s t h ro u g h o u t t h e y e a r.
So, for each pair of jeans that we sell, four fewer
pa i r s o f j e a ns a re s o l d i n t he w o r l d.
In order to thrive as a company we need
to explore economies of scale in terms of
p ro d u c t i o n a n d ra w m a t e r i a l s . T h e re f o re , w e
w a n t t o g row u n t i l w e re a c h a p ro d u c t i o n l ev e l
o f 5 0 0 . 0 0 0 j e a ns / y e a r. F ro m t he re o n w e w i s h t o
s t a bi l i z e o ur grow t h.
34 35Sustainability strategy
H ow we ai m f or the hig hest d eg ree o f s u s t a in a b ilit y.
I n o rd e r t o ra d i c a l l y c h a n g e t h e f a s h i o n i n d u s t r y w e n e e d a
s t rat egy. Ours is ba sed on 3 pilla r s.
C ircu la r E conom y
Fo r u s , t h e sky is not the limit. We are alw ay s b u sy im p rov in g
our products and making them more sustainable both
s o c i a l l y a n d e n v i ro n m e n t a l l y. O u r u l t i m a t e g o a l i s t o m a k e
o u r pro du ct s 100% c irc ular.
F air Fa ct or i es
Mr. Habib Ben Mansour, the owner of Yousstex International,
our garment supplier, likes to say that we make noble products
a n d w e 1 0 0 % a g re e w i t h t h i s . B y p ro d u c i n g c o n s c i o u s l y w e
can directly create a safer and healthier working environment
f or o u r co lle agues in the fac tories .
Po s it ive Acti vi sm
Circular
Through our pioneering approach we are changing the status
qu o wit h in t he fa shion industry. W ith a sm ile on ou r f ac e w e
t ell yo u abo ut how our innov ativ e p rod u c tion te c h n iq u e s w ill
c h a n g e t h e w o r l d f o r t h e b e t t e r. B y d o i n g t h i s w e i n s p i re
Economy
o t h ers t o s t a rt wa lking the talk. W ith oth e r b ran d s join in g u s
we t u rn t h is wa lk into a marc h.
36Circular product
The Circular Economy starts with a circular product,
more specific from the circular design of a product.
The Pulse of the Fashion Industry 2017 Report
by t h e G l o b a l F a s h i o n A g e n d a a n d T h e B o s t o n
Consulting Group points out that design, especially
t h e c h o i c e o f ra w m a t e r i a l s , d e t e r m i n e m u c h o f a
9
ga r m e nt ’s de s t i ny a nd i m pa c t .
Tha t i s w hy w e o nl y us e 2 t y pe s o f but t o ns , 1 t y pe
of rivet and 1 type of label for all our products. Our
whole collection is made from 4 different fabrics. 3
s t re t c h f a br i c s a nd 1 r i g i d f a b r i c . 2 f a b r i c s c o nt a i n
23% post-consumer recycled denim, 75% ECOCERT
o rg a n i c c o t t o n a n d 2 % e l a s t a n e . T h e r i g i d f a b r i c
already contains 40% post-consumer recycled
c o t t o n a nd 6 0 % o rg a ni c c o t t o n.
T h e p u l s e re p o r t a l s o s t a t e s t h a t t h e f i b re m i x o f
a g a r m e n t c a n i m p e d e o r f a c i l i t a t e re c y c l i n g . B u t
how d o y o u a s a bra nd c ho o s e w hi c h f i b re s t o us e ?
We a t M U D J e a n s re l y o n ex p e r t s , s u c h a s M A D E -
B Y. Thro ug h re s e a rc h t hey ha v e dev e l o pe d a F i b re
Benchmark which ranks fibres based on their
environmental impact. MUD Jeans aims to only use
f i bre s f ro m c l a s s A o r B.
A s y o u c a n s e e , re c y c l e d c o t t o n i s a n A c l a s s f i b re
and organic cotton a B class fibre, which is already
g r e a t ! H o w e v e r, t h e r e a r e s t i l l c o m p o n e n t s i n
o u r j e a n s w h i c h a re m a d e o u t o f v i rg i n p o l y e s t e r,
such as the pockets and sewing yarn. Virgin
p o l y e s t e r b e l o n g s t o c l a s s D, s o t h e re i s ro o m f o r
i m p rov e m e n t ! We w i s h t o re p l a c e v i rg i n p o l y e s t e r
w i t h a c l a s s A o r B f i bre i n t he ne a r f ut ure .
38 39Design for recycling
GOAL
ALL FIBRES USED IN
2020
MUD JEANS ARE EITHER
Designing for recycling includes every detail of the
p ro d u c t . D e c i s i o n s t o a u g m e n t t h e c i rc u l a r i t y o f FROM CLASS A OR B AS
o u r p ro d u c t s ra n g e f ro m t h e f i b re s i n t h e f a b r i c s
t o t h e b u t t o n s , r i v e t s , z i p p e r s , s ew i n g y a r n a n d S TAT E D BY THE MADE-
labels. We want each of these elements to be made
GOAL
m o n o - m a t e r i a l s o w e c a n re c y c l e t h e m a t t h e e n d BY E N V I R O N M E N TA L
o f life.
FIBRE BENCHMARK
GOAL
2020
100% OF ALL COMPONENTS 100% OF OUR JEANS
2020
OF MUD JEANS ARE H AV E AT LEAST
DESIGNED FOR RECYCLING 20% RECYCLED
CO M P O N E N T S
GOAL
Actual recycling
Design for recycling is a hot topic among BY 2020 WE WA N T TO
co mpan ies and bra nds. It is one th in g to d e sig n
a r e c y c l a b l e o r C r a d l e 2 C r a d l e p r o d u c t . To DEVELOP ONE JEANS FABRIC
actually take it back at the end of life and recycle
i t i s a c o m p l e t e l y d i f f e re n t s t o r y. We w a n t t o W H I C H I S 1 0 0 % R E C YC L E D,
w a l k t h e t a l k a n d a c t u a l l y re c y c l e o u r p ro d u c t s
i n t o n ew o n e s. AMBITIOUS, WE KNOW!
40GOAL
Circular Production
With resources becoming scarcer it is of growing importance
t o d o t h i n g s d i f f e re n t l y a n d t o p ro d u c e c o n s c i o u s o f o u r
B Y 2 0 2 0 , TO G E T H E R W I T H
2020
p lan et an d it ’s boundaries.
TE JIDOS ROYO WE WILL
IMPLEMENT THE S TAT E
Water
O F T H E A R T T E C H N O LO G Y
Tejido s R oyo, our fabric mill, has tw o Waste Wate r Tre atm e n t
P l a n t s a t t h e i r f a c i l i t y. E a c h p l a n t i s u s e d t o re m ov e s o l i d
OF FOAM DYEING INTO
m a t e r i a l s , o rg a n i c m a t e r i a l s a n d c h e m i c a l s f ro m t h e w a t e r
u s e d i n p ro d u c t i o n s o i t c a n b e re t u r n e d t o n a t u re w i t h a
OUR SUPPLY CHAIN.
min imal en vironmental impa c t.
GOAL
We do n’t “wash” our jea ns. We pre f e r in n ov ativ e te c h n iq u e s,
such as laser and ozone. These technologies reduce
w a t e r c o n s u m p t i o n c o m p a re d w i t h t ra d i t i o n a l p ro d u c t i o n
pro ces s es .
At Yousstex International 95% of the water used in production
i s re c y c l e d t h ro u g h rev e r s e o s m o s i s , t h e re m a i n i n g 5 % FOR 2020, THROUGH AN
i s ev a p o ra t e d . T h i s 5 % i s t h e n re f i l l e d w i t h ra i n w a t e r, s o
a c t u a l l y, n o f re s h w a t e r i s u s e d i n p ro d u c t i o n a t Yo u s s t ex LCA WE WILL MAP THE
2020
I n t ern at io n al.
CO M P L E T E CO N S U M P T I O N
Tejido s R oyo, our fabric mill, has d ev e lop e d an ev olu tion ar y
dyeing technique, which is called Dry Indigo. Through the use O F WAT E R T H R O U G H O U T
o f fo am dyeing this tec hnique a llow s Roy o to d y e y ar n s w ith
indigo dye without using any water at all. Additionally this
12
T H E S U P P LY C H A I N A N D
a llows R oyo to use 90% fewer c he m ic als.
SET SPECIFIC GOALS
CO N C E R N I N G R E D U C T I O N .
42Energy
GOAL BY
CONDUCT
2020,
AN
WE WILL
U P D AT E D
2020
Energy efficiency is high up on our agenda. Throughout
LC A S T U D Y I N O R D E R TO
our Supply chain, we want to prioritise energy-efficient
production techniques and the use of renewable energy
SET SPECIFIC REDUCTION
sources.
G OA L S T H AT G O B E YO N D
Tejidos Royo, our fabric mill, has a co-generation station,
where steam from the factory boilers is used to generate
BEING CARBON NEUTRAL.
electricity. This system allows Royo to be energy self-
sufficient.
We want to introduce more green energy into every stage
of our supply chain. But first we need to gain knowledge CO2
GOAL
about our and our partners’ current energy use and
supply. The Emission Gap Report 2018 by the UN tells us that
current efforts to decrease CO2 emissions are not
sufficient to ensure global warming stays below 2°C or
1,5°C. In fact, global CO2 emissions increased in 2017
10
after three years of stagnation.
In 2016 we have conducted an LCA study together with
BlueDot to quantify MUD Jeans’ CO2 emissions. This
2020
FOR 2020 WE WANT TO MAP research pointed out that MUD Jeans production emits
61% less CO2 compared with industry standards. Although,
AND MEASURE OUR ENERGY since 2016, a lot has changed. We have switched suppliers
and further increased the recycled cotton in our jeans.
USE AND SET REDUCTION We have a gut feeling that we have further decreased our
CO2 emissions and we would like to substantiate this with
GOALS FROM THERE ON. research.
From 2016 onwards we have engaged in CO2 offsetting
11
programs. We have been certified carbon neutral ever
since, which is a pretty enormous deal. It is our wildest
dream to become carbon positive, which would imply that
we are actually offsetting more than what we emit and
therefore cleaning up other people’s mess.GOAL
Chemicals
WITH EXECUTING OUR LCA Chemicals are a big deal - 20 to 25% of globally produced chemical
compounds are utilized in the textile-finishing industry. These chemicals
STUDY WE WILL MAP THE often (in)directly impact the health of those who are producing and
2020
wearing the garments and create an immense environmental problem
HIDDEN SOURCES OF WASTE when used without any proper treatment.
14
THAT OCCUR WITHIN OUR Through the Nordic EcoLabel we have obtained a clear overview of the
chemicals used in MUD Jeans’ production. We only use non-harmful,
SUPPLY CHAIN, SO WE CAN biodegradable chemicals. We are very proud to announce that we have
eliminated the use of PP spray and stone washing in all MUD Jeans
ELIMINATE THEM AS WELL. production. These industry first changes drastically improve the working
environment of our factory colleagues as these chemicals are extremely
harmful and unhealthy.
Zero Waste
In the garment industry, on average, 35% of all materials
in the supply chain end up as waste, before the pieces of
clothing is even produced. This waste has many forms, such
13
as cutting waste, dead stock or excess stock.
We like to call our jeans zero waste. We don’t do seasons and
produce via a pull model, this means that we are making what
the customer wants instead of the other way around. This
implies that we never have sales or excess stock to get rid off.
Hence we don’t have waste.
At Yousstex International the cutting waste is recycled and
our jeans are shipped in carton boxes instead of plastic. At
our warehouse we don’t use poly bags or cardboard boxes to
send out our orders, instead we use reusable Repack bags.
46 47Garment care
Did you know that a big part of the impact of your jeans is created during
the use phase? Taking proper care of your jeans is crucial in order to
minimise the environmental impact.
In 2018 we conducted research together with Greenchoice to find out
more about people’s washing behaviour. The aim of the research? To
educate people! So please, share the facts and let’s all get a little better in
our washing behaviour. Saving on energy and CO2.
Here is a short
recap of the results;
Circular • Every person has, on average, one pair of
jeans soaking up dust in their wardrobe.
Consumption • People have no idea that 50% of wear and
tear is caused by washing.
• People have no clue about the amounts
Wa s t e i s a t t h e h e a r t o f t o d a y ’s f a s h i o n i n d u s t r y a s i t i s
of water used to wash their clothes.
d o min at ed by the ethos of throwi n g aw ay ite m s on c e ‘ou t of
f as h io n’. People nowa da y s c onsum e at su c h a f ast p ac e , th e
• 1 out of 5 people washes their jeans after
planet can’t keep up. More clothes are bought and discarded
13 wearing them for 2 days. Not because they
t han ever, o f whic h 57% end up in lan d f ill.
are dirty, but just out of habit.
M U D J e a n s b e l i ev e s t h a t t h e re i s a n a l t e r n a t i v e w a y. We
We want to use these findings to educate
p ro d u c e t i m e l e s s , h i g h - q u a l i t y p ro d u c t s t h a t y o u c a n l ov e
and inspire consumers to take better care
a n d wear fo r y ea rs.
of their garments.
48 49Repair service
We want to motivate our clients to use their jeans as long
as possible. Therefore, we offer free repairs to our active
GOAL
leasers.
We will keep offering free repairs to our leaser community
in the future and encourage our customers to prioritise
repairing over recycling. Maybe even through a small
repair guide or some DIY workshops.
BY 2020 WE WILL EXPAND OUR
Lease A Jeans
2020
TAKE-BACK SCHEME BEYOND
Lease A Jeans is a guilt-free solution for conscious THE FREE-SHIPPING ZONE
people that want to step away from ownership. There
is an increasing group of people that care more about AND INCLUDE MORE SHOPS
experiences than possessions.
SO WE CAN INCREASE THE
After paying a €29,- sign-up fee customers can lease a pair
GOAL
of jeans for €7,50/month for one year. After a year they VOLUME OF JEANS RECYCLED.
can decide to keep them or switch them for a new pair and
start a new lease, only paying the monthly fee.
Vintage
Good quality pre-loved and returned MUD Jeans are given a
2020
second chance through our Vintage Program.
BY 2020, WE AIM TO FURTHER
The Vintage Program withholds tons of untouched potential,
INCREASE THE TAKE-BACK as the environmental impact of these jeans is nearly zero.
Instead of producing a new pair, we just reuse one that
OF PRE-LOVED JEANS. already exists. In the future we wish to further expand
and optimise our vintage program. We are in the midst of
photographing our whole Vintage Collection so we can
relaunch it on our website. Keep an eye open for that, exciting
things are coming.
50 51Fair
Factories
52Recycle Tour
Worldwide an average of 75 million people work in the
textiles and clothing industry. Traditionally, sourcing
strategies focus on finding the lowest possible
manufacturing costs. Unfortunately this is often at the cost
of the employees in the factories. To clarify: bad working
conditions and low wages are the results of brands,
15
retailers and also consumers looking for the lowest price.
We are consciously sourcing our goods in nearby factories.
We are able to visit the factory frequently. And we have the
same mindset as the factory owners; transparency – fair
wages – good working conditions are at the top of our list.
By making conscious, sustainable and smart choices on
production and sourcing level, brands can instantaneously
influence and improve the working conditions and lives of
those working in their production facilities. Recycling old
jeans into new pairs is a fairly complicated process which
requires knowledge.
“ We work with 3 supply
chain partners only. This
form of transparency
Two years ago, in 2016, Team MUD drove to Valencia in
c o n t r i b u t e s t o a m o re Spain to bring our first 3.000 returned Lease A Jeans to
the recycling factory. During this tour we followed the
sustainable and conscious
recycling process and witnessed how new denim fabrics
were born. We wanted to show our consumers how exactly
we recycle their old jeans into new pairs and introduce
way of producing clothes.” them to all the innovative techniques used along the way.
54 55Production Tour
In 2018, as a follow-up, we want to show you how we turn
this fabric into new pairs of MUD Jeans. This time we were
taking the consumers to Touza, Tunisia, where our factory
Yousstex International is based. During the Production
Tour we wanted to introduce our view on modern
transparency. We thought it was time for everyone to meet
the makers of their jeans. The production tour aimed to
show everyone our innovative production techniques,
get behind the seam and introduce how our different
washings are created in the most sustainable way possible.
We have a Code of Conduct to illustrate what we expect
of our employees, suppliers and business partners, so
everyone who works with us knows that our ideas are
met with strong commitments covering human rights,
workers’ rights, corruption, and last but not least the
environment. We assess the implementation of our Code
of Conduct and supplier policies via third party audits.
You can find our Code of Conduct on our website.
“The Production Tour, an
i n t ro d u c t i o n t o m o d e r n
transparency at Yousstex
We believe that everyone in the supply chain should
receive a fair living wage. We strive for honest,
safe, empowering and fair working conditions.
International.” Through close collaboration with our factories and
partners we aim to create equality, in every form.
56 57Fair wages
We w a n t t o p rov i d e f a i r a n d e q u a l p a y s o w e
c a n e n r i c h t h e l i v e l i h o o d o f ev e r y o n e w o r k i n g
a c ro s s o u r s u p p l y c h a i n . T h e re f o re , w e a i m
to pay every worker in our supply chain a
fair living wage, above the minimum wage.
I n 2016 we ha v e been audited by th e F air We ar
F o u n d a t i o n a s w e w e re a p a r t o f t h e i r Yo u n g
Designer Program. There were definitely
points for improvement, which have been
solved through a Corrective Action Plan.
GOAL B Y 2 0 2 0 W E W I L L CO N D U C T
A NEW SOCIAL AUDIT SO
2020
WE CAN BETTER ASSESS “We decided to pay a fair
T H E WA G E S I T U AT I O N AT price for our products,
Y O U S S T E X I N T E R N AT I O N A L
because otherwise someone,
AND SET A P P R O P R I AT E
ACTION POINTS. somewhere has to pay for it.”
58 59Working
environment
The impact of one’s working environment
is of critical importance in one’s
h e a l t h b o t h p h y s i c a l l y a n d m e n t a l l y.
We want our factory colleagues to have
a safe and healthy working environment,
which we aim to create through conscious
product and production choices. We also
w a n t t h e m t o f e e l e m p o w e r e d a n d h a p p y.
GOAL BY 2020 WE WILL CONDUCT
A N E W S O C I A L A U D I T TO
B E T T E R E V A L U AT E T H E
2020
WORKING ENVIRONMENT
AT Y O U S S T E X
I N T E R N AT I O N A L , THE
AWARENESS OF THE
UNION AND C R E AT E
A P P R O P R I AT E GOALS.
60 61Equality
W e c a r e f o r s o l i d a r i t y, i n c l u s i v e n e s s a n d
democracy, regardless of race, gender, age, shape
o r a b i l i t y. T h e g a r m e n t i n d u s t r y i s d o m i n a t e d
by female workers, 80% of this ind u str y is m ad e
u p by w o m e n b e t w e e n t h e a g e s o f 1 8 a n d 3 5 .
M U D J e a n s b e l i ev e s t h a t t h i s i n d u s t r y c o u l d
have a great potential as an emancipatory
force for women all around the world.
A t Yo u s s t ex I n t e r n a t i o n a l 9 0 % o f t h e w o r k e r s
are women. For these women, personal
d ev e l o p m e n t i s c l o s e l y l i n k e d w i t h c o n d i t i o n s
GOAL
a t wo rk an d we want to empower th e m th rou g h
a n e q u a l w o r k i n g e n v i ro n m e n t . I n 2 0 1 9 w e w i l l
c o n d u c t r e s e a r c h a t Yo u s s t e x I n t e r n a t i o n a l
concerning female empowerment, gender
e q u a l i t y a n d f e m i n i s m i n t h e g a r m e n t i n d u s t r y.
We w a n t t o c re a t e e q u a l i t y i n ev e r y w a y o n
t h e w o r k f l o o r a n d t h ro u g h o u t t h e c o m p a n y.
Wage equality is another hot topic. On
average a Dutch CEO earns 171 times the
a v e ra g e e m p l oy e e s a l a r y. O u r C E O B e r t v a n
S o n d o e s n ’ t w a n t t o c o n t i n u e t h i s t re n d a n d
BY 2020 WE WILL CONDUCT
e a r n s f i v e t i m e s t h e s a l a r y o f t h e l ow e s t p a i d
employee at our supplier Yousstex International. ADITIONAL RESEARCH AT
YOUSSTEX I N T E R N AT I O N A L
TO C R E AT E NEW INSIGHTS
A B O U T E Q U A L I T Y AT YO U S S T E X .
62Positive
Activism
64Inspire
O u r l e a s e r s a re s u s t a i n a b i l i t y p i o n e e r s . T h ey a re “We i n s p i re t o m ov e f ro m
re a d y t o m ov e a w a y f ro m ow n e r s h i p a n d c h a n g e
t h e wo rld for the better.
ownership to access.”
Through our newsletter and blog we share
inspiring stories from people who are changing the
status quo. Stories about building a tiny house,
creating a capsule wardrobe or zero waste tips, we
s h are it all.
T h ro u g h t h e s e m e d i a w e g e t i n t o t h e n i t t y g r i t t y
details of our own products and behind the scenes
o f t h e M UD Offic e. Ov er the y ea rs w e h av e n otic e d
t h a t a l l o f y o u a re v e r y i n t e re s t e d t o g e t t o k n ow
everyt h in g about our jea ns a nd us, an d w e lov e to
s h are it wit h y ou.
We also inspire people through
organising events. In 2018 we
have organised an alternative
B l a c k F r i da y ev e nt w hi c h m o t i v a t e d
consumers to take what they
a l re a d y ha v e a nd c re a t e s o m e t hi ng
i ns t e a d o f b uy i ng s o m e t hi ng new.
66 67Research & educate
F o r t h i s re a s o n w e h a v e l a u n c h e d a m o n t h l y S k y p e m e e t i n g
with Bert van Son, our CEO. During this meeting Bert answers
q u e s t i o n s a n d s h a re s o u r s t o r y. We h a v e b e e n m e n t i o n e d
i n num e ro us t he s e s a nd a ha v e c o nd uc t e d a v a s t a m o unt o f
re s e a rc h t o g e t he r w i t h s t ude nt s .
I t i s d u r i n g t h i s S k y p e m e e t i n g , v i a o u r i n f o m a i l b ox o r a t
o n e o f o u r ev e n t s t h a t w e o f t e n m e e t m o t i v a t e d , s m a r t a n d
c o o l s t u d e n t s w i t h a l ov e f o r s u s t a i n a b i l i t y. T h e s e s t u d e n t s
qui t e o f t e n e nd up do i ng i nt e r ns hi p s a t M U D Je a ns , w hi c h i s
a huge win-win. Through these internships, MUD Jeans offers
y o ung s t e r s a l e a r ni ng s c ho o l a nd re a l - l i f e ex p e r i e nc e w i t hi n
a s t a r t up w hi l e t he s t ude nt s c o nt r i b ut e t o t he c o m pa ny w i t h
t he i r f re s h m i nd s e t s .
Being a frontrunner in sustainability
a n d a C ircu la r Ec onomy pioneer w e
h a v e a n i m p o r t a n t ro l e t o p l a y i n
educating others and sharing our
l e s s o n s learned.
As a proof of concept for the
Circu lar E conomy ha s made us int o
t h e i d e a l g u i n e a p i g f o r re s e a rc h
o n t h e m a t t e r. O n a w e e k l y b a s i s
we get numerous requests from
students and academia who are
conducting research on the Circular
E c o n o m y, s u s t a i n a b l e f a s h i o n o r
n ew bu s in ess models.
“Instead of running in circles,
let’s close the loop.”
68 69Collaborate “W e i n s p i r e t o w a l k t h e
A s M U D J e a n s , w e a re o n l y a s m a l l d ro p i n t h e
talk. With others joining
us we turn this walk into a
o cean . We fe el like we a lrea dy ma ke a lot of n oise
t o c h a n g e t h i n g s f o r t h e b e t t e r b u t w e b e l i ev e
t h a t t h e b i g g e s t i m p a c t i s c re a t e d w h e n w e a c t
t o get h er.
march.”
As a part of the Alliance for Responsible Denim
we’ve worked on two main projects over the last two
y ears , o n e being sustaina ble wa sh in g te c h n iq u e s,
t h e o t h er o n post-c onsumer rec yc le d d e n im . M UD
J e a n s i s a f ro n t r u n n e r i n b o t h t o p i c s a n d s h a re d
mu lt iple les sons learned on the m atte r.
A d d i t i o n a l l y, M U D J e a n s i s a l w a y s
keen to collaborate with like-
minded organisations to create
more awareness and cross-industry
s y n e rg i e s . O n e ex a m p l e o f t h i s i s
t h e c o l l a b o ra t i o n w i t h R o t h o l z . I n
2 0 1 8 , M U D Je a ns ha s j o i ne d f o rc e s
w i t h R o t h o l z by c re a t i n g a c a p s u l e
collection in the spirit for being
c o n s c i o u s t o g e t h e r. F u r t h e r m o re ,
w e c o n d u c t e d re s e a rc h t o g e t h e r
with Greenchoice and dress the
staff of sustainable businesses
s uc h a s S t a y o k a y.
70 71The future is circular
Through working on this report we have
h a d t h e t i m e t o re f l e c t o n t h e p a s t a n d s e t
g o a l s f o r t h e f u t u re . We a re s u re t h a t w e a re
on the right track but we still have a long
w a y t o g o t o t ow a rd s 1 0 0 % re c y c l e d d e n i m .
A l o n e w e a re o n e d ro p , t o g e t h e r w e a re a n
o c e a n . We a re exc i t e d t o c o n t i n u e o u r w o r k
with universities and researchers to obtain
n ew p e r s p e c t i v e s . T h e j o u r n ey t ow a rd s 1 0 0 %
re c y c l e d d e n i m i s a g ro u p v oy a g e o n w h i c h w e
a re jo in ed by our suppliers and oth e r p ion e e r s.
2019 will bring us a lot of insights from within our
supply chain and products. We can’t wait to obtain
a l l t h i s k n ow l e d g e a n d t a k e s t e p s f ro m t h e re .
No worries, we will take you along with us.
MUD Jeans Team
“Making jeans out of 100%
recycled cotton will soon
be possible. The question
is not if but when.”
D i o n V i j g e b o o m , D e n i m S p e c ialis t & Co-own er at MU D J ean s
72 73Let’s get into SDG12 Other SDGs MUD Jeans tackles
Because SDG 12 is secretly our favorite, here we will break it down for you and show you how circular We don’t want the other SDGs to feel left out, so here is a complete list of all of them and their targets that we contribute to.
denim is changing the world. 5) Gender Equality
5.1. End all forms of discrimination against all women and girls everywhere
12) Ensure sustainable consumption & production patterns
5.5. Ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in
12.2 Sustainable management and use of natural resources political, economic and public life
We increase the resource efficiency of cotton by closing the loop through our Lease A Jeans scheme 6) Clean Water & Sanitation
supported by our reverse supply chain and mechanical recycling scheme. 6.3. By 2030, improve water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping and minimizing release of hazardous chemicals
and materials, halving the proportion of untreated wastewater and substantially increasing recycling and safe reuse globally
12.4 Responsible management of chemicals and waste
6.4. By 2030, substantially increase water-use efficiency across all sectors and ensure sustainable withdrawals and supply of
We only swear by our Cradle to Cradle certified indigo dye. It is organic and biodegradable! Our super
freshwater to address water scarcity and substantially reduce the number of people suffering from water scarcity
factory in Tunisia also uses Reverse Osmosis, recycling its water so as to limit the use of fresh water
8) Decent work & Economic Growth
to zero.
8.2. Achieve higher levels of economic productivity through diversification, technological upgrading and innovation, including
12.5 Substantially reduce waste generation through a focus on high-value added and labour-intensive sectors
Waste? MUD Jeans believe that everything holds a value and hence that there is no such thing as waste. 8.4. Improve progressively, through 2030, global resource efficiency in consumption and production and endeavour to
Our jeans are shipped in a reusable packaging and recovered for recycling. Along all our business decouple economic growth from environmental degradation, in accordance with the 10‑Year Framework of Programmes on
activities we try to exploit the value of all the materials we use. Sustainable Consumption and Production, with developed countries taking the lead.
8.5. By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including for young people and
12.6 Encourage companies to adopt sustainable practices and sustainability reporting
persons with disabilities, and equal pay for work of equal value.
Our sustainability reporting journey starts with this report! Keep an eye out for the future ones. MUD
8.7. Take immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labour, end modern slavery and human trafficking and secure
Jeans is also part of the Alliance For Responsible Denim to solve the industry’s biggest sustainability
the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labour, including recruitment and use of child soldiers, and by 2025
challenges collectively.
end child labour in all its forms.
12.8 Promote universal understanding of sustainable lifestyles 8.8. Protect labour rights and promote safe and secure working environments for all workers, including migrant workers, in
We are constantly striving to promote sustainable lifestyles and stories on our Journal. We are sharing particular women migrants, and those in precarious employment
with you the people that inspire us the most. Whether it is with Marjolein who introduced us to the Tiny 9) Industry Innovation & Infrastructure
House movement, or Anne and Elrike who share with us their actions to change the fashion industry, 9.4. By 2030, upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable, with increased resource-use efficiency
you have quite a lot to read and learn from all these cool people! Please get in touch if you want to and greater adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies and industrial processes, with all countries taking
share your story with us - we love to hear from you guys. action in accordance with their respective capabilities
9.5. Enhance scientific research, upgrade the technological capabilities of industrial sectors in all countries, in particular
12.A Support developing countries’ scientific and technological capacity for sustainable consumption
developing countries, including, by 2030, encouraging innovation and substantially increasing the number of research and
and production
development workers per 1 million people and public and private research and development spending.
We strive to develop more and more innovative and clean production techniques for the denim
13) Climate Action
industry with our production partner in Tunisia. Our collaboration to achieve this common goal has
13.3. Improve education, awareness-raising and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation,
truly benefited the factory, which is now attracting fashion brands from all around the world for its
impact reduction and early warning.
sustainability practices and know-how.
14) Life below water
12.C Remove market distortions that encourage wasteful consumption 14.1. By 2025, prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, in particular from land-based activities, including
Fast Fashion, this one is for you! You will have noticed, our prices are not quite aligned with the ones marine debris and nutrient pollution
of bigger fashion retailers in the market. Our higher price point comes from smaller quantities and a 15) Life on Land
huge concern for the environment and the people that work throughout our value chain. 15.3. By 2030, combat desertification, restore degraded land and soil, including land affected by desertification, drought and
floods, and strive to achieve a land degradation-neutral world
74 75MADE-BY Environmental Benchmark for Fibres SOURCES
Class A Class B Class C Class D Class E Unclassified
1 Remy, N., Speelman, E., & Swartz, S. (2019). Style that’s sustainable: A new fast-fashion
Mechanically Chemically Conventianl Flax (Linen) Modal Bamboo Viscose Acetate
Recycled Nylon Recycled Nylon (Lencing Viscose Product) formula. Retrieved from https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/sustainability-and-
Conventional Hemp Conventional Cotton Alpaca Wool resource-productivity/our-insights/style-thats-sustainable-a-new-fast-fashion-formula
Mechanically Chemically Poly-acrylic
Recycled Polyester Recycled Polyester
PLA Generic Viscose Cashmere Wool
Virgin Polyester 2 Quantis. (2019). Measuring Fashion. Retrieved from https://quantis-intl.com/wp-content/
Organic Flax (Linen) CRAiLAR Flax (Linen)
Ramie Rayon Leather uploads/2018/03/measuringfashion_globalimpactstudy_full-report_quantis_cwf_2018a.pdf
Organic Hemp In Conversion Cotton
Spandex (Elastane) Mohair Wool
3 Environmental Workinggroup. (2019). The Impacts - 2011 Meat Eaters Guide | Meat Eater’s
Recycled Cotton Monocel
(Bamboo Lyocell Product) Virgin Nylon Natural Bamboo Guide to Climate Change + Health | Environmental Working Group. Retrieved from https://
Recycled Wool www.ewg.org/meateatersguide/a-meat-eaters-guide-to-climate-change-health-what-you-
Organic Cotton Wool Organic Wool
eat-matters/climate-and-environmental-impacts/
TENCEL Silk
(Lenzing Lyocell Product)
4 Repack & CO2 Report. (2019). Retrieved from https://www.originalrepack.com/files/
RePack_&_CO2%20.pdf
www.made-by.org
5 2018 Best For The World: Environment Honorees – B the Change. (2019). Retrieved from
https://www.originalrepack.com/files/RePack_&_CO2%20.pdf.com/2018-best-for-the-world-
environment-honorees-1bb43d8f5531
6 The Sustainable Development Agenda - United Nations Sustainable Development. (2019).
Retrieved from https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/development-agenda
7 Sustainable consumption and production. (2019). Retrieved from https://www.un.org/
sustainabledevelopment/sustainable-consumption-production/
8 About the Sustainable Development Goals - United Nations Sustainable Development. (2019).
Retrieved from https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/sustainable-development-
goals/
9 Pulse of the Fashion Industry 2017 - Global Fashion Agenda. (2019) Retrieved from
http://globalfashionagenda.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Pulse-of-the-Fashion-
Industry_2017.pdf
10 Emission Gap Report 2018. (2019). Retrieved from http://wedocs.unep.org/bitstream/
handle/20.500.11822/26895/EGR2018_FullReport_EN.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
76 7711 Mud Jeans Certifications — paleBLUEdot llc. (2019). Retrieved from http://www.
bluedotregister.org/mud-jeans-certifications
12 JOSE ROYO TO TW · DRY INDIGO WILL REVOLUTIONIZE THE WHOLE WORLD. (2019).
Retrieved from http://www.tejidosroyo.com/en/post/jose_royo_a_tw__la_tecnologia_
dry_indigo_revoluciona_el_mundo_
13 Yusuf, M. (2018) Handbook of Textile Effluent Remediation (1st ed.).
14 Fashion and Waste: An Uneasy Relationship. (2019). Retrieved from https://www.
commonobjective.co/article/fashion-and-waste-an-uneasy-relationship
15 WHY DO WE NEED A FASHION REVOLUTION - Fashion Revolution. (2019). Retrieved
from https://www.fashionrevolution.org/about/why-do-we-need-a-fashion-
revolution/
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