Mud Jeans is scaling its use of recycled cotton from pre-owned jeans.
Last week the circular brand launched new two jeans made with 55 percent post-consumer recycled cotton sourced through its pioneering take-back program. The B Corp described the launch as a “breakthrough” that “pushes Mud Jeans far beyond the industry’s typical 20–40 percent ceiling for recycled content.”
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The men’s Ben Mid Baggy is made with 33 percent post-consumer recycled cotton and 67 percent SaXcell, a manmade cellulose fiber made from RCS-certified cotton sourced from pre- and post-consumer textile waste and FSC-certified wood pulp.
The non-stretch jean has a dry indigo wash and features curved legs with an extra seam for structure and oversized back pockets.
The women’s Brooke High Barrel in stone vintage is made with 57 percent post-consumer recycled cotton and is blended with organic cotton and Tencel lyocell fiber with Refibra technology.
The jeans retail for 149.95 euros (approximately $173) or can be leased through Mud’s Lease program for 12.50 per month (approximately $15).
The new jeans mark a pivotal step on the Dutch brand’s Road to 100 mission to create jeans made entirely from old denim, eliminating the need for virgin cotton altogether. In 2022, the brand trialed jeans made from 100 percent post-consumer recycled cotton.
Since its founding in 2012, Mud Jeans has incentivized customers to return worn-out jeans through a take-back program. In exchange for their unwanted jeans, customers receive a 10-euro discount on new jeans.
Fabrics are shredded, cleaned, and spun into new yarn. Advance fiber recovery processes and high-quality spinning ensure the fabric is durable, comfortable and maintains an authentic denim look. New jeans are woven from these fibers, worn, repaired through the brand’s repair service, and eventually recycled again.
The brand, which recently became first denim brand to achieve the TESTEX Circularity Label, says this circular loop process reduces CO₂ emissions by 47 percent, saves up to 90 percent water compared to industry standards and cuts waste.
