and Development Kontoor Brands

Dhruv Agarwal Vice President of Sustainability

The amount of water used in the process of growing cotton and producing a pair of denim jeans is dependent on many factors, including the equipment used, the location of the farms and production facilities, as well as the type of denim being manufactured. However, according to estimates from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), around 2,000 gallons of water are used to grow cotton and deliver the final jean to the store. Kontoor Brands wants to change this. Therefore, one of Kontoor's primary sustainability objectives is to reduce the water required in the denim manufacturing process.

In 2019, Kontoor Brands, the global lifestyle apparel company with a portfolio led by two of the world's most iconic brands, Wrangler ® and Lee ®, introduced the first denim apparel dyed with foam. This revolutionary dyeing technique, Indigood™, uses less water than conventionally dyed denim. Indigood™ Foam-Dye replaces the traditional water and chemical vats used in conventional indigo dyeing, reducing by more than 90 percent the amount of water required to create the beloved shade of indigo blue. The foam dyeing process also reduces energy consumption and waste by more than 60 percent as compared to the conventional denim dyeing process.

Foam-dyed denim is a significant step forward for the textile industry; however, adoption at scale takes time, and more than this one process change is needed. Building on the fundamental goal of Indigood™, to use less water in textile production, Kontoor expanded its Indigood™ Program to include supporting all textile freshwater-conservation technologies. Through the Indigood™ Facility Validation Program ("The Indigood Program"), Kontoor is measuring and encouraging textile mills across the globe to adopt tailored water-saving technologies. 

The Indigood Program measures, validates, and reports textile mills' freshwater consumption and recognizes and honors the corresponding achievements (Bronze, Silver, Gold – water savings). More importantly, the Program increases awareness and encourages mills to become more strategic and creative with their water conservation solutions versus adopting certain process-specific water-saving technologies, allowing the mills to choose options that are right for their facilities and future ambitions.  

The industry is responsible for using resources wisely, driving sustainable innovations, and preserving and protecting the planet. Wherever possible, we must be challenging the status quo and encouraging the endto- end supplier network to incorporate these principles into their businesses

This work supports Kontoor's sustainability goals, yet ultimately, it improves the textile and apparel industry. While the mills participating in the Indigood™ program are significant suppliers to Kontoor and its Wrangler and Lee brands, it is essential to underscore that those same mills also supply other global apparel brands. We realize that to make the needed change; the industry must work together to create a cleaner and less wasteful future. 

Today, mills are burdened by constant audits and differing requirements from their customers, driven by the need for more standardization for evaluating sustainable and social practices. The Indigood™ Program has the potential to standardize how the industry validates and advances water savings. To date, Kontoor Brands has partnered with more than 30 mills across the globe to measure and validate their freshwater conversation claims. This is a good start, but there is much more to accomplish. Kontoor cannot do this work alone. The industry is responsible for using resources wisely, driving sustainable innovations, and preserving and protecting the planet. Wherever possible, we must challenge the status quo and encourage the end-to-end supplier network to incorporate these principles into their businesses. Expanding the Indigood™ Program to textile mills across the globe is an important step that can significantly improve freshwater conservation efforts within the textile and apparel industry. The Indigood Facility Validation Program needs to become a global standard. However, this can only happen if the industry collaborates to transform how things are done. Together, meaningful improvements can be achieved. 

The Indigood Program is a denim industry call to action for all apparel retail brands to join with Kontoor Brands to bridge the gap between sustainability and sourcing by encouraging mills to prioritize and advance water stewardship. To join this effort, contact innovation@kontoorbrands.com