The denim industry continues to make measurable progress on its sustainability journey, according to the second annual Denim Industry Progress & Insights 2025 report released today by EIM (Environmental Impact Measurement).
The report, based on the analysis of over 100,000 real denim finishing processes, shows that 66% of processes are now classified as low impact — a significant improvement that reflects the industry’s increasing focus on resource optimisation and more efficient technologies.
Key findings from the 2025 report:
- Water consumption has stabilised at approximately 30 litres per garment, indicating that major gains achieved in previous years have now reached a plateau.
- Energy performance is the strongest area, with 85% of processes classified as low impact, thanks to equipment modernisation and greater automation.
- Worker health impact has improved considerably, with 68% of processes now rated low impact, largely due to the replacement of manual techniques with automated solutions.
- Chemical impact remains the industry’s biggest challenge, with 27% of processes still classified as high impact. The continued use of generic chemicals, lack of formulation transparency, and legacy practices such as pumice stones and potassium permanganate are the main limiting factors.
“The industry has proven that it can improve when it measures its impact,” said Begoña García, creator of EIM and co-author of the report. “But the next step requires accelerating the adoption of better technologies and leaving behind practices that are no longer sustainable. Today more than ever, we need reliable data to make informed decisions.”
EIM evaluates garment finishing processes across four key categories: water consumption, energy consumption, chemical impact, and worker health impact. Each process is classified as low, medium, or high impact, providing brands and manufacturers with a clear, comparable, and objective benchmark.
The annual report is designed to help the denim sector track performance, identify improvement areas, and support transparent communication of environmental progress.
