Nudie Jeans is based on an idea. This idea is in turn composed of several concepts, beliefs, and a good portion of old fashioned fighting spirit. The pursuit of doing the opposite was one of the main reasons the brand got started, although not an end in itself. It was rather the passion for dry denim that pointed the brand in that direction. The raw, untreated fabric had at the time been falling into oblivion, and it wasn't sought after by the public.

Nudie Jeans’ environmental philosophy was present even before the first collection was designed. Back then, organic cotton had been around for a while, but more or less as a fly-by. The demand for these fabrics was on the decrease. The supply followed. Yet another opportunity to do the opposite. Driven by conviction and determination, the process for an all-organic denim brand took off. The share of sustainable materials increased over the years, and since 2012 all Nudie Jeans denim is made with 100% organic cotton.

In contrast to organic cotton, conventional cotton accounts for 25% of the global use of artificial pesticides but covers only 3% of the farmland. Obtaining one kilo of conventional cotton takes the same amount of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, and biocides. This quantity can’t be considered as ”lagom”. It’s not ”just the right amount”.

The most environmentally friendly would be if we all went naked, cultivated our own food, and asked our gut for advice instead of a Silicon Valley-based oracle. Our environmental policy doesn’t reach that far. We still make jeans. It’s our passion. But we made the choice to manufacture our product in a fair and ethical way. An opportunity every company is given, but too few take.

Nudie Jean Skinny Lin