Contrary to what’s been popular belief, performance and social sustainability can cohabitate.
Cone Denim announced Wednesday a new partnership with Thread International to expand its S Gene collection with post-consumer recycled content. Touted as the “next level of socially sustainable denim fabrics,” Cone’s new S Gene+ with Thread will be the mill’s most advanced power stretch denim.
S Gene, which celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2017, is made with dual core technology designed to provide stretch and recovery. The yarn is wrapped in a spun covering to provide a soft cotton hand and natural appearance with added stretch performance.
Thread International produces fabrics made with post-consumer recycled plastic bottles. Additionally, the company’s First-Mile branded recycled polyester supports thousands of jobs and income opportunities in Haiti, Honduras and Taiwan.
By transforming waste into usable products, Cone says the materials fulfill the market’s demand for eco-conscious products.
“Our exclusive denim partnership with Thread International further affirms Cone Denim’s commitment to not just sustainability but also social responsibility,” said Kara Nicholas, Cone Denim vice president of product design and marketing.
S Gene+ with Thread will be part of Cone’s Sustainablue initiative, a range of environmentally friendly fabrics comprised of denim constructions using recycled cotton, recycled polyester and other sustainable yarns.
“This exciting addition to Cone’s S Gene collection offers the authentic look and feel of traditional denim with advanced stretch, recovery and durability in an eco-friendly fabric,” Nicholas added. “Consumers can feel good about these fabrics knowing that each yard is made with repurposed material that is creating jobs and supporting underdeveloped communities.”
In November, Cone debuted S Gene constructions with Unifi’s recycled polyester fiber, Repreve. Jeans made with the fiber contain as many as three post-consumer plastic bottles.
This month Cone’s facilities in Mexico received Oeko-Tex Standard 100 certification on selected denim products. The certification provides transparency in the textile supply chain and assures consumers that certified products have been produced without the use of illegal, regulated or other known harmful substances.
