Fashion is big business, there’s no way around it. Yet our beloved industry has taken a turn for the worse and is now the number two source of pollution in the world. Our connection with the clothing we buy and our appreciation of it seems to have faded due to an overkill of offer and hyper cycle of trends. We at Tenue de Nîmes believe that there is an alternative to this all in which the denim industry can contribute to a positive, bright blue future!

We produce 120 billion garments annually for the 7.7 billion people on this planet, yet 75% of those items never even reach consumers: They are overstock, badly produced, have the wrong color, or are simply not desirable. Most of these garments end up being landfill, or they are destroyed. The remaining 25% that do make it into retail are only worn 5 times averagely. Crazy isn’t it? And did you know that when you discard clothes made from non bio-degradable fabrics, they can sit in landfills for up to 200 years?

Quantity over Quality: When did more become better?

The original purpose of clothing was to keep us warm and safe, but clothes are now more than ever a means to express ourselves. Expressing yourself through clothing is a beautiful thing, yet it has got out of hand. The credo for a lot of brands became ‘more is better’. So these companies try to produce faster and launch more and more lines every year. Overstock is seen as collateral damage, while workers, suppliers and our planet pay the price.

So, we have been thinking: How could we design, produce and curate our collections differently? How can we help to let people make better choices and buy more responsibly?

Together towards change

We at Tenue de Nîmes curate beautiful, timeless, well-made and durable garments and only work with top-quality brands. We want to spread a positive message that drives change: Don’t buy stuff you don’t need, buy responsibly, cherish the products you buy and repair them when needed.

While jeans are not thought of as being especially sustainable, we believe that high quality, locally produced denim can cause a paradigm shift in the fashion industry: ‘Less but Better’.

Jeans are, in fact, pieces of clothing made to last. You don't need to own a lot of jeans, you don’t have to wash your jeans very often and denim only gets nicer with age.

What’s more sustainable than wearing a pair of denim for years on end?

Meanwhile, many of the brands we work with, such as Nudie Jeans, AgoldE and A.P.C., as well as our own premium denim label Tenue., are working hard towards a more sustainable fashion future. Great brands are experimenting with organic and recycled fabrics, cotton substitutes and more sustainable dyeing methods. We’re also trying to replace old-fashioned denim washing processes with modern, more environmentally friendly methods to give our jeans a worn look.

But we also realize it can be overwhelming to make more sustainable choices. How do you know what’s right and what’s not? 

This is why we thought of 5 to consider when buying new jeans that we believe can help you make better choices. These are things you can consider when buying any garment. 

If you need any assistance in buying responsibly, talk to our lovely store employees or send us a message — we’ll be sure to lend a helping hand!

5 THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN BUYING GREAT JEANS



1. Do I really need this?

Is this a spur of the moment purchase?

Will I actually wear and enjoy this product for a long time to come?

2. What are my jeans made of?

Is this a high-quality product made to last? 

Are the fibers used in this fabric responsible, organic or recycled?

Did you know ‘raw’ jeans require much less water to produce? They also tend to last longer!

3. Where was this made? 

Is the brand transparent where they produce and by whom?

Do you think this garment is made responsibly?

4. Did you know we will repair your jeans when they are broken?

We believe in prolonging the life of any garment!
- We provide free lifetime repairs on all jeans from our Tenue. brand.

Jeans bought at other stores are welcome to be repaired at our Tenue de Nîmes repair-shop.
 
Let’s never forget: Jeans become more beautiful with age. 



5. Do you know what to do with your old worn-out jeans if you don’t want them anymore?
We are happy to take back your worn-out Tenue. jeans.

Are your jeans really beyond repair? Let’s recycle!

We can use the fabric for repairs, or we can find other ways to put it to use.

Check out our great jeans here!