Okay, so I’ve been on this whole “sustainable fashion” kick lately, and it led me down a rabbit hole about denim. I kept reading about how much elastane (you know, that stretchy stuff in most jeans) is actually pretty bad for the environment. It’s a synthetic fiber, doesn’t biodegrade easily, and makes recycling jeans super difficult. So, I decided to try and find some jeans without any elastane at all.
Let me tell you, it was a way bigger challenge than I expected! I started by hitting up my usual stores. I went to, like, five different places. I picked up pair after pair, checking the little tags inside. Nope, nope, nope… always at least 1% elastane, sometimes even more! It was seriously frustrating.
I almost gave up, thinking maybe it was just impossible. But then, I decided to try searching online. I typed in “100% cotton jeans” and “rigid denim” into the search bar. It felt like searching for the needle.
- First, I checked out some of the bigger brands that I know for vintage jeans. I scrolled through pages and pages of product descriptions. A few promising leads, but most of them still had that sneaky 1% elastane.
- Then, I started looking at smaller, more niche denim brands. That’s where I finally started finding some options.
I finally found a couple of pairs that were 100% cotton! I ordered them, fingers crossed that they would actually fit and look good.
The Verdict
When they arrived, I eagerly tried them on. The first thing I noticed was how different they felt. Definitely stiffer, no stretch at all. It was a bit weird at first, since I’m so used to that stretchy denim feel. One pair fit so bad, so I returned them.
But, after wearing the jeans that fit a few times, I actually started to really like them. They feel more… substantial, I guess? And they kind of mold to your body over time, which is cool. Plus, I feel good knowing I made a more sustainable choice.
So, yeah, finding jeans without elastane is tough, but definitely not impossible. It just takes a bit more effort and looking beyond the usual fast-fashion places. I’m pretty happy with my new (old-school?) denim!
