This post was sponsored by MUD jeans and they sent me product to review. All thoughts my own.

Over the years I’ve had a turbulent relationship with jeans. I’m really short and I have unusual proportions, which always makes finding any trousers a bit of a nightmare. If they aren’t too long they’re either too tight on the waist or too loose at the bottom, and no one loves that unintentional baggy knee which seems to plague me wherever I go. I’ve only recently realised how much this problem was exacerbated by growing up smack bang in the middle of the emo generation, when the skinniest of skinny jeans were all the rage. Whilst I never went full emo myself, I don’t think I’ve owned a non-skinny pair of jeans since 2003. In recent months I’ve been branching out into the world of non-denim sustainable trousers, but I’ve still found myself dissatisfied that I couldn’t find a pair of jeans, the ultimate wardrobe staple, that I really love and that fit me.

When MUD Jeans reached out and asked if I would like to review a pair of their sustainable jeans, I realised that this was an opportunity to try something new out for size, both literally and figuratively. And so instead of asking for skinny jeans, I decided to try boyfriend jeans instead.

I’ve been wary of boyfriend jeans in the past. I’d always liked the idea of them, but I’d only ever really seen them modelled on tall women, so I couldn’t figure out how they’d actually look on me. Would they drown me out and make me look even shorter, or would they give off that ‘relaxed, effortless cool gal’ vibe I was hoping for? After testing my pair of boyfriend jeans in light stone I’m now glad to report that I think it’s the latter! Even if you don’t agree, it’s how I feel when wearing them, which is ultimately what matters when it comes to how we dress. I’m so comfy and so unrestricted, which is a feeling I have not associated with jeans in a very, very long time.

So who are MUD Jeans? This Dutch company was founded by Bert van Son. After working for 30 years in fashion, particularly living in China and working in the textile industry, he saw the impact that fashion has on the planet and other people, and became determined to create an alternative. Nowadays MUD sell both sustainable jeans and run their Lease A Jeans programme; letting you rent jeans for a small fee each month until you’re done with them, you can then return these jeans to MUD who recycle them into new products. Alongside their leasing programme MUD also have several other green credentials to their name:

MUD Jeans Ethics & Sustainability

  • Their jeans are made from 40% recycled jeans and 60% organic cotton. Recycled cotton saves around 40% of water, uses no pesticides or insecticides, and diverts textile waste going to landfill. They recycle jeans by shredding them and mixing them with new organic cotton to create a new yarn. They also use responsible packaging and print their labels on to the jeans, instead of using leather.
  • They have a certified carbon neutral product line and supply chain, you can read their full study here.
  • Their mills recycle 85% of their water and produce no waste water, whilst their manufacturer recycles up to 90% of water consumed.
  • Their wash techniques are much better for the environment, as they use laser and ozone methods. Lasers replace the need for sandpaper and the chemical potassium permanganate, making jeans stronger as the yarns are less damaged, and preventing the use of harmful substances. While chemical bleaching or stonewashing uses six to seven washes and rinses, ozone finishing requires two to three, releases nothing into the environment except oxygen and reducing energy consumption.
  • They work with one manufacturer in Tunisia. This factory values transparency, fair wages and good working conditions, and MUD visit frequently. They are also part of the Young Designer Program of Fairwear Foundation. You can read their audit report here, they aren’t perfect but they are transparent about where they want to grow, and they believe by forming a partnership with one manufacturer they can create real relationship and help them improve.
  • They’ve also won multiple awards, including the Sustainability Leadership Award and PETA Vegan Awards.

You can read more on MUD’s sustainability here and their factories here. They also state that their goals for the future are to use no chemicals at all, to  ensure a closed circuit for 100% water recycling if they need to use it, and to produce the first carbon neutral pair of jeans, which are some pretty admirable aims.

The one thing I will mention about these jeans is that they were way too long when I first got them, despite opting for the shortest length available. That being said that really isn’t uncommon for me, nearly every pair of trousers I own have been taken in in some way for me (except these ethical trousers), but just be aware that if you’re a wee one like me you may require a trip to the tailor.

Aside from that, I am now officially on the boyfriend jean bandwagon. It didn’t actually take too long to break in these jeans, and now I never want to take them off. They’re my favourite colour of denim, meaning they’re even versatile enough to go with crazy vintage jumpers like this one, and I don’t think they drown me at all. They’re baggier than what I’ve been wearing for the last fifteen years, but not in such a way that they make me look like I’m a different size or shape, they just fit a little looser. They’re comfy and adaptable, essentially they’re the staple I’ve been struggling to find for a while now. They’re also great quality denim, meaning they’re going to be sticking around for the long haul. But even if I do one day tire of them, I can return them to MUD to be recycled into new jeans anyway.

So if you’re on the hunt for some sustainable, long lasting denim look no further than MUD. They’re ideal for a capsule wardrobe, minimalist closets and ethical fashion lovers alike.

 Photos by Gianna Scavo