Cone Denim, a global leader in denim authenticity and sustainable innovation, remains committed to the responsible use of water and leading global water conservation initiatives in the manufacturing of denim fabrics, on this Earth Day. The brand has announced its next phase of water reduction initiatives including the completion of the Zero Liquid Discharge wastewater treatment facility at the Cone Denim Parras (CDP) facility located in Northern Mexico. This customized ultrafiltration and reverse osmosis system will recycle 90 percent of the water used at CDP back into the manufacturing process, leaving only a small amount of water that is lost due to evaporation needing to be replaced with fresh water. As a result, no wastewater will be discharged into the environment, and once completely operational this summer, the Zero Liquid Discharge facility will save over 140 million gallons of water a year — the equivalent of 16,000 gallons per hour.
“We are focused on a sustainable future and minimizing our impact on natural resources,” said Steve Maggard, president, Cone Denim. “To support these efforts, we’ve affirmed our commitment to the UN Sustainable Development Goals with our water conservation initiatives focused on Goal number 6: Clean Water and Sanitation. We are driving conservation efforts throughout our manufacturing processes and establishing greater transparency and improved ways to monitor, track and report our progress. We are glad to participate in the UN Global Compact and CEO Water Mandate to further collaboration among global leaders and drive meaningful change.”
Cone Denim’s Ozone Flash Finish, introduced last year across its manufacturing platform in Mexico and China, allows significant water savings in the creation of sustainable denim. In partnership with Jeanologia and their G2 Dynamic system, Cone can use 85-percent less water in the finishing of denim fabrics, compared to conventional finishing methods. In addition to significant water savings, this eco-efficient ozone technology uses less energy, fewer chemicals and allows fabrics to be engineered with an affinity for laser and eco garment washing techniques, offering additional water savings down the line. As a further commitment to raising awareness and ending the global water crisis, Cone has introduced its newest Cone Community Denim, called Clean Water selvage, featuring a teal selvage I.D. symbolic of global water awareness and made with OCS-certified organic cotton. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this collection will be donated to Water.org to support their efforts to increase access to clean water worldwide.
