How Sustainable are These Three Celebrity-Endorsed Jean Brands?
Celebrity jean ads have become the Internet’s favorite topic, and a controversial one at that. While it may be tempting to choose your next pair of jeans based on the celebrity that appeals to you most, it’s just as important to consider the environmental impacts of these denim companies. Fast fashion brands use celebrity appeal to sell an image or a feeling but ultimately result in a physical product that requires human labor and planetary resources to create.
Let’s dive into the environmental impacts of these viral celebrity jeans:
American Eagle
American Eagle (AE) has become infamous for its controversial “Sydney Sweeney Has Good Jeans” ad, which brought conversations about the denim industry to the forefront. The ad featured Sweeney posing suggestively while saying, "Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair color, personality and even eye color. My jeans are blue."
While we won’t comment on the commercial and its backlash, let’s examine AE’s sustainability. The brand is currently rated as “Poor” by sustainable spending app Commons and “Not Good Enough” by sustainability rating site Good on You. While the brand has a takeback program, uses some recycled materials, and has set a science-based target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in its supply chain, there is no evidence that AE is on track to meet its climate target. None of AE’s supply chain is certified by key labor standards, and it does not have an animal welfare policy.
Gap
Seemingly in response to AE’s controversial ad, Gap released its own jean advertisement starring members of the girl group KATSEYE dancing to Kelis’ “Milkshake”. Fans praised the advertisement for its diversity, featuring KATSEYE members with ethnic roots from the Philippines, South Korea, Venezuela, Cuba, India, Sri Lanka, Ghana, Italy, Switzerland, and Hawaii.
Gap is rated as “Fair” by Commons and “It’s a Start” by Good on You, a step up from American Eagle. Gap appears to be on track to meet science-based targets for its supply chain and has a biodiversity protection policy in place. There are fair labor and animal welfare policies in place that indicate an effort to improve the company’s practices, but further work is required to ensure all workers are paid a living wage and to align animal welfare practices with the Five Domains of Animal Welfare. Critics note that at its core, Gap still runs on an unsustainable fast fashion model that fuels overconsumption and high product turnover.
Levi’s
Levi’s was the first company to sell blue jeans and became the first denim company to have a Beyoncé song written about them. The music superstar created her own jean collection with the brand titled “BEYONCÉ X LEVI’S®” and filmed a viral advertisement while her song “LEVIIS JEANS” played in the background.
Levi’s is rated as “Good” by Commons and “It’s a Start” by Good on You. The denim empire primarily uses sustainable fibers to make its clothes and offers resale, repair, and warranty programs to extend the garment’s life. Its animal welfare policies are aligned with the Five Domains of Animal Welfare, although it still uses some leather and wool. Levi’s has also set science-based targets, publicly reports on its emissions, and has workplace safety policies in place. However, it could still improve by providing more detailed impact reporting and more financial security to its suppliers.
At the end of the day, celebrity jean ads can be fun to watch and discuss, but they rarely give us a deeper look at what’s really going on behind the scenes. Choose wisely!
Katy Ho (she/her) is a Cantonese Canadian writer, activist, and daughter of refugees who explores the intersections of gender, climate, and pop culture through her work. She is the founder of BAD ASIAN, a community that is building the discourse around Asian feminism. When she’s not writing about feminism and climate justice, you can find her hosting book club meetings, visiting her local thrift store, and coaching the next generation of climate leaders.