The circular economy, cradle to cradle, upcycling. They’re all sustainability ideas that the average fashion consumer might find difficult to grasp. Enter the fashion concept launched by MudJeans. Presented as the world’s first rental denim, MudJeans’ lease a jeans concept makes the idea of a circular economy both tangible and affordable.
By signing a lease contract and paying a first installment, MudJeans customers embrace a new, sustainable way of using fashion. After 12 months, the jeans can be sent back to MudJeans, which will take care of recycling or upcycling each garment. The consumer will receive a discount on a new pair of jeans, which can be either be rented or bought.
According to MudJeans CEO Bert van Son, the lease a jeans concept aims to make sustainable fashion affordable for consumers while at the same time stimulating recycling within the fashion industry.
MudJeans is a Dutch casual wear label that has embraced sustainability as part of their business practices since their start in 2007. MudJeans uses organic, fair trade cotton and other sustainable fabrics (such as recycled PET) and works together with partners in Italy to re-use and upcycle all denim. For the lease a jeans collection, which started off with four types of jeans - two for women and two for men - MudJeans has designed for recycling, for instance by avoiding the use of any leather labels and by choosing organic cotton yarns.
MudJeans has even thought of denim lovers who tend to grow attached to their favorite pair of jeans. The lease a jeans concept allows them to extend the lease contract for many months more. In addition, the MudJeans webstore also includes items that can simply be bought instead of leased.