Denim is one of the most recognizable fabrics in fashion, but its environmental and social footprint is complex. From cotton farming and dyeing to finishing and washing, denim touches multiple tiers of the supply chain. The Higg Index offers a standardized, data-driven framework that helps denim brands quantify and compare sustainability performance across materials, facilities, and retail operations. This guide breaks down the Higg Index in the context of denim, explains what each tool measures, and provides a practical roadmap for brands seeking measurable progress without greenwashing.
What is the Higg Index?
The Higg Index is a suite of tools designed to assess the social and environmental performance of the consumer goods value chain. It provides standardized metrics and benchmarks so brands can measure, compare, and improve sustainability across the entire product lifecycle. At its core, the Higg Index helps answer questions like: Which denim material choice has the smallest environmental footprint? How efficient are factories in dyeing and finishing processes? Are workers in supplier facilities safe and fairly treated? The tools are designed to drive transparency and informed decision-making, so brands can set credible targets and report progress in a consistent way.
In denim, the most relevant components typically include materials considerations, facility environmental performance, product-level social and labor metrics, and brand/retail governance and transparency. The Higg Index also aligns with industry efforts to reduce misinformation about environmental impact, helping brands communicate real progress to consumers and investors alike.
Why Denim Brands Should Care About the Higg Index
- Material choices drive the largest environmental footprints in denim, from cotton cultivation to dye chemistry and finishing.
- Factories involved in spinning, weaving, dyeing, and garment assembly face water, energy, and chemical management challenges that are highly variable by region and facility.
- Regulatory scrutiny and supplier expectations are tightening globally; consumers increasingly demand verifiable transparency rather than marketing claims.
- Benchmarking against peers with a standardized framework helps brands set credible roadmaps and report progress in a trusted format.
The Higg Index enables denim brands to quantify impacts, identify where to invest, and demonstrate improvements over time. For OEMs and fabric mills, using Higg data can also improve collaboration with brand partners by providing a shared language and consistent metrics across the supply chain.
Key Higg Index Modules Relevant to Denim
While the Higg Index comprises several tools, four modules are most commonly used by denim brands to cover the lifecycle from fiber to finished jeans:
1) Higg Materials Sustainability Index (MSI)
The Higg MSI evaluates the environmental footprint of materials across life cycle stages, helping brands compare denim-related inputs such as cotton, recycled cotton, elastane blends, and alternative fibers. For denim, the MSI answers questions like:
- Which cotton source (conventional vs. organic vs. recycled) yields the lowest global warming potential and water intensity?
- How do alternative fibers or blended fabrics compare in terms of energy use, chemical demand, and end-of-life recyclability?
- What is the impact of prewashing, enzyme treatments, or finishing chemicals on the overall material score?
Practical takeaway: use MSI results to guide material selection early in product development. For example, if organic cotton or recycled cotton significantly improves the MSI score without compromising quality, consider that direction for core denim lines.
2) Higg Facility Environmental Module (FEM)
The FEM measures environmental performance at manufacturing sites, including energy use, water consumption, waste, emissions, and chemical management. Denim production involves several specialized processes – dyeing, washing, finishing, and pressing – each with distinct environmental footprints. FEM helps brands understand:
- Factory energy intensity (kWh per kilogram of finished denim or per meter of fabric)
- Water withdrawal, usage, and wastewater treatment efficacy in dye houses and finishing plants
- Chemical inventories, hazard classifications, and compliance with industry best practices (e.g., ZDHC guidelines)
- Waste generation, recycling, and circularity opportunities (e.g., solid waste to energy, scrap fabric reuse)
Practical takeaway: use FEM results to prioritize improvements at the bottleneck facilities, negotiate better terms with dye houses, and collaborate on process upgrades with suppliers that yield measurable reductions in water and energy use.
3) Higg Brand & Retail Tool (HBRT)
The HBRT assesses a brand’s governance, transparency, supplier relationships, and overall ESG performance. For denim brands, this module supports:
- Mapping the supply chain from cotton field to final product and identifying high-risk stages
- Benchmarking supplier performance and setting improvement targets across tiers
- Communicating progress to consumers, investors, and retailers with standardized metrics
Practical takeaway: use HBRT to build a credible supply chain roster, align supplier expectations around data sharing and performance, and prepare for consumer-facing sustainability profiles that are trustworthy and verifiable.
4) Higg Product Social & Labor Module (PSLM) / Product Module
This module focuses on the social and labor conditions within product manufacturing and the broader social impacts of the product across the value chain. For denim, PSLM helps brands assess:
- Worker health and safety, wages, working hours, and freedom of association in facilities involved in cotton processing, weaving, dyeing, and garment assembly
- Labor rights risks and remediation plans across the supply chain
- Compliance with international labour standards and brand-specific code of conduct
Practical takeaway: incorporate PSLM findings into supplier audits and worker engagement programs. Align remediation plans with timelines and budget to drive meaningful improvements in factory conditions.
Denim-Specific Insights: Turning Higg Data into Action
Denim presents unique challenges and opportunities. Here are practical insights to maximize the value of Higg data in denim product development and sourcing:
Material choices and fiber logic
Denim is traditionally cotton-heavy, but the environmental burden of cotton farming can be mitigated by organic or regenerative cotton, improved irrigation, and better seed varieties. Blended fabrics (e.g., cotton with recycled polyester or recycled cotton fibers) can improve durability and reduce waste. Use MSI comparisons to identify which blends offer the best balance of performance and footprint for your target price point and consumer expectations.
Water and dye chemistry
Dyeing and finishing are water- and chemical-intensive. Singeing, washing, enzyme finishing, stone washing, and enzyme-based alternatives affect both water use and chemical load. FEM data helps flag facilities with high dye bath water consumption or high chemical discharge. Prioritize water recycling, zero-discharge processes, and safer dye chemistries that align with ZDHC guidelines.
Blues, finishes, and lifecycle considerations
Denim finishing can involve indigo dyeing hierarchies, multiple baths, and mechanical finishing. Evaluate lifecycle trade-offs: darker dyes may last longer but require more washing; laser finishing may reduce water use but involves energy trade-offs. MSI and FEM together help quantify these trade-offs, guiding design choices and supplier selections that minimize environmental impact without sacrificing quality.
Product durability and circularity
One path to reducing overall footprint is extending product life. By improving fabric durability and post-consumer recyclability, denim brands can lower turnover and waste. Higg MSI can highlight materials and finishes that respond well to washing cycles and consumer wear, while product-level PSLM insights can map repairability and end-of-life options.
Practical Steps to Implement the Higg Index in a Denim Brand
- Define a denim product portfolio scope: identify core denim lines, wash types, finishes, and accessory components to assess first.
- Map the supply chain in granularity: cotton farms, yarn spinners, fabric mills, dye houses, finishing plants, sewing and assembly facilities, and logistics partners.
- Establish data collection protocols: determine required data points for MSI, FEM, PSLM, and HBRT. Set data quality standards and data governance roles across internal teams and suppliers.
- Run a pilot program: select a single factory or product family to collect data, run Higg assessments, and identify high-impact improvements (e.g., dye-house water reuse or energy efficiency retrofits).
- Engage suppliers with capacity-building plans: share targets, provide training, and implement joint improvement projects with clear timelines and budgets.
- Set credible targets and timelines: base targets on baseline data, industry benchmarks, and peer performance. Include short-term wins and long-term goals.
- Integrate Higg insights into product development and sourcing decisions: use MSI and FEM data to guide material selection, process choices, and supplier selection criteria.
- Communicate with transparency: prepare consumer-facing sustainability profiles and brand disclosures that reflect Higg data. Use third-party verification where possible.
Practical takeaway: the value of the Higg Index lies not only in data collection but in the disciplined use of that data to drive targeted improvements, signature material choices, and credible storytelling that resonates with consumers and retail partners alike.
Transparency and Consumer Communication: The Role of Sustainability Profiles
Industry leaders like H&M Group have discussed using Higg Sustainability Profiles to communicate environmental and social performance to consumers. For denim brands, publishing verified Higg-based profiles can help answer common consumer questions: What is the water footprint of our jeans? How are workers treated in the supply chain? What progress has the brand made in reducing chemical use or improving recyclability?
“Transparency is no longer optional; it’s a competitive differentiator.”
To implement credible profiles, ensure the data is current, localized to product variants where possible, and supported by third-party verification or certification. Pair profiles with actionable materials such as design guidelines (e.g., preferred fiber blends), supplier scorecards, and roadmaps for continuous improvement.
Data Quality, Governance, and Risk Management
Data quality is critical for meaningful Higg outputs. Denim brands should:
- Invest in data governance with defined owners for each module (MSI, FEM, PSLM, HBRT)
- Establish validation processes to catch outliers and ensure consistent measurement across facilities
- Encourage supplier participation by offering training, technical support, and incentives for data transparency
- Mitigate data privacy and competitive concerns through secure data sharing agreements
With strong governance, the Higg Index becomes a reliable engine for continuous improvement rather than a one-off audit. It also helps brands withstand scrutiny from buyers, investors, and consumers who expect consistent, verifiable progress.
Lessons from Industry Adoption and Practical Takeaways
Even without naming specific brands, the following patterns recur when denim brands adopt the Higg Index effectively:
- Starting with high-impact product lines (e.g., core jeans with multiple washes) yields the fastest returns on data-driven improvements.
- Prioritizing water and chemical management at dye and finishing facilities yields large, measurable reductions in FEM metrics.
- Material substitution—such as organic cotton or recycled fibers—often improves MSI scores while maintaining quality and consumer acceptance.
- Supplier collaboration accelerates impact; sharing best practices and co-funding improvements can unlock capital-intensive upgrades.
These lessons align with the broader goal of building brand credibility through rigorous measurement and transparent reporting. Denim brands that embed the Higg Index into product development, supplier management, and communications tend to achieve more consistent, credible progress over time.
Next Steps for Your Denim Brand
- Identify a pilot denim product family and a core facility group to begin data collection across MSI, FEM, PSLM, and HBRT.
- Engage suppliers early: explain the value of data sharing, provide training, and establish a joint improvement roadmap.
- Benchmark against industry peers and establish realistic short- and long-term targets that align with business goals and brand promises.
- Develop consumer-facing profiles that clearly communicate progress, with earned media and retailer collaborations to amplify impact.
- Review and refresh data governance annually to maintain accuracy and relevance as product lines evolve.
By following these steps, denim brands can convert the complexity of the supply chain into a structured, measurable program that reduces environmental impact, improves social outcomes, and builds lasting trust with consumers and partners alike.
Closing Thoughts: A Practical Path Forward
The Higg Index is more than a data collection exercise; it is a framework that translates supply chain complexity into actionable insights. For denim brands, the combination of MSI, FEM, PSLM, and HBRT provides a comprehensive view of how choices at every stage—from fiber selection to finishing to retail governance—shape the sustainability profile of a pair of jeans. When implemented with governance, supplier collaboration, and credible communication, the Higg Index can help denim brands build resilient supply chains, reduce environmental footprints, and earn the trust of conscious consumers who want to know the true cost of their favorite denim.
As Newasia Garment and its Aevonfashion brand demonstrate, strong OEM/ODM partnerships can leverage the Higg Index to push for scalable improvements across large production volumes, aligning technical capability with sustainability ambition. The path is data-driven, collaborative, and iterative, with ongoing opportunities to refine materials, processes, and storytelling in ways that benefit people and the planet without sacrificing product quality or value.
