Images (left to right): Justin Jin/Panos Pictures; Nikolay Okhitin/Panos Pictures
So how does denim get that worn look? It is either hand-sanded or treated with potassium permanganate by workers in Mexico or China. Both methods are damaging to the lungs of the workers, who are often not given adequate safety gear. In addition, the waste ends up polluting the water and the farm fields of nearby communities. 
Image: Maquila Solidarity Network and the Human and Labour Rights Commission of the Tehuacan Valley
The good news is, jeans look better if you take the time to wear them in yourself. The wear patterns on jeans manufactured that way look fake, and kind of dorky, to be honest. If you really want old-looking jeans, I suggest buying them at a thrift store.
For more information, please read this transcript from NPR program Living on Earth dated July 13th, 2007.
Friday, August 31, 2007
More Reasons not to Wear "Pre-Worn" or "Stonewashed" Jeans
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2 comments:
I had no idea this was the case. I've always thought the look of pre-faded jeans was unfortunate (they never look authentic, and rank somewhere between Hard Rock Cafe jackets and Dockers pants in the pantheon of anti-cool) but this add injury to insult, so to speak.
I guess this is another example of globalization bringing local people new toxic dangers in exchange for slightly improved wages. Ruining people's health so that others can look stupid is shameful.
By the way, I like the addition of images to TFE.
that picture looks like a really, -really- poor photoshop job.
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