bluesign Denim Initiative 2024–2025: The Global Ripple Effect of Sustainable Denim Continues to Expand

Founded 25 years ago, bluesign® has long been a pioneer in sustainable manufacturing. In 2020, it launched the bluesign® Denim Initiative—a bold step in transforming one of fashion’s most iconic yet resource-intensive categories. Since then, the initiative has created a powerful ripple effect across the global supply chain, empowering luxury houses, premium brands, and forward-thinking mills to adopt clean chemical management and verified sustainable manufacturing at scale.

The 2024–2025 period marked a breakthrough year for the bluesign® Denim Initiative, as key industry players aligned on measurable sustainability targets, integrated bluesign® SYSTEM PARTNER manufacturers into their operations, and brought bluesign® APPROVED denim garments to market at an unprecedented scale. New partnerships, regulatory shifts, and heightened demand for transparency accelerated adoption—solidifying bluesign’s leadership in redefining the future of responsible denim.

bluesign® Welcomes Nishat Mills as New System Partner, Advancing Responsible Denim Manufacturing in South Asia

bluesign® proudly announces Nishat Mills Limited, one of South Asia’s largest vertically integrated textile companies, as its newest SYSTEM PARTNER. Based in Lahore, Pakistan, Nishat joins a growing global network of manufacturers committed to eliminating harmful substances from the supply chain and implementing cleaner, safer, and more transparent production practices.

With extensive operations in spinning, weaving, processing, stitching, and power generation, Nishat Mills plays a critical role in supplying premium fabrics and garments to leading global brands. Through this partnership, Nishat will align with the bluesign® SYSTEM, implementing rigorous environmental and chemical safety standards across its facilities.

“Achieving bluesign® certification is more than a milestone—it’s a reflection of the values we’ve built our operations on,” says Umer Shah, Executive Director at Nishat Fabrics. “Being the first mill in Pakistan to join the bluesign® SYSTEM reinforces our commitment to cleaner chemistry, safer workplaces, and more responsible resource use. We believe progress means producing with purpose—and this partnership is a step forward in that direction.”

This collaboration strengthens bluesign’s presence in South Asia, a vital manufacturing hub for the global textile supply chain. With growing regulatory and brand pressure for transparency, Nishat’s adoption of the bluesign® SYSTEM will help its customers meet emerging standards such as:

EU Digital Product Passport (DPP)
Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD)
Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD)

bluesign’s Denim Network Grows: New System Partners Driving Change

The bluesign® Denim Initiative welcomed a record number of denim-focused SYSTEM PARTNERS across the full textile ecosystem—brands, laundries, chemical suppliers, and mills—creating an unparalleled global footprint in sustainable fashion.

New Partners Include:

Brands & Retailers

Dondup (Italy)
J.Crew / Madewell (USA)

Laundries & Mills

NISHAT (Pakistan)
ISKO (Turkey)
Advance Denim (China)
Everest (Italy)
LIM Group (Italy)
Saitex Laundry & Saitex Mill (Vietnam + LA)
Pure Denim (Italy)
Prosperity Textiles (China)
Sanko Tekstil – Martelli Branch (Turkey)

Chemical Partners

Archroma
Nearchimica
Officina +39
RUDOLF
ZAITEX
DyStar
Soko Chimica

These partnerships set new benchmarks for traceable and environmentally responsible denim production, ensuring sustainability moves beyond brand storytelling and into the foundational processes of textile manufacturing.

“Denim is at the center of cultural and economic storytelling in fashion,” says Daniel Rüfenacht, CEO of bluesign®. “By partnering with mills, laundries, and brands committed to clean chemistry and transparency, we are transforming the category from the inside out.”

Luxury Supply Chain Shift: Everest & LIM Group

Two of Europe’s most advanced denim laundries—Everest Textile Technologies and LIM Group—joined the bluesign® SYSTEM in 2024. Serving Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Balenciaga, and AMIRI, these laundries now offer bluesign® APPROVED washes, establishing a new level of accountability in denim finishing, traceability, and water stewardship.

From Italy to the USA: Denim Brands Dondup & Madewell Create Consumer Impact

In Italy, Dondup—led by CEO Matteo Anchisi—became a bluesign® SYSTEM PARTNER, aligning its premium Italian-made legacy with modern environmental responsibility. Meanwhile, Madewell’s adoption of the bluesign® SYSTEM marks a major step for U.S. retailers, responding to growing consumer demand for clean and transparent supply chains.

Looking Ahead: A Blueprint for Industry-Wide Change

The bluesign® Denim Initiative offers partners a proven path to implementing best-in-class environmental and chemical standards through hands-on facility assessments and customized systems integration.

With each new partner, the ripple effect expands—encouraging upstream and downstream players, from dyehouses to raw material suppliers, to follow suit. The result? A resilient, transparent, and traceable global denim ecosystem powered by innovation, responsibility, and science.

“This is how change happens,” adds Rüfenacht. “One partner at a time—until sustainable practices are not just adopted, but expected.”

About Nishat Mills Limited

Nishat Mills is one of Pakistan’s largest and most respected textile manufacturers, known for its fully vertically integrated operations—from spinning to garment manufacturing and global distribution. With offices in Denmark, Turkey, Bangladesh, and the USA, Nishat delivers faster lead times and responsive service across international markets.

Driven by a mission to craft smart, sustainable fabric solutions, Nishat offers a vast portfolio across fashion, workwear, and performance textiles. Its dedication to innovation was recently recognized with the prestigious Lycra Most Innovative Fabric Award.

Nishat Mills: Powering Progress Through Integrated Excellence.
www.nishatmillsltd.com

About bluesign®

bluesign® helps the textile industry reduce its impact on people and the planet. Through a structured system for sustainable chemical management and responsible manufacturing, we empower brands, manufacturers, and chemical suppliers to create safer, more responsible products.

By eliminating harmful substances at the start of production, we ensure textiles meet the highest safety and environmental standards. Since 2000, over 850 industry leaders have partnered with bluesign® to drive meaningful change. bluesign® is part of SGS, the world’s leading testing, inspection, and certification company.

www.bluesign.com