Cone Denim’s initiatives to conserve water, source better fibers and reduce greenhouse gas emissions are delivering results.
The Elevated Textiles-owned mill, which has production facilities in Mexico and China, recent published a 2024 Sustainability Report that outlines key reductions made in 2023 and how specific product ranges are strategic in helping Cone achieve its sustainability goals.
Measured monthly by an internal dashboard that tracks progress and opportunities, and verified and certified by objective third parties, Cone said it has charted a “course to a more sustainable future.”
In 2023, Cone exceeded its 2025 water saving goal by more than 250 percent. The mill achieved a 62.9 percent reduction in absolute water usage from the 2016 baseline, according to the report.
Equipped with a zero liquid discharge reverse osmosis water filtration, Cone’s Parras, Mexico facility has played a key role in its overall water reduction. In 2023, it became the first North American textile plant to earn bronze status from Kontoor Brands’ Indigood Program, an initiative that verifies supply chain partners who are actively reducing their freshwater consumption.
The company was also recognized by the Mexican government for its contribution to cleaner energy production. The report states that a cogeneration plant at the Parras factory produced 90 percent of the facility’s electrical needs in 2023 and is 25 percent more efficient than conventional power generation. It delivers a 26 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.
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Cone is also scaling its renewable energy usage at its Jiaxing, China hub. Construction on the mill’s first rooftop solar project will be finished this year and will generate up to 10 MWH of electricity a year, providing a 7 percent reduction in the factory’s annual greenhouse gas emissions.
The report describes how partnerships with environmental organizations, traceability system partners and branded fiber producers have helped Cone build better products .
In 2023, Cone expanded its partnership with forensic traceability firm Oritain and its use of RCS certifications. It also became one of the first mills in Mexico to establish an RCS-certified supply chain for recycled cotton.
Product highlights in 2023 include the Sustainblue fabric collection that uses Jeanolgoia/Ozone Flash Finish technology to drive down the amount of water used in the finishing process. Compared to standard finishes, the collection reduces energy consumption by 14 percent, chemical usage by 39 percent and reduces water by 85 percent, the mill reports.
Cone introduced its first 100 percent cotton denim called Bonzai in 2023 as well as its first denim to incorporated Renewcell’s Circulose pulp. The mill also partnered with zero-waste designer Danielle Elsener on a collection that combined zero-waste design with Jeanolgia’s sustainable finishing technology.