From Stonewash to System Change: Denim’s Journey to a Sustainable Future

Few fabrics carry as much cultural weight as denim. From counterculture in San Francisco to the runways of Paris, denim has been reimagined, reworked, and reengineered for generations. But behind its enduring appeal lies a complicated legacy: one of heavy resource use, chemical pollution, and unsustainable finishing processes.

At Munich Fabric Start, Future Fashion Assembly brought together two leaders shaping the next chapter in denim’s story: Adriano Goldschmied, often called the “Godfather of denim,” and Thomas Leary of Baytech Sustainable Technologies, pioneers of a pumice-free finishing stone technology, HMS (HandMade Stone). Their conversation charted denim’s journey - from its stonewash origins to the system-level innovations reshaping its future.

The Birth of Finishing

“Finishing is a very complex thing in denim,” Adriano explained. “It involves machines, technology, chemicals, and most importantly, human knowledge.”

In the 1970s, he and Luigi Martelli pioneered modern denim finishing, inspired by San Francisco’s hippies who embroidered, patched, and personalized jeans. Their breakthrough came in 1978: stonewashing. The technique transformed jeans into a global fashion staple, making worn-in denim a universal language of style.

The Wake-Up Call

The early years of finishing were, in Adriano’s words, “mentally free.” Designers experimented without considering the consequences. That changed in the early 1990s. On a trip to China, Adriano saw a river turned bright blue from denim effluent. “My God, you have to do something,” he recalled.

This moment marked the shift from pure creativity to responsibility. The industry began searching for ways to reduce water, chemical, and energy use - the beginnings of sustainability in denim finishing.

Technology and Design, No Longer in Conflict

For years, designers saw technology as a threat to creativity. “At the beginning, we didn’t like technology very much,” Adriano admitted. But over time, tools like lasers and sustainable stones proved that innovation could expand creativity, not limit it.

He highlighted HMS’s work: replacing pumice with a durable, reusable stone. Traditional pumice creates toxic sludge, damages machines, and consumes enormous resources. By contrast, HMS reduces pumice use by 90% - from 600 tonnes per million garments to just 16 - while maintaining the same worn-in aesthetic - plus you’re getting more with less.

For HMS, sustainability is about more than optics: “There are so many ways you can interpret sustainability. For us, really, it’s durability that is a core component.”

Commercial Proof: Adoption at Scale

Innovation in fashion often stumbles not on creativity, but adoption. HMS has worked hard to overcome that barrier.

“The more people they can hear from someone else, the easier it is to get the ball rolling,” Thomas reflected. “Thankfully we crossed the point of really attracting some large brands. Now we’re official vendors with Levi’s, with Kontoor, and then Inditex and H&M.”

Beyond adoption, HMS has invested heavily in compliance and certifications. “We have all kinds of certificates that really release a lot of stress in the industry… it’s the only stone that’s green on the EIM grading system.”

Education: Passing the Torch

For Adriano, education is now the denim industry’s most urgent task. “You don’t change the world by yourself. You need to create teams all over the world, collaborating in changing processes and technology,” he said.

Designers, he argued, must understand not only fabrics and fits but also the science of washing, finishing, and impact. His advice to the next generation: “After your first education, go and be an intern in a place where the craft is created.”

What’s Next: Digital Denim

Even after decades at the forefront, Adriano is still experimenting. His latest project explores digitally printed denim using HMS for the abrasion, a process that could reduce water use further, cut inventory waste, and bring flexibility to design. Early tests show that these fabrics can withstand HMS finishing techniques, opening the door to new commercial and creative possibilities.

From Icon to Innovation

Denim has always been more than fabric. It is rebellion, craft, identity - and now, a laboratory for system change.

For Adriano, the lesson is clear: “Sustainability is not about marketing. For me, marketing is zero. What is important is what you do.”

And for HMS, the proof is durability, scale, and trust: from toxic sludge-free factories to partnerships with some of the world’s largest brands.

For us at Future Fashion Assembly, we believe the same. Denim’s story proves that when creativity, technology, and responsibility align, the industry doesn’t just evolve - it transforms. 

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