# Wood-Based Denim Dawn Ellams Uses Tencel to Create a Pair of Eco-Friendly Jeans By Meghan Young | Published 2013-02-22 | Eco Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/dawn-ellams References: [psfk](http://www.psfk.com/2013/02/wood-pulp-jeans.html) & [lenzing](http://www.lenzing.com/en/fibers/tencel.html) [Dawn Ellams](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/dawn), a PhD student at the Heriot-Watt School University in Scotland, has created a pair of jeans using wood pulp instead of cotton. After having stumbled upon Tencel, a fiber that comes from wood pulp, she became determined to use it to fashion denim pants that are much more [eco-friendly than traditional ones](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mango-jeans). A traditional pair of cotton denim jeans "uses 42 liters of water, up to 15 dyeing vats and a slew of harmful chemical," as reported by Psfk, but thanks to Dawn Ellams, that could all change. Not only does her Tencel-based jeans significantly reduce the carbon footprint and water waste that normally occurs, the texture is also soft, silky and wrinkle-free. Dawn Ellams isn't the first person to use Tencel. [Underwear](http://www.trendhunter.com/trends/woodiees) and more [extensive clothing lines](http://www.trendhunter.com/trends/hm-for-water) have been known to be made out of them. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 3.8/10 - Popularity: 37% | Activity: 69% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Eco](https://www.trendhunter.com/eco) ## Key Themes ### Key Themes Behind This Trend - **Wood-based Denim:** Creating jeans using wood pulp instead of cotton, reducing the carbon footprint and water waste in the denim industry. - **Eco-friendly Fashion:** Using sustainable materials like Tencel to create clothing that is both fashionable and environmentally friendly. - **Alternative Fibers:** Exploring new materials such as wood pulp to replace traditional fabrics in the textile industry. ### Where This Applies - **Fashion:** Incorporating sustainable materials and production processes into the fashion industry to meet increasing consumer demand for eco-friendly clothing. - **Textile:** Developing innovative fabrics and fibers, such as Tencel made from wood pulp, to address sustainability concerns in the textile industry. - **Retail:** Introducing wood-based denim as a unique and eco-friendly product line in the retail industry to attract environmentally conscious consumers. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Eco-Friendly Denim Dyes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/retro-dye.md) - [Eco-Friendly Fashion Color Dyes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cone-denim-1.md) - [Organic Cotton Denim Capsules](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/icon-denim-la.md) - [Eco-Minded Denim Capsules](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/bayeas.md) - [Sustainable Stonewashed Denim](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/guess-airwash.md) - [Wood-Created Progressive Jackets](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/wooden-jacket.md) - [Banana-Based Denim Collections](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/bananabased-denim-collections.md) - [Eco-Conscious Denim Collections](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mango-jeans.md) - [Sustainable Denim Brand Collabs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/amber-valletta-x-triarchy.md)