Greener Closet

Jeans and denim

Scored jeans, ranked by disclosed materials

Most jeans are cotton. The score gap is usually the stretch yarn and whatever finish the listing is selling. This page ranks the denim we have already analyzed so you can see those blends instead of guessing from the word “selvedge” or “eco.”

Stain- or water-repellent denim marketing is a finish question. Without product-specific chemistry, PFAS status is unknown.

Highest-scoring jeans and denim we have analyzed

161 visible scored products match this category.

View all top-scored products
The Way-High® Gardener Cropped Jean

The Way-High® Gardener Cropped Jean

Brand: Everlane

97/100
Women'sPantsDenim
The Dunes Straight Jean

The Dunes Straight Jean

Brand: Outerknown

97/100
Men'sPants
Cole - Baggy Wide Leg Denim Jeans in Mid Wash Blue

Cole - Baggy Wide Leg Denim Jeans in Mid Wash Blue

Brand: Lucy & Yak

97/100
Women'sPantsDenim
The Beachcomber Relaxed Jean

The Beachcomber Relaxed Jean

Brand: Outerknown

97/100
Men'sPantsDenim
Low-Rise Straight Jean | Tungsten Old Blue

Low-Rise Straight Jean | Tungsten Old Blue

Brand: Everlane

97/100
Women'sPantsDenim
Women's Boyfriend Jean

Women's Boyfriend Jean

Brand: Everlane

97/100
Women'sPants
Baggy Rigid Jean

Baggy Rigid Jean

Brand: Everlane

97/100
Men'sPantsDenim
Men's Work Denim 5-Pocket Pants - Regular

Men's Work Denim 5-Pocket Pants - Regular

Brand: Patagonia

97/100
Men'sPants
The Way-High® Jean

The Way-High® Jean

Brand: Everlane

96/100
Women'sPantsDenim
The Super-Soft Relaxed Jean

The Super-Soft Relaxed Jean

Brand: Everlane

96/100
Women'sPantsDenim
The Original Cheeky® Jean

The Original Cheeky® Jean

Brand: Everlane

96/100
Women'sPantsDenim
The ’90s Forever Jean

The ’90s Forever Jean

Brand: Everlane

96/100
Women'sPantsDenim
The Way-High® Sailor Jean

The Way-High® Sailor Jean

Brand: Everlane

96/100
Women'sPantsDenim
The Way-High® Jean 2.0

The Way-High® Jean 2.0

Brand: Everlane

96/100
Women'sPantsDenim
The Traveler Straight Jean

The Traveler Straight Jean

Brand: Outerknown

96/100
Men'sPantsDenim
The Way-High® Curve Jean

The Way-High® Curve Jean

Brand: Everlane

96/100
Women'sPantsDenim
Men's Work Denim 5-Pocket Pants - Short

Men's Work Denim 5-Pocket Pants - Short

Brand: Patagonia

95/100
Men'sPantsShorts
The Super-Soft Relaxed Jean | Vintage Light Blue

The Super-Soft Relaxed Jean | Vintage Light Blue

Brand: Everlane

95/100
Women'sPantsDenim
The Rigid Way-High® Jean

The Rigid Way-High® Jean

Brand: Everlane

95/100
Women'sPantsDenim
New Standard jeans

New Standard jeans

Brand: A.P.C.

95/100
Men'sDenim
Bella Stretch Relaxed Straight Jeans

Bella Stretch Relaxed Straight Jeans

Brand: Quince

94/100
Women'sPants
The Gardener Pull-On Jean

The Gardener Pull-On Jean

Brand: Everlane

94/100
Women'sPantsDenim
Mid Rise Balloon Jeans - Washed Black

Mid Rise Balloon Jeans - Washed Black

Brand: Outland Denim

94/100
Women'sDenimPants
The Selvedge Slim-Fit Jean

The Selvedge Slim-Fit Jean

Brand: Everlane

94/100
Men'sPantsDenim

What to check on a jeans label

  1. 100% cotton or organic cotton denim usually ranks higher than stretch pairs that add elastane or polyester.
  2. A little elastane is how a lot of modern jeans fit. That is different from a poly-stretch denim that is no longer mostly cotton.
  3. Hemp shows up in some heavier denim. It is a plant bast fiber, not a gimmick name, and it usually scores well when it is a real percentage of the fabric.

Shopping for a specific brand?

See how popular jeans and denim brands stack up and find higher-scoring picks.

Have a specific item in mind?

Paste the product URL into the analyzer or paste the fabric label into the homepage checker. Both work without an account.

Jeans questions

Are rigid cotton jeans always the highest scoring?

They often rank well because the blend is simple. A high score still does not speak to dyes, finishing chemistry, or whether a water-repellent claim was backed by product-specific evidence.

Is stretch denim automatically a poor score?

No. A mostly cotton jean with a little elastane is a different blend from polyester-stretch denim. Read the percentages.

How do you score jeans?

Each product starts at 100 and is scored from its disclosed material composition and available certification information. Material-level penalties across six factors are combined in proportion to the stated fiber blend. The score compares available evidence. It is not a medical or product-safety certification. The methodology page has the details.

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