Behind the Transformers Foundation Water Report

This bonus short features Andrew getting straight to the point. At Kingpins, he often hears mills talk about how they save water in their indigo dyeing process. They explain their methods, but sometimes the explanations are too technical for the audience or simply taken at face value without real verification. Over time, Andrew and his late colleague Miguel Sanchez felt the need for facts that could be compared and trusted.

That is where the new Transformers Foundation report, A Reference for Water Consumption During Indigo Dyeing, comes in. Released in July, the study compares rope dyeing and slasher dyeing, the two most common methods for dyeing indigo yarn. Participants included Morrison, often called the king of rope-dyeing machinery, Karl Mayer, known for being progressive and modern, and seven mills from around the world.

The report is a tool for anyone who wants to check claims against real data. If you want to read it yourself, you can find it here: Transformers Foundation: Indigo Report 2025.

For anyone who cares about denim, sustainability, and knowing the difference between facts and rhetoric, this short episode offers a clear look at the truth about water use in dyeing.

Episode Photo Credit: KARL MAYER for G.D.

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