Key Insights
Essential data points from our research
The global denim jeans market was valued at approximately $64.62 billion in 2022
The denim market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 6.74% from 2023 to 2028
The U.S. denim jeans market reached $17.1 billion in 2022
Approximately 450 million pairs of jeans are sold every year in the U.S.
Women’s jeans account for more than 60% of denim sales globally
Asia Pacific held the largest share—over 35%—of the global denim market in 2022
Levi Strauss & Co reported net revenues of $6.2 billion in 2023
The average American owns 7 pairs of jeans
50% of the world’s denim is produced in Asia, with China, India, and Bangladesh being major producers
Bangladesh exported $3.73 billion worth of denim apparel in 2022
The average pair of jeans requires about 1,800 gallons of water to produce
35% of consumers consider sustainability when purchasing denim products
The US imported $4.1 billion worth of denim apparel in 2022
Consumer Behavior and Demographics
- Women’s jeans account for more than 60% of denim sales globally
- The average American owns 7 pairs of jeans
- 35% of consumers consider sustainability when purchasing denim products
- Online sales account for 30% of global denim jeans purchases
- Distressed denim represents roughly 20% of denim fashion sales globally
- 75% of consumers believe denim should be more sustainable
- 75% of total denim production is consumed by North America and Europe
- 82% of Gen Z shoppers want sustainable jeans
- The average lifecycle of jeans is about 3.5 years
- 48% of consumers are willing to pay more for eco-friendly jeans
- The average consumer washes jeans after 4-6 wears
- The average cost of a pair of jeans in the US is $45
- Women’s denim drives 55% of repeat purchases
- Denim-related Pinterest searches rose 25% in 2023 compared to 2022
- The oldest pair of Levi's jeans dates back to the 1870s
Interpretation
Denim may be timeless enough to outlast centuries, but with women driving the market, sustainability sparking Gen Z devotion, and nearly half of consumers ready to pay more to do good in their $45 blues, it's clear the future of jeans is as much about values as it is about vintage style.
Innovation and Technology
- Laser and ozone are now used in over 30% of premium denim finishing
- Denim brands using blockchain for traceability grew 150% from 2021 to 2023
- One in three denim brands are adopting AI for trend forecasting
Interpretation
The denim industry is trading in its old blues for high-tech hues, as lasers, blockchains, and AI weave a smarter, cleaner future into your favorite pair of jeans.
Market Size and Growth
- The global denim jeans market was valued at approximately $64.62 billion in 2022
- The denim market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 6.74% from 2023 to 2028
- The U.S. denim jeans market reached $17.1 billion in 2022
- Approximately 450 million pairs of jeans are sold every year in the U.S.
- Asia Pacific held the largest share—over 35%—of the global denim market in 2022
- Levi Strauss & Co reported net revenues of $6.2 billion in 2023
- Stretch denim accounted for 25% of denim fabric sales in 2021
- The EU accounts for around 35% of world denim consumption
- Raw denim has seen a 15% year-on-year increase in search interest
- Gap Inc. sold over 200 million pairs of denim worldwide in 2019
- Stretch denim popularity has doubled since 2012
- Jean styles such as skinny jeans are declining, dropping 10% year-over-year in 2023
- Digital printing for denim is growing at 16% per year
- Asia Pacific denim market expected to reach $35 billion by 2027
- Global sales of premium denim valued over $24 billion in 2022
- Secondhand denim sales have risen 40% from 2020 to 2022
- India’s domestic denim consumption is expected to reach $12 billion by 2025
- Over 50 million pairs of jeans are sold annually in the UK
- USA consumes roughly 39 million pairs of jeans annually
- Rental jeans programs are growing at 12% annually
- Denim jackets have seen a 60% rise in resale market value over the past 5 years
- Garment dyeing for denim saw 18% growth in 2023
Interpretation
Denim may be timeless, but the numbers show it's anything but static—stretching into new markets, shrinking old styles, and threading sustainability and innovation into a $65 billion global fabric that still comfortably fits both tradition and transformation.
Production and Manufacturing
- 50% of the world’s denim is produced in Asia, with China, India, and Bangladesh being major producers
- The average pair of jeans requires about 1,800 gallons of water to produce
- Denim production contributes 5% of the world’s wastewater
- Japan is known for high-end selvage denim with prices exceeding $300 per pair
- Indigo dye used in denim production totals about 45,000 tons per year
- Cotton is used in over 90% of denim fabric blends
- The denim recycling rate remains below 1% globally
- Denim makes up 8% of U.S. textile waste annually
- Cone Denim, founded in 1891, was one of the largest white oak denim mills in the U.S.
- Organic cotton denim grew by 12% in production in 2022
- 33% of denim produced worldwide contains elastane for stretch
- Levi's Water<Less production has saved over 3 billion liters of water since 2011
- Only 1 in 10 jeans in the EU are made using recycled denim fibers
- Fabric finishing accounts for 20% of denim production’s environmental impact
- Over 2 billion meters of denim fabric are produced annually worldwide
- Over 30 billion liters of water saved globally using sustainable denim practices annually
- Dyeing accounts for over 50% of denim’s carbon footprint
- 80% of denim brands have begun implementing circular economy strategies
- Most jeans use between 6-12 hardware components: buttons, rivets, zippers, etc.
- Using laser finishing can reduce chemical use in denim by 90%
- The average worker in Bangladesh earns less than $100/month making denim apparel
- Microfibers from denim contribute to 20% of fashion-related ocean pollution
- The average denim sewing operator sews over 400 pairs monthly
- Sustainable denim reduces carbon footprint by 20%-30%
- Up to 40% of denim production scraps are recyclable
Interpretation
Behind every pair of jeans lies a paradox stitched in style and sustainability—a global industry that stretches from the high-tech looms of Japan to the low-wage factories of Bangladesh, gulping down gallons of water, belching out wastewater, and yet inching toward redemption through recycled fibers, laser tech, and a slow but steady shift toward circular fashion.
Trade and Export Trends
- Bangladesh exported $3.73 billion worth of denim apparel in 2022
- The US imported $4.1 billion worth of denim apparel in 2022
- Turkey is the second-largest supplier of denim apparel to the EU
- Denim trade represents about 2% of global apparel trade
- Mexico is among the top 5 exporters of denim fabric
- China exported over $1.5 billion worth of denim fabric in 2022
- Global denim exports fell by 6% in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic
Interpretation
In a world stitched together by style and supply chains, denim tells a tale where Bangladesh wears the crown, China weaves the fabric, and a pandemic-induced dip in global demand couldn’t fade the enduring blue of this $60-billion industry.