G-Star

Thematic Area: Environment

Idea: Making denim from plastic

Introduction: Of the 400 million tons of plastic produced by U.S. factories annually, only 18 percent is recycled. According to the World Economic Forum, our oceans receive upwards of 8 billion kilograms of plastic every year. That's equal to a truckful of plastic being dumped in the ocean every minute.

Innovation: To reduce the amount of non-biodegradable waste floating in the oceans, G-Star Raw, together with Parley for the Oceans and Bionic, is making a unique contribution to the fashion industry. The companies have created the first denim collection -- Raw for the Oceans -- made from ocean plastic.

Impact: Parley sweeps the ocean for plastic and retrieves it for Bionic, which makes yarn out of it. Next, G-Star, through a sophisticated manufacturing process, turns the yarn into denim. The result is a product that looks and feels like regular denim, with the unique distinction of being born of the efforts to save the oceans.