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Everyone loves a great pair of jeans, but at what cost? Did you know it takes an estimated 1,800 gallons of water [to produce](https://www.treehugger.com/clean-technology/how-many-gallons-of-water-does-it-take-to-make.html) just one pair of jeans? The fashion industry is heading in a more [sustainable direction,](https://www.teenvogue.com/tag/sustainable-fashion) what with brands like Reformation, Stella McCartney, and Patagonia making a difference for the planet while keeping your wardrobe looking fresh, but there’s still a lot of work to be done.

On Tuesday, July 16, the [Ellen MacArthur Foundation](https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/) launched their Jeans Redesign Guidelines, part of their Make Fashion Circular initiative, and many of our favorite brands have signed on. According to the Foundation, the aim of the initiative is to “transform the way [these brands] produce jeans, tacking waste, pollution and the use of harmful practices.”

Brands like [Tommy Hilfiger,](https://www.teenvogue.com/tag/tommy-hilfiger) [H&M,](https://www.teenvogue.com/tag/h&m), GAP, and Lee Jeans have all joined forces with the Foundation and pledged to follow their guidelines when producing denim. Under the guidelines set by the Foundation, jeans must be durable and able to withstand a minimum of 30 home washes; must be produced using “cellulose fibers from regenerative, organic, or transitional farming methods” and free of hazardous chemicals; and must be easy to recycle.

“The way we produce jeans is causing huge problems with waste and pollution, but it doesn’t have to be this way,” says Make Fashion Circular lead Francois Souchet. “By working together we can create jeans that last longer, that can be remade into new jeans at the end of their use, and are made in ways which are better for the environment and the people that make them. This is just the start. Over time we will continue to drive momentum towards a thriving fashion industry, based on the principles of a circular economy.“

If a pair of jeans meets all requirements set by the foundation, they’ll be granted the use of the ‘Jeans Redesign’ logo. You’ll be able to find the first pairs of jeans created under these guidelines in 2020, making it even easier for you to look good — and feel good — in your clothing.

“Send her back.”

At President Trump’s reelection rally Wednesday night in Greenville, North Carolina, his supporters called for Rep. Ilhan Omar, the Somali congresswoman from Minnesota, to be forcibly sent back to the country where she was born.

Trump said nothing, pausing at the front of the stage while the ugly chant reverberated through the stadium.

As a Palestinian and Muslim, it is truly frightening to see the bigotry that is still alive in America. Trump has violated the very values our country supposedly holds dear: equity, religious liberty, and protection from persecution. The sitting president has himself called for four freshmen congresswomen of color — Omar and Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ayanna Pressley, and Rashida Tlaib — to “go back” to the countries they came from instead of “loudly and viciously telling the people of the United States” how to run the government.

This racist trope also happened to be completely inaccurate, as only Omar was born outside the United States. But as a fellow immigrant and American citizen, it is absurd to think that I am any less American than my peers. It is disheartening to see our president attack leaders who have inspired so many people of color, so many women, and so many people who feel like their voices have not been heard.

But this racism shows me and other youth that there is so much more to fight for, so many more victories that need to be won. The unflinching response of Omar and the other members of the “squad” is a model for the path forward.

They offer a pluralistic vision where all Americans are equal in contrast to the racism, mysogynism, and islamophobia of the Trump administration.

The “squad” has stood up not just to Trump, but to the Democratic party leaders who want to just wait in the middle. These congresswomen want to incite meaningful change and legislation by taking risks and unapologetically working for the people.

By calling for Trump’s impeachment, supporting Palestinian rights, or proposing ideas like the Green New Deal, they have transformed the national political conversation. Trump has made openly racist attempts to belittle these women because he fears their power.

All of these congresswomen, especially Omar, have handled this situation with poise and eloquence. They turned a situation filled with cynicism, jealousy, and contempt into one meant to unite people. Rep. Pressley believes that any person willing to work towards the collective good of the community is part of the “squad”. I consider myself a member, along with so many peers, my age and younger, who are constantly marching, protesting, rallying, and working to change their futures. Trump feels that simply because his voters agree with his rhetoric than most Americans do too. But he’s wrong.

After Trump’s rally, Senator Bernie Sanders tweeted #IStandWithIlhan, which quickly became a top trending hashtag on the platform.

Omar, along with the rest of the “squad,” has not stopped fighting for us and our collective future where all are free to be who they want. Free to choose a future where are all equal and unburdened by the oppression of those who would choose to divide us. #IStandWithIlhan, I #SupportHumanRights, and I am #PartofTheSquad.

Want more from Teen Vogue? Check this out: Donald Trump’s Racist Tweets Prove the Power of AOC, Ayanna Pressley, Rashida Tlaib, and Ilhan Omar’s Squad