A roundup of top stories includes Uganda sealing its border with Congo over a rare Ebola surge, a fatal tank rupture at a Washington paper mill leaving 9 missing, and a US military strike against Iran amid Trump's comments. Other headlines cover bipartisan college sports legislation, the cheapest 2026 cars, an Argentine viral animal identity trend, Berlin Zoo's elderly gorilla Fatou turning 69, heart risks for night owls, Bolivia protest visuals, barriers to psychiatric ancestry research, Google's AI advances, gardening myths debunked, Pope Leo XIV's slavery apology, and high ICE suicide rates.
Uganda closes its border with Congo, where suspected cases of a rare Ebola type are surging9 missing after Washington paper mill tank rupture and officials say there's no hope of survivorsUS military conducts another strike against Iran after Trump says Iran is 'negotiating on fumes'Key Sens.
Cruz, Cantwell look to break college sports logjam in Congress with a bipartisan billAP Entertainment WireThese are the five least expensive new cars you can buy in 2026, according to EdmundsViral phenomenon in Argentina has young people identifying themselves as animalsFatou, the world's oldest gorilla living in captivity, celebrates her 69th birthday at Berlin ZooBeing a night owl may not be great for your heart but you can do something about itA photo captures tear gas drifting across a mountain road during Bolivia protestsBeing a night owl may not be great for your heart but you can do something about itHow state laws can stymie research into your ancestors' psychiatric recordsGoogle announces slew of AI advances, including a personal AI assistant coming soonGardeners often hear about supposed hacks and quick fixes.
Here are some common ones debunkedPope Leo XIV makes historic apology for Vatican's role in legitimizing slaveryMuertes por suicidio en centros del ICE alcanzan un ritmo “alarmante”, según investigación de la AP
Cruz, Cantwell look to break college sports logjam in Congress with a bipartisan billAP Entertainment WireThese are the five least expensive new cars you can buy in 2026, according to EdmundsViral phenomenon in Argentina has young people identifying themselves as animalsFatou, the world's oldest gorilla living in captivity, celebrates her 69th birthday at Berlin ZooBeing a night owl may not be great for your heart but you can do something about itA photo captures tear gas drifting across a mountain road during Bolivia protestsBeing a night owl may not be great for your heart but you can do something about itHow state laws can stymie research into your ancestors' psychiatric recordsGoogle announces slew of AI advances, including a personal AI assistant coming soonGardeners often hear about supposed hacks and quick fixes.
Here are some common ones debunkedPope Leo XIV makes historic apology for Vatican's role in legitimizing slaveryMuertes por suicidio en centros del ICE alcanzan un ritmo “alarmante”, según investigación de la APPatterns and distressing, made by a laser, are displayed at the BPD Washhouse, a denim processing facility, in Jersey City, N.J. , Tuesday, May 5, 2026. Bill Curtin, owner of BPD Washhouse, looks over some samples at his denim processing facility in Jersey City, N.J.
, Tuesday, May 5, 2026. A cat relaxes in the showroom of BPD Washhouse, a denim processing facility, in Jersey City, N.J. , Tuesday, May 5, 2026. Bryan Morales Ibarra distresses denim by hand at the BPD Washhouse, a denim processing facility, in Jersey City, N.J.
, Tuesday, May 5, 2026. Behind him is a machine that uses ozone as part of the distressing process, as opposed to the traditional washing and chemicals. A piece of clothing is examined for color during a wash at the BPD Washhouse, a denim processing facility, in Jersey City, N.J. , Tuesday, May 5, 2026.
A machine that uses oxygen and ozone in place of water and chemicals to distress clothes is seen at the BPD Washhouse, a denim processing facility, in Jersey City, N.J. , Tuesday, May 5, 2026. Ruben Revollo inspects some samples after washing them at the BPD Washhouse, a denim processing facility, in Jersey City, N.J. , Tuesday, May 5, 2026.
Bryan Morales Ibarra distresses denim by hand at the BPD Washhouse, a denim processing facility, in Jersey City, N.J. , Tuesday, May 5, 2026. A laser is used to create a pattern and distress denim at the BPD Washhouse, a denim processing facility, in Jersey City, N.J. , Tuesday, May 5, 2026.
A small run of sweatshirts are dyed at the BPD Washhouse, a denim processing facility, in Jersey City, N.J. , Tuesday, May 5, 2026. Piles of denim sit in the showroom of BPD Washhouse, a denim processing facility, in Jersey City, N.J. , Tuesday, May 5, 2026.
Patterns and distressing, made by a laser, are displayed at the BPD Washhouse, a denim processing facility, in Jersey City, N.J. , Tuesday, May 5, 2026. Patterns and distressing, made by a laser, are displayed at the BPD Washhouse, a denim processing facility, in Jersey City, N.J. , Tuesday, May 5, 2026.
Bill Curtin, owner of BPD Washhouse, looks over some samples at his denim processing facility in Jersey City, N.J. , Tuesday, May 5, 2026. Bill Curtin, owner of BPD Washhouse, looks over some samples at his denim processing facility in Jersey City, N.J. , Tuesday, May 5, 2026.
A cat relaxes in the showroom of BPD Washhouse, a denim processing facility, in Jersey City, N.J. , Tuesday, May 5, 2026. A cat relaxes in the showroom of BPD Washhouse, a denim processing facility, in Jersey City, N.J. , Tuesday, May 5, 2026.
Bryan Morales Ibarra distresses denim by hand at the BPD Washhouse, a denim processing facility, in Jersey City, N.J. , Tuesday, May 5, 2026. Behind him is a machine that uses ozone as part of the distressing process, as opposed to the traditional washing and chemicals. Bryan Morales Ibarra distresses denim by hand at the BPD Washhouse, a denim processing facility, in Jersey City, N.J.
, Tuesday, May 5, 2026. Behind him is a machine that uses ozone as part of the distressing process, as opposed to the traditional washing and chemicals. A piece of clothing is examined for color during a wash at the BPD Washhouse, a denim processing facility, in Jersey City, N.J. , Tuesday, May 5, 2026.
A piece of clothing is examined for color during a wash at the BPD Washhouse, a denim processing facility, in Jersey City, N.J. , Tuesday, May 5, 2026. A machine that uses oxygen and ozone in place of water and chemicals to distress clothes is seen at the BPD Washhouse, a denim processing facility, in Jersey City, N.J. , Tuesday, May 5, 2026.
A machine that uses oxygen and ozone in place of water and chemicals to distress clothes is seen at the BPD Washhouse, a denim processing facility, in Jersey City, N.J. , Tuesday, May 5, 2026. Ruben Revollo inspects some samples after washing them at the BPD Washhouse, a denim processing facility, in Jersey City, N.J. , Tuesday, May 5, 2026.
Ruben Revollo inspects some samples after washing them at the BPD Washhouse, a denim processing facility, in Jersey City, N.J. , Tuesday, May 5, 2026. Bryan Morales Ibarra distresses denim by hand at the BPD Washhouse, a denim processing facility, in Jersey City, N.J. , Tuesday, May 5, 2026.
Bryan Morales Ibarra distresses denim by hand at the BPD Washhouse, a denim processing facility, in Jersey City, N.J. , Tuesday, May 5, 2026. A laser is used to create a pattern and distress denim at the BPD Washhouse, a denim processing facility, in Jersey City, N.J. , Tuesday, May 5, 2026.
A laser is used to create a pattern and distress denim at the BPD Washhouse, a denim processing facility, in Jersey City, N.J. , Tuesday, May 5, 2026. A small run of sweatshirts are dyed at the BPD Washhouse, a denim processing facility, in Jersey City, N.J. , Tuesday, May 5, 2026.
A small run of sweatshirts are dyed at the BPD Washhouse, a denim processing facility, in Jersey City, N.J. , Tuesday, May 5, 2026. Piles of denim sit in the showroom of BPD Washhouse, a denim processing facility, in Jersey City, N.J. , Tuesday, May 5, 2026.
Piles of denim sit in the showroom of BPD Washhouse, a denim processing facility, in Jersey City, N.J. , Tuesday, May 5, 2026. NEW YORK — Your favorite pair of jeans may have traveled around the world through cotton farms, dye houses, wash facilities and factories before ending up in your closet. The denim may have never been worn but it is stonewashed, sanded, chemically faded or laser-treated to look like it.
Those processes can require significant amounts of water, energy and chemicals — part of the reason denim has become a growing target for sustainability efforts across the fashion industry, which is among the world’s Brands are responding to wider awareness by marketing their jeans as “sustainable,” touting regenerative cotton, recycled fibers and low-water manufacturing techniques. But figuring out if that’s true is far more complicated.
For one, sustainability is difficult to define — and there isn’t a universal set of standards. , a brand known for transparency and sustainability efforts, highlighting broader tensions over scale and affordability. Improvements in sustainable processes typically cost more, making it difficult for companies withand low prices to adopt them widely. Consumers are left to navigate a complicated web of tradeoffs involving farming practices, chemical processes, labor ethics and a wide range of prices.
Most jeans are made from cotton, a crop that can require large amounts of water, fertilizer and pesticides. Beth Jensen, chief impact officer at the nonprofit Textile Exchange, said many brands still lack full visibility into where their cotton comes from. Because denim production often spans multiple countries and suppliers, it can also be difficult to track labor conditions.
As concern grows over fashion’s environmental impact, some brands have looked to solutions like regenerative cotton, which focuses on soil health, biodiversity and reducing synthetic chemical use. But as Jensen said, what’s feasible on a farm in California might not be in a place like India or Australia because of their different climates. After cotton is harvested, it is spun into yarn and dyed — typically with indigo, a process that can involve significant water use and chemical treatments.
It’s then woven into denim fabric, and cut and sewn into jeans. Jeans then usually go through finishing treatments to create different shades, fades and distressed textures. Bill Curtin, owner of New Jersey-based BPD Washhouse, said denim-finishing is divided into “wet” and “dry” processes. The wet process involves washing jeans with water, chemicals and treatments that lighten or tint the denim.
Historically, brands have used pumice stones to achieve a worn, stonewashed look — with stones often shipped from Mexico, adding transport emissions and cost to the process. Many facilities are now switching to enzyme-based alternatives and ozone technologies that use less water. The dry process creates abrasions, whiskers and ripped details either by hand or with laser technology, which Curtin said is more efficient and less labor-intensive.
Fashion designer Maria McManus spent years wanting to add denim to her low-impact line but couldn’t find a way to do it that aligned with her values. The culprit, she said, was always the washing process. So instead she sourced dark, raw denim from Japan — indigo, minimal processing — and skipped the wash stage altogether, avoiding the faded and distressed look that define most commercial jeans. It was a deliberate constraint, and it held for years.
A breakthrough came when she collaborated on a collection with Agolde, a larger denim brand. Along with its parent company Citizens of Humanity, it’s respected in the fashion industry for its focus on regenerative cotton farming. Working with the company gave McManus access to infrastructure her small brand couldn’t build alone — a consulting agency that connected her with regenerative cotton farmers, a vetted indigo-dyeing process using biochemical rather than petrochemical dyes, and rigorous supply chain traceability.
But even that process, she said, isn’t simple. Organic and regenerative cotton crops can fail. Supply chains are hard to verify.
“You know when they tell you their harvest failed” that they’re honest, she said of one supplier. “I know I can trust them because really, what they should have done as business people or capitalists was just get regular cotton — because nobody is testing this stuff. ” But that often leads to higher prices. A pair of jeans from McManus’ brand is nearly $700 — a function of small production runs, she said.
“It’s truly a units game. ”Experts say consumers should be wary of vague sustainability claims and instead look for brands that provide detailed information about their sourcing and manufacturing processes.
Dana Davis, a strategic fashion adviser who led sustainability efforts for the label Mara Hoffman, encouraged shoppers to look beyond a single product page and examine whether brands discuss labor rights,“If a brand really explains the whys behind why they’re doing these things, then you can get a sense of, ‘OK, this feels authentic,’” Davis said. But she added that “greenwashing” — overstating sustainability claims — can make it difficult for consumers to figure out what’s legitimate.
Certifications can help, though Davis cautioned there is no single label that guarantees sustainability. One worth seeking out is the, which evaluates companies’ social and environmental performance. Some tree-based fibers like lyocell, a material commonly blended into jeans, may come from sources vetted by Forest Stewardship Council , indicating the wood pulp was sourced from responsibly managed forests.
But one of the simplest ways to reduce denim’s environmental footprint is also the least glamorous: To buy fewer jeans, wear them longer, wash them less and shop secondhand.by Levi Strauss & Co., if 34.2 million people — or the equivalent of 1 in 10 Americans — bought a pair of secondhand jeans this year instead of new ones, it would avoid roughly 1.5 billion pounds of carbon dioxide, equivalent to the emissions of about 150,000 gasoline cars. The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations.
AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’sSideris is a social video producer based in New York. She reports on how people’s choices impact the environment for The Associated Press.
Uganda Ebola Washington Paper Mill US Iran Strike College Sports Bill 2026 Cheapest Cars Argentina Animal Identity
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Canada will require self-isolation for people traveling from Congo, Sudan and Uganda due to EbolaThe Canadian government says travelers from Ebola-affected regions will be required to self-isolate for 21 days, while immigration authorities are temporarily suspending decisions on applications from Congo, South Sudan and Uganda.
Read more »
Uganda closes its border with Congo as cases of a rare Ebola type surgeUgandan authorities have ordered the closure of the border with Congo amid a surge in Ebola cases. The decision was made by a local Ebola task force.
Read more »
Uganda closes its border with Congo as cases of a rare Ebola type surgeUgandan authorities on Wednesday ordered the closure of the border with Congo 'with immediate effect' amid a surge in cases of a rare type of Ebola in its neighbor and as cases emerge at home.
Read more »
Uganda closes its border with Congo as cases of a rare Ebola type surgeUgandan authorities have ordered the closure of the border with Congo amid a surge in Ebola cases.
Read more »