Monkee Genes
Rated: Good
Price: $$
Location: UK
Quick verdict
Monkee Genes was best for budget-conscious consumers seeking certified organic, vegan-friendly denim at prices that undercut nearly every sustainable denim competitor. The brand stood out as the first denim label to achieve both GOTS and Soil Association organic certifications and for its proprietary "Organic Flex" stretch denim. Important: Monkee Genes is no longer operating, severely hit by COVID-19, the company was formally dissolved in August 2024. No products are available for purchase. This profile is included for archival purposes.
Key info
- Headquarters
- Derbyshire, England, UK
- Founded
- 2006
- Product categories
- Denim
- Price range
- $$
- Key certifications
- GOTS, Soil Association Organic, PETA-Approved Vegan (historical, brand dissolved August 2024)
Monkee Genes sustainability rating
Our ratings are based on a scale from 1 (We Avoid) to 5 (Excellent). How we rate
Rating breakdown
Built entirely around GOTS-certified organic cotton. The proprietary "Organic Flex" blend (83–92% organic cotton, 6–15% polyester, 2% elastane) provided stretch without conventional spandex-heavy construction. Eco Wash collection used 80% less water. Minor deduction for non-organic polyester in blends.
All factory partners required GOTS certification, described as a "deal breaker" by the founder. Supported WRAP and BSCI standards. Donated 50 cents per pair made in Bangladesh to a children's education foundation. Produced across Turkey, Indonesia, India, and Pakistan.
Organic farming eliminated toxic pesticides; Eco Wash reduced water by 80%; pledged never to destroy unsold stock. No published emissions data, no carbon footprint tracking, no formal circularity or take-back programme, and no repair service.
Founder Phil Wildbore was publicly vocal and open about ethical commitments. However, no supply chain map, no factory location disclosures, and no formal impact reports were ever published.
At £45–95 per pair, Monkee Genes was significantly cheaper than Nudie Jeans (£100–180) and MUD Jeans (~€119), making it one of the most affordable certified-organic denim options available. Some reviewers reported durability issues.
What they do well
- Pioneered certified organic denim: first and only denim label to hold both Soil Association and GOTS certifications simultaneously
- Made sustainable denim genuinely affordable at £45–95, undercutting competitors by 30–50% and proving ethical fashion need not be luxury-priced
- Achieved PETA-approved vegan status by replacing leather jean patches with recycled coated cardboard: a small but meaningful innovation
- Developed proprietary Organic Flex fabric that combined organic cotton with a unique polyester weave for stretch, shape retention, and colour fastness
Room for improvement
- Supply chain transparency never materialised, manufacturing locations shifted across four countries over the brand's life without clear communication, and no factory list or impact report was ever published.
About Monkee Genes
Monkee Genes was founded in 2006 by Phil Wildbore, a veteran British denim designer with 30+ years of industry experience who had previously created the 1990s label ROAD Jeans, Frustrated by the environmental destruction and worker exploitation endemic to denim manufacturing, Wildbore launched Monkee Genes from rural Derbyshire with the goal of proving sustainable, ethical denim could be fashionable and affordable.
The brand's backbone was GOTS-certified organic cotton, grown using three-year crop rotation with no artificial pesticides. Its signature innovation was "Organic Flex", a proprietary stretch denim blending organic cotton with polyester for elasticity while maintaining shape and colour. The Eco Wash collection pushed further, reducing water usage by 80% versus conventional denim washing. Early success was impressive: Topshop sold out Monkee Genes stock in 10 days (2007–08), and the brand secured orders from Macy's, Selfridges, and House of Fraser.
COVID-19 forced extended closure in 2020. The brand reopened late that year but never fully recovered. The last blog post appeared in December 2021, Instagram went silent after January 2023, and Monkee Genes Ltd was formally dissolved on 15 August 2024. Founder Wildbore has since launched a new venture called Flax&Loom.
Product highlights
Classic Skinny - Organic Flex (Black Jet)
Men's skinny-fit jeans in proprietary Organic Flex denim (92% organic cotton, 6% polyester, 2% elastane)
~£80 (historical)
Flagship bestseller for 10+ years; Black Jet colourway engineered to stay black wash after wash
DEAN Recycled Organic Flex Slim Fit
Men's slim-fit jeans using recycled organic cotton flex denim
~£80 (historical)
Evolved the Organic Flex formula to include recycled content
CODY Super Skinny Mid Rise
Women's super skinny jeans (83% organic cotton, 15% polyester, 2% elastane)
~£75–80 (historical)
Women's line extension of the Organic Flex technology, available in multiple washes
Eco Wash Collection
Line of jeans produced using up to 80% less water in the washing process
~£70–90 (historical)
Brand's most advanced sustainability innovation; collaborative campaign with artist Rozalina Burkova
![24 Ethical & Sustainable Clothing Brands UK [2026]](/images/blog/sustainable-brands-uk.webp)
