What has jeans got to do with climate change? Plenty, say environmentalists. How many times you wear a pair before washing it determines your carbon footprint. Don’t be surprised if a study is commissioned soon to chalk a clothes-wash strategy to fight global warming.

Even the United Nations Environment Programme has acknowledged the link. A 30-second television spot broadcast by the programme’s division of technology, industry and economics recently informed viewers that by wearing their “jeans at least thrice before washing them in cold water” and not using the dryer and the iron, they can consume “five times less energy”.

The spot features a couple dancing Tecktonik — a blend of hip hop and techno that originated in France and has become popular across the globe — to Am I wrong by Etienne de Crécy as the message is beamed on the screen.

“We wanted to find a way to make our environmental messages more accessible to young people,” says Robert Bisset, the head of communications at the division. Cutting down the number of washes will reduce the need for electricity, water and detergent, adds the official.

The fashion industry has one of the biggest carbon footprints in the world, according to Bisset. For example, “toxic chemicals and petrochemicals are used widely in cotton agriculture and in many manufacturing stages”.