Any denim enthusiast who loves Levi’s knows that finding the perfect pair is a rite of passage. Nevertheless, there are times when you simply don’t have the time to try on dozens of pieces of jeans. So, if you’re still on the lookout for the perfect vintage outfit for fall, stop your hunt now. Who Decides War by Murder Bravado and Tela D’Amore debuted their Spring/Summer 2023 collection with Levi’s for their New York Fashion Week showcase just two weeks ago, and you can purchase the release straight on NTWRK.
Who Decides War satisfies its DIY hunger by repurposing Levi’s denim items using the brand’s distinctive patchwork and deconstruction techniques. The line features their original 501® ORIGINALS, which Murder Bravado upcycled and individually created for his apparel company, Who Decides War.
Who Decides War clearly has a fondness for denim, as evidenced by their patchwork denim Air Force 1 sneakers and NFT with RTFKT pants. And who better than denim king Levi’s to carry on this love affair? In a news release, Lilly® CMO Kathleen Riley Grant describes the partnership as a “natural fit,” hinting that the two were destined to collaborate.
The pair’s collection consists of two trucker jackets from Levi’s and three pairs of 501 pants, totaling five one-of-a-kind items. In one jacket, severe distressing leaves the back threads hanging by a thread. On the other hand, a pair of jeans include embroidered artwork of stained glass window images resembling those seen in the WDW cathedral, which is a recurring theme for the company as seen in previous collections like SS22 and AW20.
The glitz-free denim at WDW is beloved by celebrities and fashion enthusiasts like Saweetie, Lil Baby, Billie Eilish, and Luka Sabbat (and the list continues on). It has effectively become the streetwear brand’s identifier. The end result is a massive assortment of timeless yet modern AF denim outfits with a high-fashion edge that almost looks DIY.
We believe that Who Decides War’s collaboration with Levi’s is a perfect fit since the collaboration will allow the organization to engage in environmental, economic, and social justice projects. All proceeds will go toward the Deep South Center for Environmental Justice.
Katsuzo Sawagami established the Saab Group, a firm that makes some great jeans , in the Shonan region of Kanagawa Prefecture in 1987 which is famous as one of Japan’s leading beach areas. The group has the sewing factory Saltie and the washing factory SAAB located about 1 hour from Tokyo. It manufacture handcrafted goods with an emphasis on quality that are seen as being “Made in Japan.” The company has been manufacturing denim jeans for over 35 years and has many leading brands as their clients globally whom they serve from Japan and also their overseas ventures and partnerships.
We spoke with Mr. Yamada on the origins and priorities of Saab during the Japan exhibit as they participate in our first edition on Nov 1-2, 2022.
What enables Saab to work with so many denim brands even with the high cost of Japanese products?
First of all we are thank for there is such market and industrial people who have good eyes and same values. Japan fabric is the one of best to express authentic vintage worn in. All the Japanese mills are very unique and have creativity. We have a lot of benefit of that and contributed a lot for position of Japan denim.
We as a manufacture always challenging new technic and progressive development to meet buyers expectations.
Currently almost 70% of our products are export to overseas. We feel we are one of the representative supplier of Made in Japan denim and must to make consumer happy with valuable products.
What kind of customers do you work mainly with and what special can new customers expect from Saab?
Mainly working with brand with own Global supply chain.
New customer can do partner ship to do R&D throughout running production including branding.
What are the major products that you would want to show at the Denimsandjeans Japan show ?
New Development Made in Japan, Upcycling products, , Introduction our Cambodian factory and their capability.
Products:
Concept for IMG6295
Destruction and patched
A sort of garments have destructed and patched as you can see below :
Concept for IMG6297
Use 3 garments to combined to 1 sample and make it flare. Removed waistband to be low-rise.
Since 1981, Tonello has led the world in garment finishing technology, helping to make Italy a success story around the globe. It works side by side with its customers, establishing a connection between the stylists and the businesses working on, dying, and completing the clothing thanks to its cutting-edge machinery and one-of-a-kind service. Tonello is regarded as the industry standard for garment finishing, having sold more than 9000 machines globally.
With Tonello joining the first Denimsandjeans Show in Japan, we spoke to Alice Tonello about the history and focus of Tonello during the Japan show.
Tonello Is One of the Oldest Denim Washing Machine Makers in Europe. Can You Share Some Important Milestones in Your Progress?
The company’s official founding year was 1981, which means we recently celebrated our first 40 years in business. However, the company’s founder, Osvaldo Tonello, as well as my uncle, had started laying the groundwork and working under his own name as early as 1975. After that it was a succession of research, experimentation and launching innovations.
Among the milestones, certainly in 1985, with the G1 300, the definitive consecration of the open drum, front opening machine, with front inclination: a revolutionary technology also from the point of view of water saving, compared to previous belly machines. And all this at a time in history when the word “sustainability” was not yet known. It was more about efficiency. Later, in the late 1980s/early 1990s, the first robots for automated spraying and scratching of garments. They marked an incredible revolution for the industry at that time. Then, the first laser in the market, in 1995, and other iconic and successful technologies still to follow, such as Batik and ozone. 1997 represents another important date for us, namely the founding of our research and development center. Even then, in fact, we understood the importance of offering our customers a service that was much more than just selling the machine. Even today, this area is among the most strategic and important for the company.
To make a long story short, and come to the present day, in 2017 we launched the Creative Area as part of the R&D center. A gathering place between designers, brands, manufacturers. A space in which to discuss, inform, learn, update and compare with those who live the world of textiles and fashion every day. But the news does not stop there. More things are on the way that will definitely mark our calendars.
Your First Laser Machine Was Made in 1995. That Was Really Too Early! Did the Industry Understand the Importance of the Same At That Point of Time.
You are right, when we launched the laser technology, the market was definitely not ready for such a revolution. In fact, it is undisputed today the operational, creative and safety advantage that the laser can bring to any laundry. However, in the 1990s, the technology was still in its early days, as were the effects it produced: far too flat and fake for a market that was daily in search of the most authentic vintage looks. In fact, it was the brands then that rejected the laser, precisely because of its inability to create truly interesting effects, continuing to prefer traditional techniques such as manual scraping.
Luckily, over the years, the technology has evolved, and today it is an established practice in many garment finishing processes. Indeed, it allows the creation of automated vintage effects, as well as the creation of prints, graphics, and cuts, in total safety. It also ensures high reproducibility and productivity.
In addition, it creates a new work figure, that of the laser designer, much less “physical” and more focused on the creative side.
Japan is a Different Kind of Market. What Will be Your Focus During Your Participation in Denimsandjeans Show There on Nov 1&2
Japan is certainly a unique market, but already some customers and brands are working with our technologies. In any case, we will present our latest technological innovations to the Japanese market to achieve unique aesthetics and effects in a totally responsible manner.
Examples are Wake, the first 100% natural dyeing system since it uses only vegetable waste; O-Zone, the static cabinet that uses ozone to achieve special effects such as localized discolorations, degrade and sun-bleached effects; and OBleach, the patented process that enables authentic bleach effects without using hazardous chemicals but, again, with only ozone.
It will also be the perfect opportunity to present our brand new Evolution 3 range.
The Key Focus of All Denim Manufacturers Today is To Somehow Reduce Environmental Impact. What Do You Think Has Been Your Contribution Towards This Goal?
As mentioned earlier, for us, reduction in the consumption of resources such as water, energy, emissions and in the use of chemicals has always been the mantra guiding our activity. And this is from the early days of the company, when sustainability was not as in vogue as it is now and some of our customers were not even interested in saving water. It is a daily challenge for us, and we never stop trying to improve. One example is that of our most iconic products, washing and dyeing machines, which after years of refinement we have revamped and launched as the big news of 2022. It is called Evolution 3 and is the new generation of Tonello washing and dyeing machines.
In the Evolution 3, the tried and tested machine construction allows for maximum optimization of water use during each type of process, as well as huge energy savings guaranteed by several improvements. All this guarantees reductions in energy consumption of up to 20 percent compared to previous models, a reduction in overall operating costs and to have greater competitiveness in an increasingly unpredictable market.
The famous Naked and Famous denim from Canada is self proclaimed Japanese denim aficionado , using the same in most of their products. In their FW22 Collection , there are some exquisite products out of which we chose some of the 3 of the most most attractive ones and bring out in this post.
Rope Dyeing
Blue Smoke Selvedge
Raw denim often fades from deep indigo to lighter blue tones and finally white. Rope Dying , as we all know , is a unique dyeing procedure that causes this. White cotton yarns are repeatedly submerged in indigo dye during this process, but the strands are never submerged for long enough for the indigo to permeate the center core of the yarn.
Naked and Famous Blue Smoke Selvedge Denim
The Blue Smoke Stretch Selvedge appears to be a basic 11 oz selvedge denim. It has a classic appearance at first glance with a black exterior wrap, however it is actually a dark shade of indigo shadow. The white weft that can be seen peeking through the twill lines adds to this. The key to this fabric’s unique Smokey color is a small amount of black tint that is mixed into the dye. Thus, these begin as a clean denim with tonal features but gradually the blue fades and intensifies with wash. More and more of those tonal details will emerge in contrast to the denim. The Blue Smoke Stretch selvedge is a terrific option for year-round wear.
Composition: 98% Cotton, 2% Elastane
Design: Black Stitching, Black Suede Patch
Color: Dark Indigo x WhiteFabric Weight: 11ozFabric Origin: JapanMade in: Canada
Red Gradient Core Denim
The 12.5oz “Red Gradient Core” denim is a special Japanese Selvedge denim woven on antique shuttle looms specifically for Naked & Famous. Here the yarn was dyed initially with a permanent reactive red dye and then rope dyed with indigo. After certain use, the core will reveal the variety of red hues to achieve a fading gradient tone. Sanforized to prevent shrinkage, the jeans retain a firm texture that will soften with wear. The jeans were made, cut, and stitched in North America.
Composition: 100% Cotton
Color: Indigo x WhiteFabric Weight: 12.5ozFabric Origin: JapanMade in: Canada
Catechu Selvedge
Naked and Famous Catechu Selvedge Denim
The Catechu Selvedge is a 12 oz. Japanese Selvedge Denim that has had its inside weft naturally dyed with Catechu dye derived from trees. The Catechu dye is created by boiling, evaporating, and collecting the residue from the Acacia tree. This indigo denim has a warm earth tone that can be seen peeking through the twill lines. To see the color of the interior completely, flip up the cuff. Short slub cotton yarn is used to weave the indigo warp, giving the denim additional personality and highlighting vertical fading. The Catechu Selvedge has the traditional raw denim feel and is stiff and crisp. With contrast stitching, a green line selvedge ID, a suede leather patch, and silver metallic buttons and rivets, this item was cut, sewed, and constructed in Canada.
Composition: 100% Cotton
Color: Indigo x CatechuFabric Weight: 12ozFabric Origin: JapanMade in: Canada
Established in 1949 in Karachi, AGI Denim is one of Pakistan’s leading premium denim manufacturers. As a market leader, keeping abreast of the changing times, they produce quality denim in an innovative culture and are the first company to be B Corp certified in Pakistan ! . With the company joining the first edition of Denimsandjeans Show in Japan, we spoke to Ali Tekin – R&D Director – to get his insights into their latest focus and products.
1. Congratulations on becoming the first B-Corp certified company in Pakistan. What does it really mean to you and your customers
Receiving the B Corp certification was a moment of pride for us. We could not be more honoured that we are now part of this coveted coalition of companies working hard to bring about good change for the people and the planet.
It shows our customers that we are a credible organisation that has put purpose over profit, working to become increasingly transparent and honest with our stakeholders. Our vision matches other B Corps working to make the business a force for good through intelligent, impactful decisions.
2. What is your new Leed Certified Park project and how is it unique in its orientation?
Our LEED Certified Industrial Park comes with a state-of-the-art spinning and denim mill. This unit is the only one of its kind, equipped with the best-in-class tri-fuel Wartsila engines to help combat the current energy challenges, and 25% of the energy needs are fulfilled through solar power. This powerhouse of a facility gives a whole new meaning to Industry 4.0, producing 60,000 kilograms of yarn per day, which can make more than 88,000 pairs of jeans.
We’ve automated the process from the blow room to carding in the spinning mill. Among the automated solutions is Bobbin and Cone transport system (BTS/CTS), which transports bobbins and cones without material damage and contamination.
Making denim production more sustainable, we have also introduced an Industrial Recycled Waste System that takes spinning waste and turns it into feedstock for new yarn.
3 . Giving back to the community has been a strong aspect for AGI . How are you currently focusing in this arena?
AGI Denim always greatly focuses on community development, and we constantly find ways to give back to the community. In alignment with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, we’ve adopted two schools from The Citizen Foundation near our factories to provide quality education to children.
AGI Denim made substantial charitable donations in 2021. Our volunteers spent 500 hours in 2021 to raise community awareness on following SOPs during Covid 19. To keep the community healthy and safe, we planted 2000 mangroves that will help in carbon sequestration.
4. Japan being a very quality conscious market, what are the key products that you want to focus on during the Denimsandjeans Japan showhappening on November 1-2
The market is looking for denim with a more authentic aesthetic. We are inspired by the golden era of denim, the 60s and 70s, but we’re also trying to cover current consumer expectations. The best example of this is our Authentic Futures concept.
We are focusing on different kinds of sustainable fibers such as hemp, recycled cotton, Renewcell, and Ciclo and are also focusing on reducing water and chemical consumption. We have process routes such as Refresh / Double zero in our sustainable line to create concepts like Redefine that cater to these concerns.
During the pandemic, we understand that customer expectations have changed in the last two years. Consumers now need comfort and shaping technology simultaneously. Our State of Function concept considers these demands and delivers a worthy champion.
Because of the economic situation and how the world has been changing rapidly since the pandemic, all of our markets are now focused on efficiently created products. Because of that, we plan to launch a new concept, Heroes, which will consider market needs.
We all want clothes that last longer than they did before. Fast fashion is a thing of the past. A true embodiment of this is our Big Weft concept. It offers a clean destroy area, long-lasting performance and 3 Dimensional twills to the denim.
5. For SS24 , what are key product directions that you are looking at .Â
Authenticity is one important direction we’ll keep consistent. Authentic denim, inspired from mid-century to the 1970s, explores all the imperfections and characteristics inspired by the past.
Denim is becoming more dynamic as consumer needs change. It needs to be able to perform, and we’re proud to add Memory Denim as a worthy contender. It offers an innovative function for high-stretch jeans. Now, compression performance can also be comfortable. The yarn technology uses two levels of designed-modulus, translating to a jean that is not too tight but gives lift and holds in the areas you need.
Circularity and transparency fall within the same bracket and need to be addressed side by side. One of our core sustainable projects started in 2021 is Refresh 2.0. In the life cycle of a garment, 68% of water consumption comes from cotton agriculture; while we can’t control how much cotton we need, we can deeply analyse each step of production. As we developed Refresh denim, we ensured that it was created using 100% recycled water and that no fresh water was used during production. We do incorporate the use of sustainable fibers like hemp and Post Consumer Waste. These are recyclable organic alternatives that help us stay kind to the environment while putting out collections pushing circularity boundaries. A key example of this is our Circular 100 concept. It is equally comfortable to wear and great for the Earth.
For more details on AGI denim collections , contact Ali Tekin at ali.tekin@agidenim.comÂ
Wrangler Denims, a popular brand of denim, collaborated with Deadfellaz, a high PFP NFT challenge, to offer a contest using a “Choose Your Own Adventure” approach.
Numerous businesses and brands have invested in NFT initiatives, blockchain technology, and the metaverse. However, probably not as much as in fashion. Over the past several months, a number of fashion labels have entered Web3, indicating that the industry’s interest is only growing. Fashion firms have been embracing Web3 technologies more as time goes on, and the technologies demonstrate that they are here to stay. This is because NFT technology opens the door for virtual fashion and the metaverse gives a platform for avatars to show off their digital gear.
10,000 “undead” NFTs make up the Deadfellaz collection on the Ethereum blockchain. “Undead” being a reference to Zombie cowboys who are kind of alive ! Since its August 2021 debut, the gender-neutral NFT project has gained popularity among NFT enthusiasts, including celebrity entrepreneur Gary Vee, who holds at least one NFT from the collection. As of this writing, a Deadfellaz NFT on OpenSea has a floor price of.65 ETH, or roughly $1,100.
“What’s Green and Wears Denim?”
An interesting title indicating to the green zombie avatars wearing the cool Wrangler denims. With this new alliance, Web2 and Web3 are coming together to offer consumers an opportunity to win gifts, both physical and digital.
The claim implies that participants will receive NFTs in addition to redeemable physical goods for the same. Although it’s only a hunch, there will probably be a competition where fans of Deadfellaz can team up to compete for prizes. More details still need to be revealed.
Wrangler won’t be making its first foray into the NFT region. The denim brand worked with Grammy Award winner Leon Bridges and NFT market LTD.INC earlier this year to launch the “Mr. Wranglerâ€. High-end players in the fashion industry are actively researching the NFT space in an effort to increase the reach of their brands.
Continuing our series of interactions with various globally reputed manufacturers of denim, we today bring out a talk with the marketing head of Pioneer Denim Bangladesh – Hasibul Huda. Pioneer denim is one of the fastest growing denim operation globally with a special focus on sustainability at all levels of their operations. As Pioneer Denim joins our show in Japan, we try to get more insights into what they are doing . Hasibul Huda shares his views with us .
Pioneer denim is known as the world’s largest Leed Certified denim mill. Is it so ?
Yes, Pioneer Denim Limited is the world’s largest LEED Platinum Certified Denim Mill. You have invested a lot in recycling and water saving projects. Can you enumerate some of them?
One of our biggest investments was made to build the largest ETP in Bangladesh which is holding a Capacity of 6000 m³/day. Our ETP facility Operates with Biological processing as well as “Re-Usable†option of Membrane and RO (Reverse Osmosis) meaning reusing treated water at our facility. The other major waster saving initiatives are: a. Using Radiator System Power Plant b. -2/1 pick wash system dyeing machine saving water at a greater level c. -20,000 m³ rain water harvesting system d. -From ETP, we can Re-Use 20 m³/hr of water at present moment and in the future, it will increase up to 150 m³/hr. (Using 80% of reusable water at our facility) Another bigger investment has been made recently to establish a state-of-the-art recycling processing unit with technologically advanced European machineries. We are able to recycle textile waste providing pre-consumer and post-consumer 20/MT of recycled fiber per day which is traceable and certified through USB. We are able to offer Recycled Fibers, Yarns and Denim Fabrics at bulk to cater the domestic demand as well as the international markets.
What key products would you be focusing on for Japanese customers during the Denimsandjeans Show in Japan in November 22?
Along with sustainable articles, we would also showcase our AW collections which will consist of new casts of denim, drapey denim, fake knit, stripe denim, hemp denim, viscose and blended fibers denim. Is apparel production on your horizon having now huge capacities in yarn and fabric productions ?
Bangladesh is already the second largest apparel exporter of the World and the top denim supplier in the US and Europe with data supporting the fact that at least one out of three denims sold in Europe is currently made in Bangladesh. The expansion in the capacity of Yarn and Fabric production in last few years is significantly visible and have enough production capacity to feed the lines of its forward linkages. Companies are planning to increase the capacity further looking at the future analysis of denim business growth in Bangladesh. We are already in the implementation stage of our vertical integration projects and expecting to have our own garments and washing unit by the end of this year with a goal of expanding the capacity up to 400,000 pieces of garments a day in next couple of years. Our Light Knit fabric and garments production will also commence by July,2023.
What are your growth plans for the next 5 years ?
We are planning to double our production capacity by the next 5 years. Our garmenting unit will also be in the scene by the first half of next year. Moreover, our sustainability movement will be enforced with newer initiatives by next few years as we are going to have more projects on waster saving.
In our maiden edition of Denimsandjeans, we are very pleased to have a number of acclaimed Japanese denim companies joining us and becoming a part of the show . Each of these companies brings an exclusive set of traditional and modern Japanese products – fabrics, garments, technology and more – which already appeal to a number of major global denim brands. With each of them having worked harder during the covid with new ideation and innovation, discerning international buyers looking for Japanese products would definitely find something they were missing during the covid period. Here is the roster of the companies we are privileged to have at our show on Nov 1-2 , 2022
Saab Group is a jeans sewing and washing company founded in 1987 in the Shonan area of Kanagawa Prefecture, which is famous as one of Japan’s leading beach areas.The group has the sewing factory Saltie and the washing factory SAAB located about 1 hour from Tokyo. The company has been manufacturing denim jeans for over 35 years and has many leading brands as their clients globally whom they serve from Japan and also their overseas ventures and partnerships.
Collect denim mill was founded in 1992 and for 14 years, meticulously weaved denim on antique looms. By 2006 they decided to take that product and apply it to their own designs and founded the first of two in-house denim brands. They called it Momotaro for the mythical boy in the peach, and even gave their jeans a signature pink-line selvedge to do their name-sake justice. In 2010 Japan Blue Jeans was founded, selling similarly high-quality jeans at a lower price point. Collect creates niche denim on selvedge looms and the Japan Blue Group has expanded into retail around the globe with their brand Momotaro and Japan blue.
Showa Co., Ltd., founded in 1905, continues to produce and sell original textiles after the era of white cloth machine shops in Kojima. There used to be many machine houses in Kojima, but the number drastically declined.but Showa survived and continued to make great denim . To their credit are a patent for Nylon denim and creation of 100% Cashmere denim. They continue to innovate and grow .
“The Ibara area is blessed with abundant water and a mild climate, so growing raw cotton and indigo has prospered since the days of old. Therefore, textile manufacturing developed and indigo-dyeing thick textile fabric spread throughout the country as specialty products. Starting around 1965, yarn-dyed denim production became active and accounted for 70% of jeans production in Japan. However, due to the weak yen and the influx of low-priced overseas products, the manufacturing area in Ibara shrunk. Traditional techniques are still concentrated in Ibara. Our denim is valued highly by domestic and overseas brands.Nihon Menpu was established in 1917 as a weaving establishment of bitchu kokura textile in Ibara. The Ibara area is blessed with abundant water and a mild climate, so growing raw cotton and indigo has prospered since the days of old. Therefore, textile manufacturing developed and indigo-dyeing thick textile fabric spread throughout the country as specialty products. Starting around 1965, yarn-dyed denim production became active and accounted for 70% of jeans production in Japan. Nihon Menpu entered full-scale denim production around 1985, which was very late. However, they decided to produce original high value added products by using shuttle machines. Nihon Menpu now boasts being among the companies having the highest number of selvedge looms in the world. They produce some super premium denim fabrics even in Jacquards.
Whoval is a denim manufacturer established in 2007. Having the Kojima roots, the company created the unique washing plant to produce great washed Japanese denim for domestic and a number of international buyers. Having their own brands Blue Sakura , T-ASAAC and Whoval , the company is a great mix of tradition and modernity.
Kamedajima is a traditional daily-use fabric created in 1696 during the Edo period, and played an indispensable role in the everyday lives of the people of Kameda, Niigata. During the Edo (best Japanese period) period, striped fabrics were incredibly popular, as can be witnessed in many of the era’s famous ukiyo-e woodblock prints.The golden age of Kamedajima lasted from the late Meiji period through the Taisho period (1905 – 1926). During this time, the cottage industry shifted toward manual labor factories, and Kameda became a manufacturing region home to over 600 textile manufacturers (including home producers) for a total of 660 producers engaged in weaving, dye work, and other related processes. Organizations for quality improvement and standardization were established, products were sold in Hokkaido and Tohoku, and kamedajima evolved into an industry that supported the modernization of the town of Kameda. In 2002, when almost all memory of Kameda as a town of textiles had faded, a kamedajima swatch book was discovered in the collections of the Kameda History Museum, and the last two textile manufacturers remaining in the region began working to revive kamedajima.This nearly obsessive amount of research and testing finally led to the 2005 revival of kamedajima—a fabric marked by traditional simplicity and warmth, as well as the durability and flexibility necessary to stand the test of use and time.
Sanyo Senko Co., Ltd. has continued to pursue innovation in a tradition that has continued since the Taisho era, seeking technology and systems that offer higher quality products. Taking advantage of our unique qualities, which include indigo dyeing technology, as well as our production capacity; one of Japan’s largest in the industry, and a production system that guarantees delivery in as little as a week, we have earned international recognition in our quality management and environmental measures with the Intertek Achievement Award.
“In our over one-hundred-year journey from kasuri textiles to denim, Shinohara textiles’s mission has always been to manufacture high-quality materials. They are n, but we offer excellent products: many kinds of specialized Tencel denim, as well as small lots of other denim materials to order. We always are coming up with products that are ahead of their time, and this has become one of our major strengths.Using both modern electronically-controlled looms and old machine-type shuttle looms, we weave various kinds of denim. We’re proud of providing underlying support for glamorous fashions by engaging in the low-profile work of creating high-quality materials while working closely with the loom and threads.” – team Shinohara .
JDS is a manufacturer of high end jeans from Japan catering to some of the most well known global luxury retailers. Dedicated to innovation, the company created the Hip-up jeans pattern in 2004 and patented it . Hip-up jeans was designed to enable women’s hip look more beautiful .
Ideablue is a textile sourcing and trading company working with many Japanese and international mills and producers to bring Japan close to the rest of the world. Their product profile includes denims. Novelty Cottons. Novelty Synthetics. Fancy Knits & Wovens etc.
To meet these companies and 40 other globally reputed companies , please register below and arrange your invite. The full exhibitor list can be viewed here . For further information on our show, please email at mktg3@denimsandjeans.com
In 1950s , years after the war , some stores in Tokyo specialized in reselling American military garments. One such store – MARUSERU in Tokyo’s Ameyoko district , was specializing in the same. During these years, American soldiers would pay pan pan girls in old clothing rather than in cash and these girls would immediately rush to stores like Maruseru to sell them off. And many of these would be the Blue Jeans ! In absence of a better description, Hiyama – the owner of Ameyoko stores , named them as G.I.Pants and shortened to jipan (G-Pan) . And these jeans became a big part of Maruseru’s sales. They used to buy a pair of these jeans at 300-500Yen and resell at over 3000 Yen ! . To put this into perspective, the price of Uniqlo jeans in Japan currently ranges between 3000-4000 yen !! And the jeans would sell out before price tags were put on them . Many boxes sent from US to their family members in Japan used to be wrapped in torn-up jeans as packaging material. The stores hired trailers to redo these jeans and make them sellable and even these would sell out immediately ! The new jeans were still not available in Japan and people longed for jeans what they saw in American movies – something very crisp and fresh. The import regulations did not allow new jeans to be imported for some years but when in 1957, the imports opened up, there was a flood of newly stitched jeans as big traders jumped the opportunity to import newly stitched jeans .
This is what proved to be anti climax. The newly imported jeans were not worn , were stiff and dark and did not seem to be close to what the Japanese were used to looking at as jeans. The old used jeans still continued to outsell the newly stitched jeans by 10 to 1 and at a higher price . This is when some innovative people like Yasushiko Kobayashi from Men’s Club did his own home laundry washing and manual scraping to get some effects and get the jeans close to what it looked like in the movies !
The business was getting affected by cheap imitations, high price and other inconsistencies. This is when Maruo clothing President Ozaki decided to try to make the first Japanese jeans and started dissecting American jeans closely. To their surprise , they found that the indigo did not go deep inside the yarns of the jeans and the core was left white. While the Japanese were adept at Indigo dyeing for thousands of years, they dyed the cloths multiple times saturating the core also with the indigo . At that time , it looked impossible to achieve that look and Ozaki decided to import fabrics directly from USA. And this started the journey which brought the first few thousand yards of American denim fabric to Japan in 1965 from Canton Mills. But when the factory workes started to stitch the jeans , they found that it was impossible to stitch into such a hard fabric . Besides, the orange thread , zippers and rivets were also special and not to be found locally.
The story and plot gets more interesting . Lets catch up for more in the 2nd part of Japanese denim story . And for our love of all things denim and Japanese, our next denim show will be in Japan on Nov 1-2 . Do visit the show to meet some exclusive Japanese and International companies and get the flavor of Japanese denim. Register to get invite Japan.denimsandjeans.com/ , Exhibitor list : https://japan.denimsandjeans.com/exhibitor-list
Elasten is one of the most well known European producers of high-end stretch yarns from Italy. Being in the business since almost the starting of the ‘elastomer revolution’, the company takes pride in first elasticizing the ‘linens’, ‘hemp’ and ‘ramie’ and getting them patented. They are so deep into elasticization of different products that , jokingly, their reference phrase in Italian is
“Io elasticizzo anche la mi’ mamma†meaning “I elasticize even my mommy†. As Elasten brings their special yarns to Japan at Denimsandjeans Japan show, we had a chat with Giovanni Benelli – Commercial and Technical director at Elasten.
Italy that has a long history in yarns and textiles. Can you give the background of Elasten in this regard.
Yes , Italy has an ancient history in the textile world and especially our city, PRATO which boasts at least 800 years of history in the production of yarns and fabrics. The best known product is certainly the CARDATO di PRATO.
What are the most important characteristics of your yarns which keeps you apart from competition in Europe and Asia
We believe that our quality can find great interest in the Asian market and especially in the high segment. Our products are aimed at brands that want to diversify from the crowd and ride the values ​​of the past, craftsmanship in a modern key.
What sustainable characteristics can you give to fabrics and garments through your production processes
Our processing is nothing more than a coupling of fibers together thought out in an ingenious way. We prefer strong and resistant fibers such as linen or hemp which are, moreover, the most environmentally friendly. If we talk about transforming these fibers into stretch versions, surely the green key is the durability of the garment over time which will keep its parameters unchanged. Abrasion resistance and elasticity considering that we use the best elastic fibers on the market never compromising for price reasons. The meaning of our work is to ensure that a person can buy a timeless garment that lasts for years if not decades. This for us is the idea of ​​true sustainability.
Do you also produce Natural elastane which can help in total compostability of the garment
We have collaborated on the first compostable stretch fabric in the world with the most honorable denim manufacturer, and recently we have developed a new international patent to create a yarn that gives a stretch comfort effect without using elastomeric fibers and I must say that it is raising great interest in the weaving and knitting market. Depending on the use it gives elasticity or completely innovative hand feel effects and the nice thing is that it can be developed on any material through our BFlex® collection.    Â
How do you see the Japan market and what are your expectations from participating in the Denimsandjeans Japan show?
The Japanese market but also the Korean one have always had taste and appreciate the details, the particular hands, given by the innovative fibers or by the treatments on natural fibers. In the Denim world, Japanese fabric is a fabulous icon. The aesthetic result of a Selvedge Denim produced by inserting our patented stretch yarns in Linen fiber of European origin, wet spun in Europe, brings a technical and aesthetic enrichment that intrigues. In our collection we show fabrics that in appearance are very reminiscent of Japanese Selvedge Denim fabrics but which have the Linen component that gives an authentic appearance and allows breathability and thermoregulation enormously superior to cotton, giving a feeling of freshness for days without having to resort to frequent washing and the stretch component which on high fabric weights gives a fantastic comfort effect.
Recently , we had a talk with Ms. Hang Phoi Quyen -the CEO of denim mill Viet Hong Textile , Vietnam. With an experience of over 12 years in the family business, she is upbeat about her denim mill being a partner of choice for many international brands. As the company is a regular participant in Denimandjeans Vietnam show and will also join the March’23 show, we had a small chat with her and would like to reproduce the same below :
Viet Hong as a denim mill has been growing over the years. We would like to know more about the background and history of the company ? Viet Hong Textile J.V.C is established in 2005 and owned by VIET HUONG Group, a family owned business group with 40 years of entrepreneurial experience. With passionate and open-minded management, along with our young and energetic staff, we were able to evolve ourselves out of traditional local mill. Nowadays, Viet Hong is known as a reliable denim textile manufacturer, not only in Vietnam but also in international market, current Investment amounting to U$12 million and with manpower of about 300 people.
Viet Hong is known to be “Your First Denim Choice in Vietnamâ€
How do you think being a Vietnamese denim mill benefits you as a company ?
The strongest point of Vietnam Mill as denim producing country to other neighbouring countries, is that we have 10 bilateral and multilateral trade agreements with groups and organization such as ASEAN Free Trade Nation, 5 ASEAN+1 FTA’s, FTA with Japan, South Korea, Chile, Russia and the EURASIA Economic Union and Countries which is expected to execute CPTPP and EVFTA + UKVFTA.
These FTAs will create many opportunities for Vietnamese companies in general and the Vietnamese garment industry in particular, but this also comes with many challenges, we need to master the rules of origin to fully exploit the benefits of FTAs and to promote export growth, reduce tariffs to 0% as well as eliminate many kinds of tariffs.
Global brands have a big focus on going green and are pushing their supply chain in this regard. What changes and developments have been done by your company to meet or exceed these demands?
VH Denim partners with companies to develop sustainable and functional products. Our partners and us, are dedicated to responsible practice and innovative ways to improve fabric performance with new elements and latest technology. Our Company as well insure that all necessary compliance and certifications are in place.
What is the competition like for you from within Vietnam?
Competition in the market is always present in any industry, it makes the business more progressive and challenging. Us in Viet Hong we are not threatened by our competitors, as we provide customer with consistent quality, very good service on a timely manner and competitive pricing. We always make it a point to have an extra mile on hand, so no pressure felt from our competitors.
What future do you see of the Vietnamese denim industry – both for fabric and garments ?
The future for fabrics and garments in Vietnam is bright – we estimate market will last at least 10 more years. With influx of those companies/buyers pulling out of China, Vietnam will be a lucrative market in ASIA. All the outstanding Free Trade Agreement with other Nations will add the difference.
What is most interesting from your latest collection?
With much anticipated Japan show , Denimsandjeans has been talking with the exhibitors about their new collection and products that will be showcased in November. After the pandemic , the show is re-scheduled after a long time and all the denim enthusiasts are looking forward to have a great physical event. Recently , we had a word with Umberto De Vita – Global Indigo Manager at Archroma team about their latest products and their current focus.
1) Archroma has been focused on reducing environmental impact through their products for a long time. What is the DNA of the company in this respect ?
Indeed, Archroma has been committed to develop innovative chemical technologies and processes that are safer for the consumer and the environment for a long time. We describe our approach as :
The Archroma Way to a Sustainable World: Safe, efficient, enhanced, it’s our nature
The Archroma Way is based on the three pillars: Safe, Efficient and Enhanced, and we look at providing a system, rather than single products, in order to maximize the potential synergies and benefits in the application process.
Safe, the first pillar, means that we strive to have safety at the core of everything we do, with a focus on helping our customers develop end-products that are safe to use for the workers, safe to wear for the consumer, and safe to release for the environment. . Safe therefore refers to the certifications we have, such as bluesign, ZDHC, GOTS, Cradle to Cradle, etc., and typically we go beyond such certifications and also regulations in hazardous chemicals. For instance we have developed products such as aniline free indigo, formaldehyde free easy-care resins, metal free acid dyes for nylon, etc.
The second pillar is Efficient. Efficient is about rethinking manufacturing processes with smart chemistry that can combine coloration processes with reducing the amounts of water and energy required. We use our ONEWAY Impact Calculator to digitize the mill’s current process, and we can then identify the achievable amount of savings in terms or water, energy, CO2 reduction, and ultimately the associated cost savings.
Systems that are Safe and Efficient are part of our Efficient Collection.
The third pillar is Enhanced. This pillar is about adding value – in terms of performance or sustainability – to the fabric or end article. This can be typically done with finishing effects such as odor control, wrinkle free, moisture management, etc. Again, we are able to measure the current cost of production and show the mill how they can generate more profit with the addition of our system, by creating additional functions, sustainability, and value.
Systems that are Safe and Enhanced are part of our enhanced collection.
In most cases we can combine all 3 technologies and provide a system that is Safe, Efficient, and Enhanced, creating a fabric or end-article using less resources whilst adding more function and value. These are part of our Ultimate Collection.
We currently have >70 systems that address specific problems and challenges facing the industry with the best possible solution for each customer and process. You can visit our System Selector and scroll through some examples:
2) Aniline free Indigo was considered very difficult till a few years ago. Also there were no metrics to measure how much it would be beneficial for the earth. Do you have some relevant data to support the impact of your Denisol Pure Indigo ?
Good question, sure we have the data! But first let me remind you a little bit about the full concept:
As you know, most of the indigo on the market today contains varying amounts of aniline. This comes from the synthesis process where an excess of aniline is carried through into the final product. Aniline is a class 2 carcinogen and has acute aquatic toxicity.
During the Archroma hydrogenation (pre-reduction) process we developed a way to create an end product without aniline, and we produce this range in our zero effluent manufacturing plant in Pakistan.
Although some aniline has been found on the final pair of jeans, especially dark, unwashed rigid styles, we were more focused on worker protection, who are often exposed to high concentrations of indigo, and also focused on the environment where discharge of denim mills with aniline could affect the aquatic life.
The product works exactly as normal pre-reduced indigo, application, shade, strength and wash down are identical – just with no aniline, which had no place being there.
We have a short video explaining the issue with aniline here at this link :
Back to your initial question: the up to date figure is that since 2019 (when Denisol Pure Indigo 30 was launched) Archroma has diverted above 35 million tons of aniline from the supply chain, Â and we estimated to have protected more than 40,000 denim workers.
3) Collaborations are the new normal in the industry to create real impact. With your various partnerships across, do you also feel so?
I believe that sustainability cannot be reached by a single company activity and at Archroma we always expand our research and collaborations.
I will just name 2 exciting examples, but we have many more projects in the pipeline:
– In 2021 we have started a collaboration with CleanKore, a US based company, for the production of aniline-free and potassium permanganate-free denim – this is highlighted in our [PURE INDIGO ICON]2 system
Not only does this system allow for the production of a more sustainable denim but it also enables to use significantly less resources in the process (water, energy, chemicals) leading to reduction in CO2 emission as well.
-             In 2022 we officialized our collaboration with Stony Creek Colors for the production of pre reduced natural indigo in order to keep the authenticity of the natural indigo dye but with the same consistency and performance of the synthetic form.
4) Black denim has always been the ‘black sheep’ of the denim world. Are there any innovations in this segment which can really make a difference?
Black denim appeared in the market at the 80s, 40 years ago. Since then, practically all black/grey denim has been dyed using basically the chemistry of sulfur black 1, with some small variations in the dyeing to slightly move the shade and wash-downs. After the indigo blue, black is the most popular color in denim. At Archroma we have been working to develop a new dyestuff which could be a game changer for the black denim market. The product is called Diresul® Evolution Black liquid. The product has two main benefits:
1.-a more greenish-bluish shade compared to standard sulfur black. This tone is also achievable working at very high depth where standard sulfur black usually gets a very reddish tone. Diresul® Evolution Black also offers a clear differentiation in the bleaching wash-down where the product is fading on grey tone, whilst standard black shows a yellow-brown shade. We think this new black dyestuff will offer a huge opportunity for designers and product development teams at brands and denim mills to create new looks in the market segment of black denim.
2.-As mentioned in previous questions, at Archroma we are continuously trying to offer, with all new developments, products that are safer for people and for the environment. With Diresul® Evolution Black liquid we have created a sulfur black which does not generate any residue (no wastewater and no emissions) in its synthesis compared to standard sulfur black.
Using this dyestuff, brands and denim mills will be able to create the cleanest black denim in the market together with new looks.
5) You are participating in the Denimsandjeans Japan show . What is your target in Japan and your expectations from the show which is being held on Nov 1-2 at Tokyo ?
This event was planned to take place quite a time ago, before the pandemic. Today I am excited to have the opportunity to be back to such a great event and meeting in person with many international partners. I expect the usual denim passionate environment with a lot of innovations and sustainability messages from all the parts of the textile chain. Moreover, Japan is a very inspiring country and my favorite place for denim research.
I make my compliments again to Sandeep and the team to have selected such a magic location.
