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
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.
Denimsandjeans Japan was designed by us as the first Denim Supply Chain show in the country and we had originally scheduled it in March 2020. However, pandemic played the spoilsport and we had to postpone the show and move the dates . Finally we are now holding the show at Tokyo on Nov 1-2 with over 50 companies from Japan and around the world joining us in this maiden attempt. Denimsandjeans provide a platform to assemble link with captains of the denim industry. Denim industry is prone to dynamism. It becomes vital for the manufacturers and the sellers to keep themselves updated about the trends in the market. We are attempting to create an atmosphere where both can connect and transact.
Japan is one of the most valuable places when it comes to denim. The Japanese have taken the art of denim making to another level and provide inspiration to global buyers and designers who visit there often to learn and to be inspired. Japan is also a place for large retailers and corporations who have immense purchasing power in terms of denim apparel and fabrics for their overseas offices. Did you know that Japan imports over 160-180 million pcs of denim jeans every year ?? Its the third largest importer of these products after EU and US.
Success of our India show held in June 2022 was a great comeback after pandemic. Now, we are pleased to invite you to Japan show after three long years. Our japan show premiere edition was postponed 15 days prior to the actual show dates in March 2020 and it was a setback for all of us. But , now we are on our toes again and back with all the enthusiasm and commitments from 2020. We look forward for your appearance on 1st and 2nd November at Sunshine City, Tokyo , Japan.
This time our theme is RAW & RIGHT . The theme emanates from the right way of creating the denim and RAW signifies the original composition and structure of denim which also in some way signifies that the denim needs to remain connected with the nature . RIGHT adds up to the correct way of producing and using the denim without any environmental impact i.e sustainably. Thus , Sustainability plays a definite role here that embarks our theme for the upcoming show.
Some of the Japanese exhibitors include Nihon Menpu , Collect, Showa, Shinohara, Sanyo Senko, Whoval, JDS , SAAB , HAP and more .The list of exhibitors from Japan and those from around the world can be found here .
Many local and international fabric , chemical, accessories , technology , trims, yarns etc companies will be participating in the November show displaying their AW23 and SS24 collection. We are expecting to have all the big retailers and brands from Japan and many from US, Europe , Korea etc joining us this time.
We shall be having some great seminars by some global experts and we shall announce the same shortly. Please do keep following us for more news and we look forward to having you with us in JAPAN !
Nearchimica is a well known Italian chemical company which has been serving the industry for over 40 years and is well respected for its various initiatives and contributions to the industry specially in the sustainability arena. We spoke to the Managing Director – Roberto Camera – to understand how they are have been moving over these years and what are their plans for Vietnam.
Nearchimica is over 4 decades old company dealing in auxiliaries for textiles. How has the company grown over the years
The company has grown step by step, implementing his activity cooperating with Customers on market need satisfaction, focusing on continuous innovation, offering deep technical support
What change have you seen in last 10years with focus of the industry changing towards more environment friendly products and how have you kept pace with it
In the last 10 years many things happened ,with continuous and pressing requirements for eco sustainability together with some reluctance from brands to fully adopt related technical innovation for their standard production.
Starting from 2019, with growing ZDHC compliance demands and its deadlines, this commitment has become more defined and important. Today we can say that most major companies are involved in eco sustainable process developments.
What do you think are the 3 key concern areas in denim fabric and garment production which need to be addressed to reduce our impact on the mother earth
Our philosophy is that “ less is better†: less water consumption, less energy consumption, and less hazardous chemicals.
We call this project Eco dress code which means continuity in our denim tradition, paying attention to people, workers and environment.Today technology is available to produce attractive garments with sustainable approach, it’s just a matter of deciding when and how. We’re available for supporting our customers in this transition.
Your main products which you think can help in the above-mentioned areas.
As usual our model is based on an offer of Application knowhow and Chemical product innovation to our partners. Main subjects are:
Laser technology ,combining new generation laser booster and smoothers in order to improve laser engraving performance …the object is to come to a No Touch process.
Selected Enzymes high performing at low temperature and suitable for easy biodegradable bleaching and cleanings
Eco friendly bleaching agents and Ozone activators.
Concentrated performing auxiliaries to improve, along the whole textile field, logistic cost and energy cost and pollution related to the transport.
Major changes you see coming in the auxiliaries in the next few years. How will that impact our industry.
One of the fundament futures will be recycling. At any level, it will be successful if we’ll be able to transform the waste into a resource. Our company is sharing with our customers projects that are going in that direction. This means that all the life cycle, for garments & fabrics, must be consciously planned starting from the real beginning.
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You are participating in the Denimsandjeans Show in Vietnam in 2023. What are your expectations from the event as it is happening after 3 years
Our expectation is to overcome problems arising from this long pandemic lockdown and happy to meet by person again re starting relationships.
It is clear that after the pandemic nothing is same as before, and we need to adapt ourself to new needs and situation, considering these transformation as a part of a natural evolution.
Aquitex is a Portuguese company dedicated to the manufacture and sale of textile and ceramic chemicals for over 50 years. The company has a strong sustainable vision and we spoke to their General Manager Jorge Faria to find a little more about them as they also cater to various denim companies globally.
1) Please share the history and development of Aquitex as a company.
Aquitex started 59years ago in Portugal as a distributor of very reputed international companies like Novo Nordisk, Sumitomo, Tanatex, and Sigma. With the time, and mainly after 1995, Aquitex started to produce its own products. We created our line of enzymes and chemical products and, nowadays, we produce more than 5.000ton of products per year. The company had 2 departments: textile and ceramic ( we produce the colors for painting the ceramics like mugs, plates, etc). In 2015 we implemented another department: detergency and cosmetic At the same time we invested a lot in research.
Nowadays we are 39 persons working, and half are masters or with a university degree. We worked with the main universities in Portugal, doing the development with them, using their amazing equipment that helps us to have products and systems with patents or in the patent process.
Our lab of applications has more than 300sm completely equipped with all equipment needed for textile and ceramic. In textile, we have all the equipment needed for all textile applications including machines for washing and garment treatment.
In 2018, together with all Portuguese universities and 4 major companies in different areas than textile, we created a lab to study and implement the process of a circular economy that is open to finding solutions for circularity despite the type of industry. This lab is not profit-oriented, which means, the money paid for each work is to cover the cost.
2) Having a chemical manufacturing company in the EU must be not easy with so many sustainability regulations to follow. How have you adapted yourselves over the years for the same?
We always follow the European rules and adjusted to them. Now we are a Bluesign company, we have Gots, we follow the REACH regulation and Okotex. We are an Iso 9001 and 14001 company.
Since 2011 we created products to reduce energy and water. For instance,Toxal PVDT is a product from that time that allows to do reactive dyes to be washed off at 65c. This means that we always anticipated the EU regulations because we felt the need, to be sustainable. Proof of it is the lab I mentioned in the previous point: circular Lab.
Our water treatment plant is unique because it uses plants to complete the treatment. We created a range of ceramic dyes, products that came from the land, and we have a line of products to bleach, dye, and finish with natural products. We worked together with an European scientist on a product alternative to potassium permanganate which is truly safe and ecological (it gained top score in Screened Chemistry certification as a preferred chemistry product.)
3) What are your main products for the textile industry?
We have a full range of products for all the textile industry. For preparation, dyeing ( different types of fibers ) finishing and special products for finishing ., and a full range of products for denim washing. We can cover all textile applications.
For denim, we have the product to substitute the permanganate, very efficient enzymes that can be used in normal washing process or by spray system with the certification “Denisafe “
4) How big are denim chemicals as part of your portfolio? What advantages do you see for your customers using your chemicals?
The enzymes for stone wash and products for denin wash represent 25% of our turnover. The advantages are our good know-how, very effective enzymes, and a product to substitute permanganate, as I had mentioned. At the same time together with a “boutique†application Lab, we create collections of different types of washing and applications that are going to be exposed in the exhibition. We believe it will be unique.
5) How important do you think Vietnam is as a potential market?
Vietnam, sooner, will be the main textile supplier, therefore, we need to be present in this market. One of the aims of our presence in the Denimsandjeans exhibition is to show Aquitex and its potentiality and to have the chance to show how innovative, sustainable and fashionable we are.
We are going, also, to have the chance to find a good distributor that can represent Aquitex for the Vietnam market.
6) You are participating in our Denimsandjeans Show in 2023. What are your expectations from the show?
As I mentioned above to show Aquitex and who we are. At the same time, we need to give on step forward in our strategy of being in the Vietnam market.
For more details on the company, contact: Jorge Faria at this email Jorge.faria@aquitex.pt
Vinod Denim is one of the well-known denim mills in India. Having been set up only about 11 years back, the mill is a part of the Vinod Group under the leadership of their Director – Mr. Vinod Mittal. We discussed some key points in the denim industry with him in a small interview. Look at some interesting ideas that he shared with us.
1) When did you think about entering the denim arena and how has been the journey?
Vinod Denim Ltd produces denim fabric from 4.25 oz. to 14.0 oz. with a complete range of weaves like 2/1 Twill,3/1 Twill,4/1 Twill,100% cotton, Knitted Denim with or without Lycra, and strong quality control.
Group Vinod started a greenfield project for manufacturing indigo denim fabric in 2011 and had a modest production capacity of 5 lac meters per month then which has grown by almost 8 times now within a time span of 11 years and is now currently about 4 million mtrs p.a .
With due diligence and a market survey, the company forayed into exports by selling denim fabric to 11 countries and eyeing a major boost in sales within 3 years of operation. “Sky is the limit for those who have a clear vision of goal and integration of all business units to perform to its optimum efficiencyâ€.
To augment further market share with an aggressive marketing strategy and expansion Vinod Denim Ltd always look for professionally managed denim fabric channel partner all across its markets.
2)When did you think about entering the denim arena and how has been the journey?
It was 11 years back when we were exploring the possibilities of technical textile from fabric printing, we found allied industry as denim. The denim industry had an attractive annual growth rate of 25% p.a.and one of the biggest industry in India, which prompted us to enter into the arena.
The best part about denim fabric In US and European markets is that all classes of people had a fancy for this wonder fabric. While in India it was the younger generation who were mad after this fabric while there was a large pool of potential buyers from the middle age group to the older generation. We found an opportunity that was still un-tapped hence final call was taken to start denim fabric manufacturing.
3)What are the areas where you feel Vinod denim specializes in as a mill?
Vinod Denim provides has 4 slasher ranges on which different qualities run. With the right mix of warp and weft types, we are able to provide a number of qualities in a reasonable time frame to our customers. This enables us to remain flexible, provide a bigger range and take lesser time in deliveries to our customers. Besides, our higher widths ensure that the customer is getting more fabric sq mtr in a given period.
4)Out of your current collection, which products do you think are of special interest to your buyers in overseas markets.
The Indian Denim Industry is showing a notable increase in recent years. Indian denim brands and manufacturers are focusing on increasing their export globally. Considering the significant proportion that India commands in the international trade of textile and garb, the industry is ready to add more exceptional manufacturing capabilities.
The wider width denim fabric with the good flat finish is in good demand overseas and Vinod Denim specializes in these 2 parameters with total of 213 new looms installed and working with their full capacity making it customers’ first choice.
The real-time communication and delivery with pocket-friendly pricing of Vinod Denim Fabrics along with sustainability attract foreign buyers.
5)What are the steps you are taking to improve your sustainability quotient?
Vinod Denim Ltd with its own ETP Plant not only uses less quantity of water during production processes but also provides safe water for the cultivation of plants in and around the factory. As per WFTO (The world Fair Trade Organisation) report a kilogramme of textile needs around 200 liters of water while VDL is using paltry 70 liters of water.
The production process uses cadmium, lead, or mercury-free organic chemicals to safeguard the health of workers and the environment and does not pollute water also.
Vinod Denim has installed photo galvanic cell panels to save power, water & steam and continuously up-grading the technology. It promotes sustainable textile manufacturing by preserving and reusing energy and also it lowers operational costs.
Vinod Denim with the flow of market dynamics is one of the pioneers for lots of products being manufactured with the usage of market-friendly chemicals and introduced first time in the market like wider width fabrics of specialized finish ensures the lowest fabric consumption during garment manufacturing. Our mission is…..
After almost 3 years , Denimsandjeans India show successfully hosted with a huge traction showing how the industry really missed the physical shows. With around 40 exhibitors from 8 countries participating in the show this year , the 2 day event attracted around 2100 visitors from 600 companies and experienced the Denimsandjeans platform. Major brands, retailers, buying house , traders and manufacturers participated from not only cities in India like Bangalore, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, Telangana, New Delhi, Ahmedabad etc, but also from overseas including those from Bangladesh , Turkey , Sri Lanka and Hong Kong. Post the pandemic times , a lot of footfall was witnessed with people wanting to network with each other face to face rather than on online video calls. Meanwhile, all the covid norms and precautions were well maintained at the venue ensuring the safety of one and all.
All the major retailers and brands including H&M, Marks & Spencer, VF Corporation ,Kontoor Brands , Mufti, Landmark Group , Future Group , Future Retails , El Corte , Li Fung , GAP Inc , Fifth Avenue, Bhartiya Fashion, Tesco , Pepe Jeans , Poeticgem UK , Spykar , Benetton , Celio Sourcing, Shopper Stop , Reliance Trends , Myntra/Jabong , Flipkart, ITC Limited , Amazon, VOI Jeans, Saint Blue ,Levis, C&A ,PVH, Being Human, Blackberry, Aditya Birla Fashions , FFI, Ajio, Westside, Asmara India , Asmara Bangladesh , Bestseller , Inmark Retail, Impulse, Arvind Brands, Raymonds Apparels, Synergies Sourcing , Newtimes, etc visited the show. Some of the most reputed factories and exporters including Shahi, Garden City Fashion, Trigger Apparels, Prateek Apparels, Classic Polo Fashion, VD Fashions, Shivassa Apparels, Aquarelle Clothing and Hasbro Clothing also visited with their teams.
The theme of the show was coined as ‘GREENABLE’ – focusing on denim as a GREEN and COMFORTABLE product post COVID. The keynote address was given by Dr. Naresh Tyagi – Chief Sustainability Officer, Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail. His presence and words of wisdom surely helped commence the 4th edition with enthusiasm. See Full video here.
TREND AREA
The Trend Area at the 4th edition of Denimsandjeans India showcased the GREENABLE theme with a background view of a garden against the latest creativities of the denim industry . SS23 and AW23 collection were on display in majorly 5 categories as – COMFY FASHION , WATER AND CHEMICAL THRIFT , FASHIONABLES , GREEN FIBERS and RECYCLE THE PAST.
ACTIVITIES and FUN
Reinforcing the need to make our earth more green, Denimsandjeans introduced a bare tree to which the leaves were put up by the visitors in the show with their messages and quotes. Many inspiring as well as motivational thoughts were shared through this medium. Along with this , a Denimandjeans magazine photo booth attracted a large number of audience and were shared on instagram handles. But the most interesting part can be said to be the DENIMSANDJEANS PARTY in the evening , where the exhibitors let their hair down and enjoyed the music and networking .
There were many seminars including a panel discussion by renowned denim heads on very interesting topics during the show.
Raw Material Volatility – Effect On The Supply Chain
A panel discussion moderated by Mr. Stefano Aldighieri ( President , Another Design Studio ) with Panel members –
Mr. Subir Mukherjee ( Business Head , Bhaskar Industries Pvt Ltd ) Mr. Fabrizio Maggi ( Apparel Commercial director South Asia and EMEA distribution ) Mr. Avinash Mane ( Commercial Director (South Asia, Middle East, Thailand), Lenzing Fibers. ) Mr. Bharat Desai ( President – Raw material Procurement, Alok Industries Ltd. (An integrated textile mill) ) Mr. Sartaj singh Mehta ( Product Director Pepe Jeans London )
Escaping Fashion’s Death Valley – How AI can remove uncertainty and waste
A Presentation by Mr. Ganesh Subramanian Founder and CEO, Stylumia
STORY TELLING: Never Mind The Medium: Only Content Matter
Presentation by Mr. Sundeep Ramudamu Experienced Apparel Design Lead/ Video Content creator/ Story Teller Creative cheat sheet and Mr. Stefano Aldighieri President , Another Design Studio
How Denim Brands Are Adapting To Conscious Customers
Seminar by Dr. Dilek Erik Global Marketing Manager, Sharabati denim
Sustainable Denim Spray Dyeing And Finishing Technology
A seminar by Mr. Jayanta Sanyal , Head Of Technical Sales & Processes , RotaSpray
From Fast Fashion To Accurate Fashion
A seminar by Mr. Manuj Kanchan , Division Director-CEA , Jeanologia
Trend Presentation AW 23-24
Presentation by Ms. Neha Celly From Denim design and research house Bluehemia and denim couture brand nece gene.
Also, you can download some of the presentations from our speakers from THIS LINK ..
Denimsandjeans Initiatives
Complying with the GREENABLE theme , Denimsandjeans took up various initiatives during the show to promote the reduction in wastage by taking some small steps. . Saving over 2000 plastic bottles , the team encouraged the use of metallic bottles and some other ways to provide clean water without using bottles. . Moreover, a large number of plastic covers, papers were replaced by the handbands made from recycled fabrics . It was fun to do this while making our small contribution to the cause.
We enjoyed the show thoroughly and we again THANK OUR EXHIBITORS AND VISITORS who kept faith in us after the difficult covid period !
Do not miss to join us for our JAPAN SHOW on Nov 1-2
Fashinza is a B2B manufacturing marketplace that solves apparel/fashion supply chain challenges by connecting fashion brands to experienced manufacturers. Fashinza is a creation of diverse team of individuals united by a shared love for technology and sustainability. Their leadership comes with 15+ years of experience in the fashion and IT industries. The Co-Founders – Pawan Gupta, Abhishek Sharma and Jamil Ahmad – launched Fashinza to solve the existing challenges which make the fashion supply chain inefficient, rigid and unethical.
As Fashinza joins our Denimsandjeans India show , we speak to one of the founders – Pawan Gupta – to find what really is Fashinza doing and how they intend to solve the myriad problems in the fashion industry including denim.
Fashinza is a B2B manufacturing marketplace that solves apparel/fashion supply chain challenges by connecting fashion brands to experienced manufacturers.
Yes, Our recent funding announcement of $100Mn created a buzz in the media across the globe.
Fashinza is an AI-driven B2B marketplace that seeks to fix manufacturing for fashion brands and retailers. We are creating a 21st-century supply chain for fashion that is fast, transparent, and sustainable — all through a single-stop technology-powered platform.
Global brands can find vetted cloud-connected manufacturers, browse exclusive designs, place bulk orders online, monitor daily production status, and chat with manufacturers directly through our platform. Our FactoryOS powers assembly lines in small to mid-sized factories with a powerful mobile-driven AI platform that completely digitizes the shop floor and helps them tremendously improve efficiency, quality, and speed. Fashinza allows brands to cover as low as 50 pcs with turnaround times as fast as 45 days.
What weaknesses do you see in the current sourcing model which necessitate bringing an alternative one?
The current sourcing model is not designed for scale without human intervention. A typical sourcing cycle involves numerous calls, e-mails, visits, and multiple back & fourth process to arrive at closure. All of this creates a lot of unnecessary redundancy and dependency. This is further compounded by the fact that inventory is still not “just-in-time†and a lot of brands have to deal with shortages or excess inventory at the end of the season. That is where we come into the picture, our control and predictability over the production process help brands plan better, keep a tab on red flags, and reduce wastage.
How has been your client experience at the platform till now and how do you want to improve it further
We’ve had success in getting brands to use our platform to place and manage orders. At the same time, our supplier also likes the fact that there is a single platform to deal with all the ongoing queries and order management. From here on, we are looking to double down our efforts towards a mobile-first approach to entire order management along with deep tech integration like RFID scanning, and line planning to improve the predictability for our customers.
With a huge series B funding of $100 million recently and perhaps many more to come, how do you Fashinza’s growth in the coming 1 year
Yes, We will invest our series B funding in two primary areas: supply chain technology and expanding our base globally. This means that we aim to:
Create a sustainable (i.e., net positive) supply chain by 2030 that doesn’t cost extra
Invest in deep supply chain technology, IoT, and Industry 4.0 solutions for SMB manufacturers
Expand our presence in the US
Expand the supply chain in India, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Turkey, Central America, and hopefully the US
You are participating in our Denimsandjeans India show in Bangalore. What would be your main focus during the show and what do you expect during the same.
Our main focus is to collaborate with relevant brands to understand the current challenges & pain points of their supply chain & sourcing issues. Also, it will help us to exchange ideas and innovations happening in the industry.
How can Fashinza help the denim industry become more efficient?
Yes, We are helping brands from denim category to be more efficient on
1. Pricing: we can bring technical know-how of what is happening in the supply chain from across the world (China, Bangladesh, Vietnam, etc.) – which will reduce costs for suppliers and eventually, to the end buyer.
2. Production Time(TAT): We are giving the entire design to delivery solutions for buyers with our catalogue launch, on ready fabrics – which eventually reduces TAT for any delivery.
3. Low Quantity (MOQ) – we have capability to do low MOQs – which reduces a brand’s working capital requirements
Can you delve more into the AI behind the Fashinza platform and how specifically it works to help address supply chain issues in the fashion industry?
Manufacturing is a very data-intensive process. In absence of data, people rely on their intuition to make decisions and more often than not end up with suboptimal outcomes. With our FactoryOS, Fashinza’s AI technology, we are bringing data-driven decision-making and projections to SMB fashion manufacturers. We use data to optimize quality checking, assembly line planning, throughput projections, and matching the right suppliers based on 80 different parameters. The result is that Fashinza FactoryOS-powered factories have very low quality-related wastage, higher throughput, and higher profitability while being faster, reliable, and automated.
To know more about Fashiza and to meet them at Denimsandjeans Show in Bangalore on June 8-9, 2022 ,
