Mo’cycle, the Swedish motorcycle brand is taking safety to a whole new level with their revolutionary airbag jeans. The unique pair of jeans is outfitted with airbags that offer unsurpassed protection for the lower body in case of accidents.
According to Mo’cycle officials, these airbags are ten times better at absorbing impact energy than traditional pads and mark a major advancement in motorcycle safety. With the introduction of these special jeans, Mo’cycle has truly changed the game for motorcycle safety.
How These Jeans Can Protect Bikers?
Spinal column injuries can be a devastating outcome of a motorcycle accident. Many riders have had to live with permanent impairments caused due to the lack of adequate protection gear. However, the recent development of Mo’cycle® Airbag jeans is an advanced piece of protective gear which delivered increased safety and ensures that bikers can continue riding without giving up their passion due to fear or injury.
The Mo’cycle Airbag Jeans is an innovative fashion-tech product that unites advanced technology and high fashion to ensure ‘safety-first’.
These specialized jeans have an integrated safety strip that can be attached to any part of the bike such as its shocker, footrest or frame.
In case the rider falls off their bike due to an accident, this strip pulls apart which activates the details in these jeans and effectively works like a miniature airbag for the rider.
Fashion Cum Safety
They are comfortable to wear throughout a ride and can offer peace of mind knowing that if something bad were to happen, they would be protected by these revolutionary new jeans. The best part is that you won’t even feel the airbag structure as it has been integrated seamlessly into the garment.
This modern product offers superior protection without compromising on fashion or comfort. No longer does safety have to take a back seat when it comes to fashion. With Mo’cycle ​Airbag Jeans you can stay safe while looking good!
What’s more, this innovative design is available in a variety of styles, sizes and colors so that you can ride in comfort and with your own unique style. With airbag jeans, you have the chance to be a pioneer in wearing airbag protected gear while still looking fashionable.
Don’t miss out on your opportunity to stay safe while hitting the open road this summer – get your airbag jeans today!
Andrea Skatto has been in the textiles world for about 3 decades, developing fabrics collections, mainly into denim, flats & shirting for a variety of suppliers worldwide, and working to find marketing solutions in Italian, European and Chinese markets.
He has worked with companies like The Bonazzi Group/ Montebello and Tessilbrenta in Italy, La Panama flats, and C.C.CLUB/ Pianeta Tessile, again flats and outerwear fabrics. In Turkey and with Calik Denim for 7 years. Besides Arvind mills, Fifth Avenue and SuryaLakshmi Azgard 9, Naveena in Pakistan, Brandix, Foison, etc have been part of his clientele in his long career.
Among brands, he was hired by Diesel -Italy to renew their denim fabrics choices and currently works with the Italian brand H.T.C ( HOLYWOOD TRADING CO.). He loves to take care of all processes in a mill, from choosing raw materials to yarn sizes study to actual fabrics with a special focus on chemical finishes.
We thought about taking his views on various aspects of development in the industry today and he shared some of his ideas.
Q. Andrea, what changes do you see in the retail market of denim and flats post covid? Do you see strong positives or even negatives?
A. – Denim is still doing pretty well, as is the sale of fabrics and garments that I see currently.
Flats need changes. Positive on flats, it can happen if mills start to not just follow the big buying group, they need to get Brands designers interested with new ideas, using different yarns and finishes. Today I do not see many innovations.
Since the times the Italian suppliers practically disappeared, no one really takes this market and its product study as it should be. The real innovations, I feel, are amiss.
Q. – You have a long experience in denim fabric structures and compositions. Do you want to highlight anything important for the same?
A.- To have interesting, saleable, and usable structures mills need to use a higher number of shafts as possible with rapier looms. Normally all denim makers work max with 8 shafts. We could take as an example the geometrical shirting type of designs reported in denim. I always see too many ugly structures.
Again, mills should work on new yarns and versatile looms to bring out good designs.
Q.- Brands are also looking to differentiate themselves among their fabric suppliers based on their own requirements. How important is this for suppliers?
Brands are also looking to differentiate among their fabric suppliers, based on their own requirements. Can you share some examples which show how their respective functioning and requirements are different?
A. – I always believed, through my experience, that SUPPLIERS should differentiate themself, finding the “hot spot”, as, what their CLIENTS would like to buy.
When I started my career in Italy, we did create tendencies of FABRICS which were almost never asked by clients. We worked mainly with Brands. Then the huge retailers arrived, with their price requirements, quality, ultra-fixed deliveries, penalties, etc. The game changed.
We need as fabrics makers to work more and better in developing what we are good at. From raw materials to yarns, to fabrics, finishes, and presentation, all must be reseen, thinking about better margins through new products, new researches, that will allow suppliers to get and keep retailers vivid interest, that brings better sales of what is considered Basics Fabrics as well.
Q.- What trends do you see in both flats and denim in the next 2 years?
A. Flats can and will gain a lot if they let us work…and it is easier than designing garments.
Covid itself calls more to the protections of nylon or other technical fiber, but even 100% cotton can have a gore-tex Infinium coating, as an example.
Denim unless we build mills with relatively more versatile looms and use more finishes, I cannot see huge progress in the long run. Kids live different lives everywhere, they don’t even know most of the huge denim brands still around that were big in the 90′, after that it has been big retailers, but not much of brands.
Q.- Since you have worked with so many mills and brands, what do you think is the key today for mills to get more traction with buyers
Ideas, the world is itself improving through ideas.
We don’t need to talk about Leonardo da Vinci or Mr.Bezos…but all improve with new ideas, and in textile fabrics, ideas are made of raw material, yarns types, structure and finishes, simple or more inclusive waxing or coating, as mechanical as all types of brushing, preaching, etc.
I would focus on getting the interest of clients first to my product range, which involves sustainable processes as a standard, but i would count on developing novelties in tight cooperation with clients’ designers,using the experience of fabrics we hold,in order to follow clients in a commercial way.
Are skinny jeans really out? The trend of those body-fitting denim, long and cropped both, is it dead already? Well, what do you have in your wardrobe right now? The all-time comfortable and new trendy baggy and loose fit denim or skinny jeans or bootcuts or maybe straight fit?
Before getting into the numbers of baggy jeans lovers, what exactly is Baggy Jeans or how is it different from straight or loose-fitting denim? When the cut is ‘barrel leg, straight leg, or asymmetric,’ according to Elle UK, jeans are deemed baggy. Mom jeans, like the other designs listed, fall under the baggy denim group and have grown in popularity.
Since the inception of skinny jeans more than a decade ago, they have been written off time and time again, yet the narrow-legged garment has endured. It’s come back in new colors, styles, and levels of stretch to stay in vogue and on stores from Bloomingdale’s to Old Navy, clutching a nation’s ankles and legs. However, as customers gravitate to high-waisted, loose-fitting jeans in droves, rumors of its demise may be true. Levi Strauss & Co. officials claimed on a recent earnings call that sales patterns suggested that loose, even baggy, jeans for women and men were growing and that they were destined to become a trademark of our post-pandemic society.
Is this trend of baggy jeans because of the pandemic? Maybe, maybe not. Well, in my opinion, the pandemic made people work from home in their comfortable robes, where the majority did not even touch the denim for the whole 2020-2021 period of lockdown. And suddenly comes the fashion of loose baggy jeans. If you take it from me, I would say, the pandemic made people comfortable in loose clothing so much, that they do not want to go back to tight denim and trousers. And when the problem is at large of comfort clothing post-pandemic, with the majority facing it, why not have a change of trend itself rather finding a small solution to it. Smart, isn’t it?
The Denim Cycle
Skinny vs. baggy jeans have been a hot topic among Gen Zs and Millennials. Skinny jeans are out and baggy jeans are in, according to Generation Z, but Millennials are having a difficult time parting with their beloved skinnies.
Baggy jeans aren’t only for Generation Z anymore. “The globe could finally be entering the early phases of a new denim cycle,†Levi’s CEO Chip Bergh remarked in a recent CNBC article, “One where tight-fitting pants are suddenly out of style, and instead shoppers young and old are flocking to loose-hanging, wide-leg and flared jeans.†Endorsers, celebrities, and fashion icons would all have to agree. On the streets, we’re seeing less narrow jeans and more comfortable denim. Vogue highlighted a few celebs who have embraced the trend, noting that we’ve been gravitating into clothing for comfort in the past year, so it’s only natural that we’re opting for more cozy denim.
“The last denim cycle has been longer than 10 years, and it was the skinny jeans cycle,†said, the CEO of Levi’s. He also added “We’re definitely seeing a lot of uptake on these looser fits, and our competitors have all followed it and they’re all seeing the same thing. If we see it sustain for another season or two, it’s very possible that we’re into a new denim cycle.â€
The Present-Day Trend of Jeans
The style at hand, (or leg, practically speaking) is usually alluded to as “mom jeans,” even on Levi’s website, where they are featured heavily. In the last year, they’ve been increasingly apparent on Instagram fashionistas and adolescents in Netflix series, as well as being promoted by youths on TikTok. Younger clients, according to Bergh, were frequently wearing tighter shirts with denim. “That seems to be the look with the Gen Z and young millennials right now,†said Mr. Bergh.
Whether it’s bell-bottoms, flares, or skinny jeans, the style of jeans worn by Americans is frequently connected with certain eras, and merchants are eager to see how powerful the loose denim fashion will go into the long-awaited Future Days. The potential of a new denim design is excellent news for apparel retailers, who have been one of the most battered due to pandemic , as they struggle to boost sales and rekindle customer interest in clothes.
Skinny jeans, mom jeans, and straight-leg jeans are the top denim sales from January 2020 to March 2021, according to Fit Intelligence. You read it correctly: skinny jeans are the most popular denim style. However, the discussion over slim vs. easygoing jeans has only been going around for a few months. It’s also worth noting that Millennials account for 27.8% of all Fit Finder users, while Gen Z accounts for 27% – so it’s essentially a tie. As per statistics from the NPD Group, skinny jeans continue to account for the highest percentage of women’s jeans sales in the United States, accounting for 34% of sales. However, in the year ending in February, the style dropped seven percentage points.
Levi’s debuted a modest line of women’s high-waist, loose-fit jeans, and wide-leg trousers called balloon pants early last year, which sold “really, really well,” according to Bergh, leading the brand to double down on similar cuts. According to the company’s results call, sales of relaxed-fit men’s models like the Levi’s 550 and 559 increased by 50% year over year in the last quarter. Levi’s had pondered retiring the styles a few years prior due to their poor performance. The trend isn’t limited to Levi’s, which claims to be the first to introduce blue jeans in 1873. Even among narrow jean devotees, Madewell, the prominent retail business owned by J. Crew Group, has shown interest in fuller-fit jeans and balloon trousers, which is seen as a turning point for the fit.
The Future Of Jeans
“As people think about going back out, they’re thinking about what’s the look now, and they’re going to our website, they’re going to other websites, looking at fashion magazines and seeing looser, baggier fits be the new trendâ€, said Bergh. “The fact that people are liberated and can finally go out to dinner with their family or girlfriend or boyfriend — it gives them an occasion to kind of upgrade their wardrobe, update the look, and splurge a little bit on themselves, and I think that’s what we’re seeingâ€
Skinny jeans aren’t as trendy as they once were, but that doesn’t mean they’re not still being bought. Consumers may need some time to adopt and acclimatize to the new baggy style. Until then, we expect that shops will continue to sell skinny jeans and that consumers will continue to buy them. We predict that the purchase of skinny jeans will drop even further in the next months, but we can’t declare with certainty that this more fitting denim design will ever go out of vogue. “I don’t think skinny jeans are ever going to go away completely,†Bergh said. “People are mixing it up, and women, in particular, are having multiple choices.â€
Circularity has been discussed by Dame Ellen MacArthur since 2010, although the concept has only lately gained popularity. After retiring from sailing 12 years ago- MacArthur being the first woman to solo around the globe- she founded the Ellen MacArthur Foundation to bring together the worlds of business, education, fashion, agriculture, and beyond to conceive a dramatic transformation to a “circular economy.” A circular economy, in contrast to our existing linear concept of creation, consumption, and disposal, entails reducing waste, keeping items in circulation, and renewing nature.
MacArthur launched the book on the 2nd of December, 2021, at Business of Fashion VOICES. Circular Design for Fashion was created in honor of fashion’s enormous potential to change to a circular economy, as well as its creatives – enthusiastic disruptors who are always looking for new ways to innovate. The book introduces a new design approach and inspires designers to think about how they might help shape a more resilient and successful fashion sector that addresses climate change and biodiversity loss. Investigate the challenges of creating with three concepts in mind: reducing waste and pollution, cycling products and resources, and renewing nature. The book presents an assorted mix of voices, well-known names like Stella McCartney, Gabriela Hearst, and Eileen Fisher, as well as upcoming designers like Bethany Williams and Duran Lantink, upcycling professionals like ADIFF’s Angela Luna and Loulwa Al Saad, regenerative agriculture assets like Fibershed and FarFarm, Gucci and its parent company Kering, and some of the industry’s most successful corporations like Inditex, Fast Retailing, and H&M.
SUBSISTENCE BY CIRCULAR DESIGN
Many firms and designers in the fashion field have begun to take initiatives to remove waste and pollution from their product lifecycles in recent years. Elodie Rousselot, the strategic design manager at Ellen MacArthur Foundation says, “I think we’re witnessing a beautiful moment in the industry, where many are actively looking at how they can change their businesses and the way they design products to be fit for the circular economy.†The goal of circular design is to create goods and services that don’t have a linear life cycle with a beginning, middle, and conclusion. The goal is to create goods that can “be produced to be made again,†as ex- CEO of IDEO, Tim Brown phrased it.
The move to a circular economy (CE) presents designers with a variety of new issues and necessitates particular knowledge, tactics, and methodologies. The CE idea broadens the scope of the design process and encourages the incorporation of new knowledge domains and abilities. Throughout all phases of the design process, substantial engagement with stakeholders and specialists is required for the CE to be implemented successfully in reality. Design firms have responded to the CE by forming dedicated CE research and design workgroups, facilitating information flow, constructing their own circular strategies and techniques, and pursuing long-term client relationships that encourage designers to become involved in the lifecycles of crafted artifacts rather than viewing design projects as one-time events. Many designers have taken the initiative too. Amongst such designers are the six contributors, highlighted by Rousselot in MacArthur’s book, who are at the forefront of the movement towards the circular fashion industry.
ORANGE CUTURE BY ADEBAYO OKE-LAWAL
Adebayo Oke-Lawal creates gender-neutral clothing with a 90 percent indigenous Nigerian supply chain that includes everything from material procurement to dyeing and printing. The designer tries to guarantee that money stays in the community through his Lagos-based label Orange Culture, while also training his suppliers and staff about sustainable manufacturing processes so that they may apply what they’ve learned to other initiatives.
“They’ve also begun encouraging shoppers to return undesired clothing so that it may be turned into new outfits and sold again. It’s more than just a repair service. It’s almost as though the clothing had a new narrative to tell.” Rousselot said, “Orange Culture uses the offcuts from its manufacturing process to form new products or elements such as lining.â€
RAEBURN BY CHRISTOPHER RAEBURN
Whilst pursuing fashion design in London in the early 2000s, Christopher Raeburn began working with excess fabrics and clothes, purchasing unworn military coats from the 1950s for £1 apiece and reworking them into new outfits. Since then, he’s pushed to expand the use of reused materials in mass production with his own British Fashion Award-winning label Raeburn, along with switching ‘Timberland’ to regeneratively cultivated leather as creative director for the footwear company.
“He was one of the first to bring this practice to a commercial scale, in a way that is attractive and different from what you would expect from an ‘eco brand,†Rousselot said.
ICICLE BY YE SHOUZENG AND TAO XIAOMA
Icicle, a Chinese company founded in 1997 by husband-and-wife team Ye Shouzeng and Tao Xiaoma, uses five primary materials – cashmere, linen, wool, silk, and cotton – that is sustainably sourced and lightly treated to preserve the attention on the fibers’ inherent beauty. To maintain transparency and protect the welfare of garment workers, the company does all of its design and manufacture in-house at its own facilities.
Rousselot quotes about the innovative couple- “They are bringing this different perspective to a circular design, which is based on traditional Chinese philosophy and runs counter to the Western idea that we’re born, we die and then that’s itâ€
MARINE SERRE
Aside from her signature crescent moon motif, French designer Marine Serre is recognized for using repurposed materials such as household linens, carpets, and towels in 50% of her designs. Serre’s work, which was awarded the esteemed LVMH prize in 2017 and is distributed by big shops like Selfridges and Browns, demonstrates that waste materials, notwithstanding their nasty reputation, may have a place in the premium fashion industry.
“She’s extremely cutting edge in the way she designs with these textiles,†Rousselot said. “In fashion design, usually what students are taught to do is to define a color palette that will guide their collection and then find the fabrics to match.â€
FIBERSHED
Fibershed is a non-profit organization that assists businesses in gaining access to hyper-local textile supply chains by employing regenerative agricultural techniques that retain carbon in the soil rather than releasing it. Designer Phoebe English recently produced a line of outfits for the COP26 climate conference in conjunction with its regional arm in South East England, for which all fabrics were farmed, dyed, spun, and processed within a 250-kilometer radius of her London studio.
Rousselot quotes- “This approach means you are not growing hectares of cotton, you’re growing different types of crops that naturally thrive in the area such as nettle or hemp.â€
NKWO BY NKWO ONWUKA
Nkwo Onwuka, a British-Nigerian designer, created Dakala, a new African textile that looks like hand-loomed fabric but is manufactured by stripping and putting together discarded denim pieces. She currently instructs indigenous women in Abuja to use their traditional textile crafts abilities to manufacture new garments from the heaps of garment trash transported to Nigeria from western nations, with the goal of “weaving waste into prosperity.”
“She’s also started looking at sourcing cotton locally,†Rousselot explained. “Nigeria doesn’t grow a lot of cottons but unlike in Kyrgyzstan, where it’s a cause of desertification, in Nigeria, it can grow rain-fed so it doesn’t require extra irrigation.â€
CIRCULAR FASHION: THE CURRENT SCENARIO
The circular fashion industry is being embraced by more than just independent or eco-friendly apparel manufacturers. 64 of the world’s largest fashion brands, including Adidas and Inditex, inked a pledge in January 2018 to speed the transition to a circular business model. Adidas, for example, decided to address the issue of materials by gradually implementing a 3-Step Loop Strategy, in which Step 1 is to use recycled materials, Step 2 is to make those recycled materials part of a loop that can be reused, and Step 3 is to bio-fabricate the materials of the future so that when they come out of the loop, they are biodegradable and can be returned to nature without endangering it.
Denim is a wardrobe must for millions of individuals all over the world. The manufacture of a single pair of jeans in traditional way consumes 3,781 liters of water, which is a fact that the majority are unaware of. However, of late, we have seen that Ellen MacArthur foundation and other initiatives in the industry have ensured that the industry moves firmly in the direction of circularity and we hope to see huge changes very soon.
The Ellen MacArthur Foundation had created The Jeans Redesign, a set of recommendations aimed at encouraging the denim industry to embrace the circular economy more effectively. Hundreds of companies have already signed on and committed their support. Among them are Gap, H&M, Wrangler, and a many other well-known brands. In June 2021, the first redesigned jeans utilizing the criteria was finished, proving that circular jeans may be made now.
IMPORTANCE OF CIRCULAR FASHION ON PLANET
“Cradle to Cradle is like good gardening; it is not about “saving†the planet but about learning to thrive on it,†a quote by Michael Braungart says it all. The contemporary industrial infrastructure’s design goal is to provide an appealing product that is inexpensive, complies with rules, performs well enough, and lasts long enough to fulfil market expectations. With a projected worldwide population of nine billion people by 2030, nature will face unprecedented challenges in meeting human demands. The purpose of circular fashion is to guarantee that clothing is manufactured from safe and renewable materials, that innovative business models increase its usage, and that old clothing is reused. We want to see the garment industry progress to a future where every material is securely used and reused, ecosystems are protected, and people have meaningful jobs. This is the circular fashion philosophy, as well as why it is so vital.
Clothes are an outward manifestation of our personality, and while variety is important, we should be more careful of how much we really need.
Continuing our weekly news snippets, here are some interesting ones for Week 50.
COTTON PRODUCTION LIKELY TO GROW OVER 350 LAKH BALES, AS PER INDIAN COTTON FEDERATION
The Indian Cotton Federation (ICF) predicts that India’s cotton production would exceed 350 lakh bales during the cotton season 2021-22 (October to September). According to J.Thulasidharan, President, ICF , the rise in the minimum support price (MSP) has encouraged farmers and helped preserve the area under cotton. It has also encouraged farmers to implement improved crop management methods. Simultaneously, demand for exports was strong as well. At the Federation’s annual meeting, the office-bearers elected new officers, including J. Thulasidharan (President), P. Natraj and Adhitya Krishna Pathy (Vice-Presidents), and Nishant Asher (Secretary).
J. Thulasidharan also emphasised the need of addressing concerns such as fibre quality, correct grading, improved seed, and measures to achieve higher output. He went on to say that the next revolution will only come through increased yield. With the appropriate measures, Indian farmers may achieve a 1,000 kg output, which should be a priority for all stakeholders.
LEE JEANS LAUNCHES THEIR NEW VIRTUAL STORE
Lee Jeans has unveiled its first virtual store, allowing buyers to visit its Europe flagship in Antwerp and learn more about the brand’s ‘For A World That Works’ (FWTW) sustainability initiative. Consumers may browse an interactive three-dimensional retail area, exploring things in a store setting before effortlessly adding purchases to their purchasing basket, in the virtual store. The goal of digital shopping is to offer a real-world experience without the stress that often comes with in-person purchasing. The immersive experience also allows Lee to highlight its FWTW sustainability platform through a series of interactive buttons and movies that highlight innovations and activities geared to lessen the effect on people and the environment.
The virtual store’s navigation has been developed to allow consumers to come in from the street, enter the store, and browse products such as men’s and women’s clothing, as well as the exclusive Lee 101 collection. The virtual store is accessible via the Lee Jeans’ website and social media platforms.
PVH AND ECOVATIVE COLLABORATE ON A SUSTAINABLE FASHION COOPERATIVE
Ecovative has formed an international sustainable fashion cooperative with Bestseller and PVH Corp. Both Bestseller and PVH Corp. will get first access to Ecovative’s mycelium technologies and will collaborate with the company on the development of mycelium materials for goods and consumer applications. Ecovative has been generating mycelium for a variety of partners across the world, and will offer ForagerT Hides, an alternative leather material, in 2021.
Ecovative’s mycelium produces a ready-to-finish product that is free of plastic scrims and petroleum-based coatings. It is totally comprised of bio-based materials. Designers from Bestseller and PVH Corp., as well as Ecovative’s engineers, will collaborate with Fashion for Good Cooperative members to create, build, and test a research and development plan. Together, the cooperative will develop mycelium materials for the consumer market. “Working directly with fashion brands and tanneries, we make beautiful, high-performing and sustainable materials without harming animals or the planet,†said Gavin McIntyre, Ecovative co-founder and chief business officer.
PATAGONIA TO DONATE PROCEEDS FROM BLACK FRIDAY SALES FOR THE PLANET
US-based clothing brand, Patagonia, received an amazing $10 million in Black Friday sales, five above its own expectations, and will donate every penny to help save the environment as pledged. The high-end outdoor apparel and gear retailer revealed the record-breaking haul, stating that its customers’ “enormous passion” for the environment will benefit hundreds of grassroots environmental organizations worldwide. According to corporate spokeswoman Corley Kenna, the idea for the “fundraiser for the world” originated during an internal brainstorming gathering following the U.S. presidential election. Patagonia was looking for a means to raise awareness about the importance of the environment and climate change.
According to a press release, the funds earned via Patagonia’s Black Friday campaign will benefit grassroots environmental groups, many of which are small, underfunded, and off the radar, who are “working on the front lines to safeguard our air, water, and land for future generations.”
FOREVER 21 ENTERS METAVERSE WITH ROBLOX TO CREATE VIRTUAL FASHION STORES
Forever 21 collaborated with Roblox to create a digital experience. Users will be able to develop, own, and operate their own own business within the game, dubbed the Forever 21 Shop City. Clothing and accessories from Forever 21 will be available for purchase. As players strive to become the top store in the experience, they may hire non-player characters as employees. The experience is a community-focused game that will be accompanied by a number of partnerships. Roblox users @Builder Boy, @Beeism, @OceanOrbsRBX, and @JazzyX3 have collaborated to design an unique apparel collection for Forever 21 Shop City.
The shop will also have stores developed specifically by influencers such as KrystinPlays, Shaylo, and the Sopo Squad. Builders can choose and swap their locations anywhere in the game, perform tasks like stocking inventory and assisting customers, customise the interior, obtain merchandise that Forever 21 has released in its physical stores, and use architectural themes like cottage core and cyber punk for their stores. Obstacle courses, entertainment, a food court, and a yellow carpet will be available in Forever 21 Shop City’s four themed districts.
MARKS & SPENCER APPOINTS DIGITAL PRODUCT CHIEF TO BOOST ITS OMNICHANNEL OPERATIONS
Krista Nordlund, Marks & Spencer’s first chief digital product officer, has been appointed to strengthen the company’s digital capabilities. Nordlund is presently the chief product officer of RentPath, a digital rental marketplace in the United States that she joined in 2016. Her CV also includes posts at consumer-facing companies such as USA Today, Expedia, and US Airways. She will join M&S in January and will be responsible for developing improvements to the company’s app and website in order to improve the consumer experience across all digital touchpoints.
M&S has been undergoing a digital transition in recent years, with the goal of putting digital first rather than just seeing it as an extension of its physical operations. According to the company, this concentration has resulted in tremendous digital growth, as indicated by a 50% rise in app users by 2021. It currently has 14 million members in its redesigned Sparks loyalty programme.
“It’s a great time to be joining M&S as increasing numbers turn to online shopping and the business builds its omnichannel offering. I see a huge opportunity to support the next phase of our transformation by taking the digital experiences we offer customers to the next level.†said Nordlund on her appointment.
Continuing with the sustainable progress of denim brands, we provide you with some more brands that design jeans with eco-wise and sustainable efforts to aid you with the best possible buy this year.
1. BOYISH
LA brand Boyish is a member of The Jeans Redesign project from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, which outlines circular economy guidelines including making durable products. It also uses an ozone wash instead of chlorine bleach, a natural enzyme instead of polluting potassium permanganate, and REFIBRA, a fabric made using upcycled clothing and fabric scraps with Tencel. The brand also uses organic cotton certified by the Organic Content Standard (OCS Certified) and recycled cotton, which is the most sustainable cotton fiber source according to the Sustainable Apparel Coalition’s Higg Index. Its denim is cruelty-free and PETA approved. By 2023, 100% of the brand’s products will be made from plant-based fibers. It also plans to expand brand’s core collection to be more size inclusive and exceed living wage by 2023.
2. OUTERKNOWN
A brand established from an understated approach to design and an overstated approach to quality, material and consciousness, Outerknown launched its New Denim Project with Madewell on a capsule collection that featured coats, skirts and tops. Brought in WellThread X Outerknown collection made with single fiber polyester and cotton is fully recyclable down to the labels and snaps. The brand also launched Women’s stretch jeans with Coreva Stretch Technology from Milan’s Candiani mill. Ninety percent of the fibers the brand sources are organic, recycled or regenerated, and 100% of its trunks are made with recycled or renewable fibers. It also opened FutureShop, a planet-friendly online marketplace. Its goals comprise of: Making 75% of fabrics and 50% of products circular by 2030. To serve as a key catalyst and leader for circular innovation industry initiatives by 2025 and advocate to protect worker rights, safety, and livelihoods.
3. UNSPUN
Unspun won Marie Claire UK Sustainability Award for Best Sustainable Jeans 2021. It used AI and 3D modelling to create custom and on-demand jeans that are unique to every customer. This first-of-its-kind custom-fit denim collection was a big leap in the fashion industry as each pair of jeans is made-to-measure, cutting out excess waste. The brand is reducing the industry’s emissions by 30%. It also launched PanHemp, a new denim fabric in collaboration with Pangaia.
It also launched its Genesis Jeans which comprises of the fabric made with 99 percent GOTS certified organic cotton denim and 1 percent Lycra, and is washed using 100 percent recycled water and Greenscreen-approved chemicals. Unspun also ensures transparency element to its Genesis Jeans collection by including fashion tech firm Eon Group’s scannable CircularIDs to the jeans. Unspun’s 2021 sustainability goals include phasing out all cotton that is not recycled, organic or BCI and to eliminate all virgin poly from its fabrics. Other goals are reduce Co2 impact by 53% in near future and reduce global carbon emissions by 1%. The brand aims to 100 percent biodegradable and compostable packaging and use low-impact transportation to ship fabrics.
4. CLOSED
Closed’s sustainable gains include the launch of the world’s first 100 percent degradable stretch denim made with the biodegradable stretch yarn Coreva. The innovative jeans are part of Closed’s “A Better Blue†denim line, which is manufactured with sustainable materials, low-impact dyeing processes and environmentally friendly washing techniques in Italy to save resources. Closed also introduced Jacron back patches for its jeans as a sustainable vegan-alternative to leather.
Half of the men’s jeans, and 41 percent of the women’s denim in Closed’s Winter ’21 collection are a part of the A Better Blue line. The company followed the addition of organic cashmere in the F/W 21-22 range. It claims that it has saved 6,882,870 litres of water, 649,455 kWh of electricity, and 77,262 kg of solid waste of chemicals. Its future plans include: to provide PETA-approved vegan labeling, focus on making carbon-neutral supply chain and increasing the volume of A BETTER BLUE products to limit water, electricity and chemical consumption.
5. WARP+WEFT
The brand is on a mission to create the best sustainable denim in the world. Since the brand’s launch in 2017, they’ve sold more than 477,000 pairs of jeans and saved more than 572.4 million gallons of water. 98% of the water that goes into its denim is treated and recycled for additional use. To be completely transparent about its manufacturing process, Warp + Weft highlights elements like responsibly sourced cotton, eco-friendly dye from Dystar, water-saving techniques, and solar power. The brand also employs Ultra-absorbent Tencel fibers and waterless Dry Ozone technology, replacing bleach. It aims to launch a partnership with NGOs to provide clean drinking water in developing countries. For this it partnered with Charity: Water to provide a lifetime supply of water for 3,300 people for each pair of jeans sold.
6. PRIMARK
Leading retailer Primark has pledged to make clothes that can be “recyclable by design†by 2027. In addition, it plans to work with suppliers to halve carbon emissions throughout its supply chain while eliminating single-use plastics from its operations by 2027. Primark has also committed to pursuing a living wage for workers in its global supply chain by 2030 and has partnered with material innovators Unifi, Inc to bring their REPREVE Our Ocean fibre to its newest denim style.
The brand also partnered with Yellow Octopus, for a textile takeback service to divert garments from landfills in reusable pieces. It uses Sustainable Cotton Programme to trace the source of its sustainable cotton and is committed to training and educating 160,000 cotton farmers on more environmentally friendly farming practices by 2022. The brand launched its C2C Certified Gold Jeans which comes in a mom-fit and is made using a minimum of 50% renewable energy and 100% organic cotton. It has become a participant in the Circular Fashion Partnership, led by the Global Fashion Agenda that supports the development of the textile recycling industry in Bangladesh. The brand plans to provide living wage for its global supply chain workers by 2030.
7. KINGS OF INDIGO
Since 2012, Kings of Indigo has curated sustainable denim collections, making itself known as a leader in sustainable fashion. Fully PETA (vegan) approved since 2020, the brand uses 100% certified organic cotton; GOTS or OCS and EIM scored denim washes. It launched 100% Recycled jeans 40 pieces collection that contain 100% recycled fibres and uses TENCEL Lyocel fibres for denim production. The brand uses fully recycled and sustainable trims – metals, pocketing, paper. It launched Re-Gen: a capsule denim collection made from NO new cotton (50% recycled fibers and 50% Refibra Lyocell). 6. Ensures elimination of PP spray on denims.
KOI also uses ‘Retraced’, a new technology that maps out a brand’s full supply-chain, ruling out any and all greenwashing. The brand incorporates 100% carbon neutral Transport. Its plans to only use recycled natural or man-made fibers by 2025. KOI aims to use sustainable washing techniques for their denims by 2025 and also become carbon positive. It also strives to have full transparency through total supply chain by 2022.
8. KUYICHI
All denim produced by Kuyichi is made with one hundred percent organic cotton which reduces carbon emissions by up to sixty percent and some pairs incorporate post-consumer recycled denim. The boldest commitment Kuyichi made is its limit on the jeans it makes. To curb overconsumption and focus on jeans a customer will always wear, Kuyichi only sells a few timeless styles. All of their pure goods are produced in a conscious and innovative way, with a focus on quality denim with a perfect fit.
Kuyichi stopped making seasonal collections and doing sales to make a statement against fast fashion. It is a member of The Dutch Agreement on Sustainable Garments & Textiles (AGT). The brand is vegan and has a responsible business conduct (RBC) code. Some of its goals include: Make all denim with low impact washes and dye all denim fabrics with improved techniques by 2025; All denim will be sewn with ecoverde recycled Polyester sewing threads; Launching a new circular Business model pilot by 2021.
9. PATAGONIA
American clothing brand Patagonia has partnered with Finnish circular fashion and textile technology group Infinited Fiber Company for its regenerated textile fibre Infinna created out of textile waste. Additionally, Patagonia has collaborated with Natural Fiber Welding (NFW), a US-based material science company in a joint commitment to develop and scale circular solutions in textiles. Through its collaboration with NFW, it reaffirms its commitment to its customers to never compromise – on performance, on aesthetic, on responsibility for the planet.
The brand works hard to keep their products out of landfills. They collect and refurbish their old gear as part of five waste combating principles: Reduce, Reuse, Repair, Recycle and Reimagine. A program called “Worn Wear†allows consumers to buy used, as well as trade-in and fix their gear. The brand aims to be 100% carbon-neutral across entire supply chain by 2025 and source 100% of their energy from renewable projects. By 2025, the brand’s packaging will be 100% reusable, home compostable.
10. ÉTICA
ÉTICA is a sustainable lifestyle brand focused on premium denim and knits. It claims to have reduced water use by 90%, energy consumption by 63% and chemical use by 70% compared to industry standards. The company is a member of the Better Cotton Initiative, and some of its mills are also certified to OEKO-TEX Standard 100, Cradle to Cradle and GOTS. It also uses recycled cotton, REFIBRA, and Tencel in its denim lines and seasonal collections are made with deadstock and upcycled fabrics too.
As of 2021, the company’s fabrics are all free of microplastics, and all products are vegan-friendly as they are 100% free of animal materials (including fur and hide, with no trims, softeners, dyes, or other additives used that are derived from animals). ÉTICA’s Hang tags are made with soy-based inks and 100% recycled paper. The company aims to be plastic free at its headquarters and factories by 2022, become 100% potassium free and develop sustainable botanical dyes.. The brand owns Re/Make Seal of Approval for Environment, Transparency, Labor Rights certification.
11. GAP
Global retailer Gap has launched ” Generation Good” capsule made of 100% natural fibres and recycled fabrics. It has also launched five exclusive sustainable denim styles as part of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s Jeans Redesign Project. Currently, 91 percent of Gap denim is part of its water-saving Washwell programme, which it notes is better than its original 2021 goal of 75 percent. The brand also announced its first-ever brand of home essentials – Gap Home which features sustainable items that are made from organic cotton and recycled materials.
Gap collaborated with Kanye West for its Yeezy Jacket that is made up of recycled nylon and also acquired Drapr, an ecommerce startup and online application based on technology that enables customers to create 3D avatars and virtually try on clothing. The brand has committed to source 100 percent more sustainable cotton and is committed to converting 60 percent of its traditional polyester into recycled polyester by 2025. It also aims to eliminate plastic shopping bags by 2023.
12. WRANGLER & LEE (KONTOOR BRANDS)
Kontoor-brand Wrangler has been working on making jeans from regeneratively grown cotton. It also launched the Retro Green Jean collection made from sustainably produced cotton, hemp, or recycled fabric. Wrangler opened its new platform WeCare Wrangler to inform consumers of its sustainability goals, current measures, and partnerships centered around three core themes: planet, product, and people. The brand collaborated with Infinited Fibre Company, to use regenerated, recyclable fibre Infinna in its Autumn2021 denim collection.
Kontoor Brands also expanded its Indigood program in which its denim uses a foam dyeing process with no water, 89 percent fewer chemicals and 65 percent less energy with no discharge water. Lee teamed up with AppHarvest to be the exclusive denim provider for the company’s employees at its greenhouse. Kontoor brands sustainability goals include: save 10 billion litres of water by 2025, use 100 percent sustainably sourced cotton by 2025, increase Indigood-dyed products every year through 2025.
It’s always difficult to find the right jeans whose measures meet their branding. Consumers, designers, and suppliers have all been working together to re-imagine denim from the rivets up, owing to the growing awareness of the need for sustainable fashion. Below, we have enumerated some denim brands that design jeans with eco-wise and sustainable efforts to aid you with the best possible buy this year.
1. LEVI’S
Levi Strauss & Co. is a global leader in jeanswear and one of the world’s top brand-name apparel companies. This year, the brand launched its “Buy Better, Wear Longer,” Spring 2021 campaign, which raises awareness about shared responsibility and the environmental implications of apparel production and consumption. The introduction of 55% hemp blended fabrics, new natural-dye techniques, the expanded use of organically grown cotton, and the recyclability of every Wellthread garment was inculcated by the brand. Levi’s Wellthread used a technique by which ultrasonic waves are used to apply the dye to the fibre. The brand also used Water< Less techniques which have saved more than 3.5 billion litres of water since they were introduced nearly a decade ago. A few of the company’s central goals for the future are to use 100 per cent of sustainably produced cotton by 2025, its supply chain will have reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 40% and by 2030, water usage in the industry in water-stressed areas will be reduced by half.
2. NUDIE JEANS
This Swedish denim company delivers and preserves a tradition true to the fabric’s history and attributes by thinking in terms of wear, tear, and repair rather than fast fashion. Teaming up with London-based retailer Browns Fashion, Nudie Jeans has created a collection of 16 denim pieces, all reworked from pre-existing denim. The brand has already repaired 45900 jeans for free and has produced 98.6% Sustainable products. 2021 was the third full year in which it used only certified organic cotton for all the cotton products.
Moreover, according to its Sustainable Material Tool the brand defines a garment or accessory as sustainable when it contains at least 70% sustainable fibres. The brand aims to increase number GOTS-certified denim fabrics to reach 50% of all denim fabrics by 2022 and reach 100% renewable energy sources for electricity used in all Nudie Jeans operated facilities by changing energy subscription or investing in Renewable Energy Certificates by 2023. Nudie Jeans also plans to open 50 new permanent Repair spots, including Repair Shops, Partner stores and Repair partners in the coming years.
3. PANGAIA
Pangaia is a direct-to-consumer materials science company bringing breakthrough textile innovations and patents into the world through everyday lifestyle products. This year, the brand introduced its sustainable denim PANettle, a mix of naturally regenerating wild Himalayan nettle, organic cotton, and PPRMINT for longer-lasting freshness. To diversify its material sources and lessen reliance on traditional cotton, the company employs wild Himalayan nettle. The denim produced is coloured with state-of-the-art water and dye-saving technologies, and the thread is made entirely of biobased cellulose. Non-galvanized, recyclable stainless-steel buttons are also used in denim. The brand created FRUT FIBER and PLNT FIBER to replace cotton in their product line. The two cellulose fibre blends were successfully produced and supplied by Pangaia from fruit and plant raw material sources.
4. RE/DONE
Redone is known for reconstructing Levi’s vintage jeans into modern fits, giving a sense of uniqueness and rareness to each consumer. The brand debuted its first collection designed in line with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s Jeans Redesign project guidelines. All jeans are made of responsibly sourced 100 per cent organic cotton, recycled hardware, and bio-based patches, and include a hangtag with a QR code that provides consumers with a full traceability report documenting the lifecycle of each product. Items are shipped using recycled, oxo-biodegradable poly bags. The manufacturer also uses laser and e-flow technologies for energy- and water-saving washes and uses a three-stage purification system to reduce water waste. Since its launch, Re/Done reports that it has diverted more than 231,000 garments from landfills.
5. EVERLANE
A millennial-favourite DTC clothing brand, Everlane announced a very ambitious sustainability goal: to eliminate virgin plastic from its supply chain, packaging, offices and stores by 2021. By now, it has successfully removed 90% of all virgin plastics from its supply chain. Following through on its commitment to exclusively using certified-organic cotton by 2023, the denim brand debuted what it calls its cleanest denim to date. All items in the Clean range feature 98.5 per cent GOTS-certified organic cotton and 1.5 per cent Roica. Each piece is produced with microplastic-free dyes and recycled trim. It also debuted its Fall/Winter 2021 ad campaign entitled “Get into Denim†to adorn the brand’s collection of organic denim. Everlane is now looking for early-stage entrepreneurs to join the Next Collective, a fellowship program that will provide participants with $20,000 and access to industry leaders in sustainability, fashion, design, business and innovation.
6. MADEWELL
Madewell, which is known for its denim, is an apparel retailer that promotes creativity, diversity, and self-expression. This year, the brand introduced a new part of its website called “Madewell Forever,” which helps customers find a new home for their well-loved jeans, whether they’re clearing out their wardrobe and seeking a new home for them or they’re in the market for a new pair of denim.
Madewell Forever had around 3,000 pairs of secondhand Madewell jeans in a wide range of fits and styles, most of which ranged from $35 to $50. Furthermore, its spring 2021 collection called Summerweight Denim was designed to replace linen as one’s go-to choice for summer bottoms. The fabric is made from a blend of hemp and cotton which is wrinkle-free, moisture-wicking, breathable, and lightweight. The brand aims to source 100% sustainable and virgin-plastic-free fibres for all materials by 2025. It also aims to make more than 90% of its denim fair trade certified. By 2025, the brand strives to do carbon neutral operations entirely.
7. REFORMATION
The cult favourite label, Reformation has been dabbling in denim, through vintage capsules and designer collaborations. Reformation launched their denim collection in collaboration with FibreTrace, which labels fabrics with a unique pigment that can be tracked and validated throughout the garment supply chain. This effort is in line with Reformation’s goal of complete supply chain transparency by 2025. This year, the brand also signed the 2020 Circularity Fashion System Commitment Letter, with the goal of recirculating 500,000 garments in the next five years and have already been able to reuse or recycle 417,811 garments in 2021 itself. Reformation also teamed up with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s Jeans Redesign program to achieve its commitment to transforming the way jeans are produced.
8. OUTLAND DENIM
This Australian denim company gained popularity after Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, wore a pair on her royal tour in Australia in 2018. Measured through third-party Environmental Impact Measurement criteria, 97 per cent of Outland Denim’s washes are categorized as “low impact.†This year, Outland Denim expanded its rigid jeans options, collaborated with fellow Aussie brand Spell on a line of vintage-inspired denim staples, introduced ready-to-wear and celebrated a milestone in its traceability journey, marking 100 per cent traceability of its organic cotton denim. It also updated all-black denim to denim dyed using Saveblack, a process that uses 85 per cent less water compared to conventional dyeing. The company stated that it is targeting net-zero emissions by 2030 through practices, policies and by offsetting those emissions that cannot be reduced. It also commits to make 100% of the Outland Denim range leather-free and prioritise use of Bluesign certified chemicals.
9. MUD JEANS
A sustainable and fair trade certified denim brand based in the Netherlands, Mud Jeans has a business model to sell or rent jeans, at the end of their life and then make old jeans into new ones. It has a design process based on circular production, with the use of materials that are easy to repurpose and recycle. 36 of Mud Jeans’ 40 plus styles are made up of 40% post-consumer recycled cotton which is twice the industry average.
Out of 4000 certified B Corporations worldwide, MUD Jeans is among the 5% B Corps with the highest score in environmental performance. The Dutch fashion brand has also collaborated with Swedish home decor brand Ikea to give textiles a second lease of life, specifically, denim. Its sustainability goals include making 5% of its collection from 100% post-consumer recycled cotton by 2022, implementing traceability QR Code and launching new chemical policies for waste management.
10. FRAME
American fashion brand Frame launched Bio-Degradable jeans in partnership with Candiani made from 100 percent cotton that is 100 percent biodegradable. For its fall/winter 2021, Frame revamped its menswear line with trendy cuts for timeless pairs of washed black and indigo jeans. This year it also launched its circular denim collection under EMF Jeans Redesign Project that included denim pieces made of 100% cotton and post-consumer material.
For FRAME Winter 2021, 63% of the FRAME denim line is projected to be responsibly produced according to its Responsible Wash and Responsible Fabric Initiatives. Â 40% of the fibers in its Spring and Summer 2021 Collections are made with either recycled or water-saving cellulose fibers. Its future goals include: 75% of FRAME Denim is set to be sustainable by the end of 2022, 90% of FRAME denim is set to be sustainable by the end of 2025. The brand will launch ReFrame in the coming years.
Continuing our weekly news snippets, here are some interesting ones for Week 49
BETTER COTTON ALL SET TO REDUCE GHG EMISSIONS 50% BY 2030
World’s largest cotton certifier, Better Cotton has established a target of cutting its cotton’s overall greenhouse gas emissions per ton by half. Better Cotton has sought to make cotton production more sustainable across the world since its foundation in 2009. It has taught over 2.5 million farmers worldwide and raised 99 million euros since 2010, with that figure expected to rise to 125 million euros by the 2021-22 season.
According to recent research, Better Cotton manufacturing has a 19% lower GHG emissions intensity per ton of lint than production in China, India, Pakistan, Tajikistan, and Turkey. Better Cotton expects to release four further objectives in 2022, with the target’s deadline set for 2030, based on a 2017 baseline. Soil health, pesticide usage, smallholder livelihoods, and women’s empowerment are all addressed. “This is a pledge for Better Cotton farmers and a stake in the ground for the global cotton sector. Nearly a quarter of the world’s cotton is currently produced under the Better Cotton Standard. We aim to at least double that by 2030.†said CEO of Better Cotton, Alan McClay.
KONTOOR BRANDS ANNOUNCES ITS 2020 SUSTAINABILITY REPORT
Kontoor Brands has presented its sustainability report for 2020. The business, which owns the brands’ Wrangler and Lee, has been devoted to improving its sustainability goal, with this being its second report in the two years since it went public. According to the report, Kontoor has cut its water use by more than 8 billion liters since 2008, and it is on track to save 10 billion liters by 2025.
Kontoor has also obtained 50% of its cotton responsibly, with the goal of utilizing 100% sustainably sourced cotton by 2025. The report also stated that Kontoor is on pace to employ 100 percent preferred chemistry by 2025 and plans to establish a climate target for carbon emissions in 2022. The business emphasized the social aspect of sustainability by establishing community development projects in Bangladeshi factories. The brand has also worked with the Herproject of Business for Social Responsibility, which aims to enhance access to healthcare for Bangladeshi textile workers.
TENCEL COLLABORATES WITH MORE THAN 40 BRANDS TO REDUCE CARBON EMISSIONS
Sustainable textile manufacturer Tencel has teamed up with over 40 brands, celebrities, and NGOs to launch the #MakeItFeelRight effort to decrease carbon emissions. The movement’s goal is to contribute to the worldwide reforestation effort in order to help rescue the earth, and it has already received over 7,500 pledges. Each commitment results in the planting of a tree.
Sustainable campaigners including Xenia Adonts, Lily Cole, and Chen Ai Ling, as well as businesses like Boyish, Reformation, and Lavender Hill, have endorsed Tencel. The brand also collaborated with artist Bodil Jane to produce promotional artwork, which was subsequently featured on the campaign’s website. “Carbon emissions are a global problem and as such must have global solutions. As a partner of the #MakeItFeelRight campaign we strongly believe that Tencel’s sustainability initiatives, which are enabled by brands and driven by consumers, are a great way to make a positive impact through reforestation,†said Diana Chaplin of One Tree Planted.
INDITEX, ZARA’S OWNER, REVEALS RECORD Q3 SALES AND PROFITS
Zara’s parent company stated record sales and earnings in the 3rd quarter of the year as it recovers from the pandemic. Inditex’s sales in the three months to October 31 were 21% higher than a year ago at constant currency and 10% higher than in 2019. According to the Spanish company, retail and online sales climbed by 33% between November 1 and December 10, 2020, and 10% between November 1 and December 10, 2019. The growth in sales aided the group’s 273 percent gain in net profit to 1.23 billion euros in the third quarter. Meanwhile, online sales increased by 124% in constant currency compared to 2019. According to the group, internet sales would make for more than 25% of total sales in FY2021. “Sales are returning to normal levels, and online sales continue to expand,” the business said of its present finances.
J.C. PENNEY WELCOMES THE EXPANSION OF FOREVER 21 TO 100 STORES
The addition of Forever 21 to JCPenney’s brand portfolio has been announced. The brand will be sold at 100 JCPenney shops around the United States, as well as on the retailer’s website. JCPenney’s reputation as a retailer for teenagers and adults will be strengthened by this action. The introduction of Forever 21 at JCPenney is being supported with a 360-degree marketing effort that includes in-store, e-commerce, social media, and direct mail advertising. The style of Forever 21 is inspired by the West Coast, with neutral and trendy aesthetics interwoven into its design. “Forever 21 and JCPenney share a mission to make the latest trends accessible to all while inspiring unique style and confidence. The addition of this brand to our portfolio rounds out our Young Minded assortment and brings an exciting new element of in-the-moment fashion,†said Michelle Wlazlo, executive vice president and chief merchandising officer at JCPenney.
H&M’S SALES UP BY 11% IN Q4 AS DEMAND SURGES
In local currencies, net sales at H&M Group climbed by 11% in the fourth quarter of 2021 compared to the same period the previous year. In local currency, the company’s net revenues climbed by 12% for the fiscal year 2021, according to a statement. Net sales climbed by 8% to 56,813 million Swedish krona in the fourth quarter, and by 6% to 198,967 million Swedish krona for the entire year when converted to SEK. Despite persistent limitations and the pandemic’s negative impacts, the H&M group’s earnings in local currencies were up to the same level as in the fourth quarter of 2019. Around 100 stores were temporarily shut at the start of the quarter, mostly in Southeast Asia. Around 115 stores were mostly closed at the end of the quarter, predominantly in Austria and Slovakia.
Iconic American brands Lee and Pendleton have recently announced the launch of their first collaboration. Lee, the famed fashion label known for its ageless aesthetic, and Pendleton Woolen Mills, the family-owned lifestyle brand based in the Pacific Northwest, have joined forces on a selected capsule that honours American craftsmanship and artistry. Both Kontoor-owned brands designed and created an assortment that reflects their origins in a contemporary way, while having almost 300 years of textile and garment-making expertise between them.
“Working with Lee was a perfect pairing for Pendleton. Their authentic American heritage brand echoes Pendleton’s dedication to quality, design and textile innovation,†said Peter Bishop, Pendleton executive vice president of merchandise and design.
The denim range perfectly captures the American outdoor-meets-work wear vibe.
WHAT THE COLLECTION OFFERS
This limited-edition ensemble retraces wardrobe staples from the brands’ 300 years of collective clothing experience. Original Lee silhouettes including the Lee 101 Jean, Union-Alls, and Storm Rider Jacket have been reinterpreted with Pendleton intricate designs. Each heritage pattern has been recreated in completely new colors on fabric made in the United States. Woolen pieces are harnessed as shirting material and can be seen on collars, pockets, and piping. A minimal wool blanket is also contained in the assortment.
The jeans are handcrafted and produced locally in Greensboro, North Carolina, adding to the capsule’s distinctiveness. These designs provide some of the last remaining American selvedge denim from Cone Denim’s White Oak Mill, which closed in 2017. The fabric, which was spun on old Draper shuttle looms that could only generate 100 yards per day, is yet another thread in this capsule’s that ties links with American textile history. Lee and Pendleton are both wholly accustomed to co-branded endeavors.
The woolen mill has transferred its signature designs to a wide range of items, including Ariat boots, Vans shoes, and Kith loungewear, as well as Hunter ceiling fans and Sunbrella outdoor home accessories. Meanwhile, Lee has increased its collaborative efforts to appeal to a broader range of customers. This year, Lee debuted collaborations with H&M, The Hundreds, and Alife.
As seen by Betty Madden, Lee vice president of global design, Pendleton’s choice of color and patterning has proven to be of great ingenuity for the denim manufacturer.
“Working together is a dream come true. We’ve taken a fresh design approach and incorporated Cone Mills’ selvedge denim to make this collection heirloom quality with stunning craftsmanship. I’m thrilled with this collaboration.†Said Betty Madden, Lee vice president of global design.
THE WHITE OAK SELVEDGE FABRIC
The origins of American selvedge fabric, especially the white oak plant, dates back to 1905. The phrases selvedge denim and self-edge – or self-finished cloth edges – are related. Selvedge denim jeans use the self-edge as a completed seam in the jean construction, particularly along the outseam. Selvedge denim is made using traditional weaving processes. Authentically weaved on antique looms. Selvedge looms were widely used in denim weaving until the mid-to-late-nineteenth century. As global demand for denim increased, US mills began updating their gear to increase production speed, rendering selvedge looms obsolete. Older selvedge looms were slower and produced less consistently. With the demand for denim workwear skyrocketing in the United States. Moses and Ceasar Cone were noted for producing selvedge denim on its 3×1 draper looms, for which it became most famous.
Cone’s famous selvedge denim has been created in the White Oak facility since it was bought in 1905, and the plant was named after a big oak tree that previously stood in its shade. After decades of increasingly disposable jeans from large manufacturers, customers increasingly learned to value the toughness, longevity, and build quality of denim manufacturers like Cone. Today, selvedge weaving has regained prominence due to the weaving technique’s legacy and the mills that prefer to produce it.
THE LEE 101 JEANS
The first pair of Lee 101 jeans was crafted in the American Midwest in 1924. A heavy-duty, robust pair of jeans to fulfill the now-legendary Cowboy’s work and leisure needs. The groundbreaking, crisp fit designed in high-quality textiles meant that the 101 became renowned among both weathered lone riders and showmen like rodeo stars. The unique vintage denim is colored and then woven using looms that have been utilized in Japan for the previous 50 years. Back pockets with an S-curve and a spade shape, X-tacks, a hip pocket label, and Lee brand rivets and buttons. Now in the ninth decade of the 101’s existence, Lee intends to launch a line of clothing to commemorate the 101’s historically significant background, proudly displaying the exquisite workmanship and glorifying the pioneering spirit that inspired it.
Men’s and women’s pants, shirts, jackets, and Union-Alls are included in the collection, as is a limited-edition woolen blanket with an exclusive Pendleton stripe design. The collection, which ranges in price from $175 to $400, is available online on Lee’s and Pendleton’s websites. It will also be accessible in select Pendleton stores and local boutiques later this month.
The Ralph Lauren Corporate Foundation and the Soil Health Institute have initiated a regenerative cotton program. The program, which serves to facilitate long-term sustainable cotton production in the United States, aims to eliminate a million metric tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere by 2026. The Ralph Lauren Corporate Foundation has rendered a five-million-dollar grant to the US Regenerative Cotton Fund (USRCF). The initiative seeks to educate and induce farmers to use regenerative farming methods such as cover cropping and no-till. The Soil Health Institute is a strong global non-profit organization whose aim is to maintain and preserve soil vitality and production via scientific analysis and innovation. It gathers up soil health research specialists to facilitate farmers, ranchers, and landowners in implementing soil health systems that strengthen drought resistance, stabilize yield, and significantly improve their bottom line.
Partnerships to scale solutions that promote community resilience, according to Roseann Lynch, Ralph Lauren Corporation’s Chief People Officer, are effective methods to positively affect people’s lives today and in the future. The U.S. Regenerative Cotton Fund is a visionary move co-created by the Soil Health Institute that puts farmers at the core of developing a sustainable tomorrow for U.S. cotton production.
“At the Ralph Lauren Corporate, Foundation, we work to make the dream of a better life a reality by championing equity and creating positive change in communities around the world,†said Roseann Lynch, Chief People Officer and Head of the Ralph Lauren Corporate Foundation.
Dr. Cristine Morgan, Chief Scientific Officer for the Soil Health Institute and leader of the U.S. Regenerative Cotton Fund, believes that she is grateful for the opportunity to promote soil health and assist cotton farmers across the United States in stashing more carbon, constructing drought resilience, and minimizing the very effects of climate change that are affecting all of us. To obtain substantial environmental benefits from regenerative agriculture, she affirms that they must first comprehend farmers’ needs and experiences with the help of these initiatives. Adoption is hampered by a lack of understanding about the business case, locally appropriate soil health education programs, and, until recently, knowledge about how healthy a given soil may become and what that implies for enhancing drought resistance, production stability, economics, and other benefits for farmers.
Besides, there exists a tremendous opportunity to increase the use of climate-friendly soil health techniques in cotton cultivation. According to USDA Census of Agriculture statistics, just 8% of cotton acreage is managed using cover cropping, whereas 21% is maintained with no-tillage. The USRCF will also enable cotton growers to benefit from regenerative approaches such as cover cropping and no-till farming. Climate change, water quality, and pollinator habitat are all challenges that regenerative farming techniques can solve for both customers and the environment. The initiative will also assist farmers in producing long-term value for their farms, such as enhanced profit potential.
The Ralph Lauren Corporate Foundation has donated $5 million to the USRCF. Cotton presently accounts for more than 80% of Ralph Lauren Corporation’s overall material utilization. As part of its Global Citizenship & Sustainability goals, the company has pledged that all major resources, especially cotton, would be procured sustainably by 2025.
Ralph Lauren’s commitment to innovate, endorse, and grow sustainable innovation through collaborations and investments, such as its work with Natural Fiber Welding, Inc. And Color on Demand, is reinforced by the Foundation’s USRCF initiative.
“Our support of the U.S. Regenerative Cotton Fund, led by the Soil Health Institute, continues Cotton Incorporated’s holistic approach and producer focus for achieving the environmental and economic benefits generated by improving soil health,†said Dr Kater Hake, Vice President of Agricultural and Environmental Research at Cotton Incorporated.
The USRCF will begin operations in Arkansas, Texas, Mississippi, and Georgia, with visions to greatly expand into Alabama, North Carolina, Missouri, California, and Oklahoma, since all these nine states account for 85 per cent of cotton output in the United States. The Soil Health Institute will collaborate effectively with cotton farmers to assess and analyze the environmental, sociological, and financial benefits of soil health management systems on their practices.
Noticeable improvements in soil health and carbon sequestration will be monitored through the USRCF using a method established by the Soil Health Institute named soil health and soil carbon targets. The USRCF will also necessarily work with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), particularly those with agricultural programs, to boost access to career options in decision-making positions in U.S. agriculture and to develop a mentoring program to help prepare the upcoming generation of agricultural scientists and leaders.
ABOUT RALPH LAUREN CORPORATE FOUNDATION
The Ralph Lauren Corporation is an American fashion brand incorporated in 1967 by American fashion designer Ralph Lauren. The Ralph Lauren Corporate Foundation is a non-profit organization founded by Ralph Lauren. By advocating fairness and strengthening underprivileged communities around the world, the Foundation aims to make the idea of a better life a reality. The Foundation, which was founded in 2001, is dedicated to making a difference in four key areas: cancer care and prevention, environmental protection, advocacy and access, and community resilience. Through its nonprofit relationships, investments, and volunteer activities, it strives to effect significant change in its communities.
The future of the textile and fashion revolution lies in collaboration and circularity. The ACT TOGETHER alliance between Lenzing , Meidea, and Officina+39 resulted in the creation of THE CIRCLE BOOK, a lookbook and work tool. This book explains how to produce ideas and initiatives connected to responsible circular fashion, to inspire new generations of conscious designers. Transparency is the core of the whole plan, from conceptualization through fibers and textiles to finishing and onto finished clothes. The makers want to pave the way for future generations of conscious designers by setting an example in education. They provide openness of information to contribute to a new creative and sustainable fashion model based on corporate cooperation.
After expanding the project this year, they are ready to present THE CIRCLE BOOK SECOND EDITION with an even larger set of companies – one that has transparency and circularity in denim design as one of its primary aims.
CULTURE.IN – THE CAPSULE
CULTURE.IN is the title of the capsule: the alliance formed a synergistic partnership of ten firms, which comprises all the supply chain’s members and tracks all of their operations throughout the processes. Each company’s product value is represented in the virtue of its production site, which perceives circularity as a prominent feature.
They have designed a realistic concept that articulates a connective supply chain, with the possibility to ACT TOGETHER to strengthen the message and to express the values of each firm. The purpose is to engage consumers who are confronting the circularity issue.
To create their collections and merchandise more versatile, brands can discover a trustworthy, traceable supply chain. To do this, the production’s backstage is documented and presented in photos and videos in a narrative that spans the whole production process, from the very beginning to the final lookbook and campaign. The project is inspired by the philosophy of life. The brands believe that In the future, our households will be self-sufficient ecosystems/habitats where we may live happily and evolve with the people who live in them. Because of this connectivity, there is less of an impact on the environment and less waste. Nature expands inside places, influencing and integrating with textiles.
For this collection, we implemented the circularity standards to include aspects that can be used in the production process as well as recycled or degradable materials and easily dismantled and reassembled products that are accessible to a wide range of individuals.
The design, resource conservation, and long-term usability of the final product are all factors to be taken into consideration.
BACKSTAGE
Meidea Team has been working on the entire project, contributing to the physical representation of a denim assortment.
The outfits were created by combining the production expertise of THE CIRCLE BOOK 2’s new team and integrating their sustainable technology in the best possible way to decrease production waste and build garments that could be traced from fiber to finish. Hemp, organic cotton, Refibra, and Tencel were used in THE CIRCLE BOOK 2 collection. Starting with RTD or RAW bases, the balanced palette is produced following contemporary trends, colors that inspire serenity and well-being, a chromatic core with less pigment, thus already drained to minimize the consumption of water in the final treatments.
In its formation, many efforts of multiple member brands took place. With the skillset of Officina +39 and Recycrom, which turns textile waste into powder dyes, TEJIDOS ROYO and CALIK DENIM textiles come together in a fresh perspective.
“This year we’ve expanded the project and we are ready to launch the second edition in collaboration with many engaged partners, a team with common goals focused on transparency and circularity in denim design.†Says Eleonora De Martin, Meidea
The collection also features Ribbontex’s labels and ribbons that are manufactured from biodegradable materials such as recycled plastic bottles, cotton, and polyester, as well as eco leathers, 100% GOTS-certified organic cotton, and hemp. Spring 85 supplied the buttons and rivets, including steel buttons manufactured from 100% re-used manufacturing waste.
The collection consists of Recycrom, which is the industry’s most eco-friendly dye because it’s made from textile waste. Recycrom is a breakthrough technique created by the Italian textile chemical firm Officina+39 that uses 100 % recycled substances to generate long-lasting colors with a natural washed-out finish. Finally, they had Dr. Bock Industries who was in charge of garment production employing Crafil yarns, with additional support from the company’s designers. Clothing from the CULTURE.IN capsule collection is given the final polish by RGT laundry experts.
The assortment takes fabrics from TEJIDOS ROYO and CALIK DENIM to meet Officina +39 and Recycrom’s expertise. It believes that it can achieve fantastic results because of the many fiber qualities and performance that make up the variety of textiles, such as hemp, organic cotton, Refibra, and Tencel.
Consumer use and disposal account for up to 40% of the climate impact during the life cycle of a pair of jeans. Disposal is also a major issue across the industry, as over half of all garments made annually are burned or buried within one year. These prevailing circumstances are causing ecological concerns and thus need to change.
Levi Strauss has emphasized this concern by prioritizing to educate consumers on how they can extend the life span of their clothing like washing jeans less often or by getting them repaired and reinforced. It informs on how and where they can donate and recycle anything they’re no longer wearing.
The brand claims that it is increasingly designing products that are suitable for true circularity with 100% recyclable materials from the outset.
One such big move by the brand is its new collaborative denim collection with renowned tennis player Naomi Osaka. The American denim company has been around for centuries and a staple in wardrobes for just as long. But their collaboration with one of the highest-profile names in sports has given the established brand a turn on its head. It’s a winning move for the brand to bring onboard world number 2 tennis player Naomi Osaka, who is known as a fashion icon as well as a champion committed to fighting against all kinds of injustices.
The denim assortment is a good look on an environmental front as well, as this more sustainable collection is based on the principle of upcycling which consists of making something new out of something old, and making it even better. The upcycled denim pieces foreground Naomi’s heritage as well as fashion sustainability. For Naomi, a key element to this collaboration was being able to work while also keeping climate concerns in mind.
“The sustainability aspect was superb important to me,†she said, adding that she’s proud of the fact that each piece in the new collection is either recycled or repurposed from previous stock.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE COLLAB
Osaka was previously featured in Levi’s 501-day campaign alongside Jaden Smith, Hailey Bieber, Emma Chamberlain, Marcus Rashford, Barbie Ferreira, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and is now joining the label to create the first collection of its kind.
In this collection, there will be special details added to create a homage to Osaka’s Japanese heritage. The collection includes a denim kimono inspired by Naomi’s Japanese heritage, paired with a matching denim obi belt, as well as lace-up shorts made from an upcycled pair of men’s Levi’s jeans, crystal fringe shorts using vintage 501 shorts, and lastly a trucker jacket bustier crafted from reworked trucker hats. Inspired by DIY culture and extending the lives of pre-existing pieces, the collection is responsible and reflects Naomi’s style. Featuring four limited-edition pieces crafted from upcycled denim, the range uses pre-existing Levi’s garments to create a capsule with less impact on the environment.
“I always loved wearing kimonos when I was a kid. So, to be able to do it in denim felt really different and a bit unexpected.†Says Naomi Osaka
Levi’s took many pieces from their upcycled denim such as men’s jeans and trucker jackets to create these pieces. This adds a great sustainable touch to the entire collection. Alternatively, Osaka also had the chance to be involved in the creation process alongside Levi’s design team which makes the collection a lot more personal and authentic to Osaka. Customers will get a sense of Osaka’s special style which is sporty yet feminine at the same time. The Naomi Osaka x Levi’s collection will be debuted on Aug. 24 on Levi’s app and in select Levi’s stores. The collection ranges from $150 to $380.
Levi’s said that Osaka is “a powerful young voice in the world of sports whose authenticity and willingness to stand up for important causes has helped inspire millions. In a very short time, she has become not only an iconic athlete but a true ambassador for social change.â€
LEVI’S ATTEMPT TOWARDS SUSTAINABILITY
Levi’s works with Blue Jeans Go Green in the U.S. and Canada, and other organizations in different countries to collect used clothing through which 132,899 discarded jeans were transformed into building insulation, saving 66 tons of waste from landfills. It is increasingly designing products that are suitable for true circularity.
The brand has also offered Levi’s Authorized Vintage collection that consists of the most authentic, everlasting vintage pre-owned or restored items on the market. Authorized Vintage means more to the brand than a just fashion-forward collective addition. The upcycling of these pre-worn pieces exemplify conscious consumption and its commitment to long-term and sustainable manufacturing practices. In addition to this, all stores have started using 100% post-consumer waste stock for their print materials. Its new mannequins are made from recycled base stock that blends both post-industrial and post-consumer materials. Plus it is introducing several new initiatives regularly to stress on its own mission of environmental sustainability .
