During our Denimsandjeans Japan event on 1-2nd Nov, our team visited the famous Kapital – one of the most famous boutique denim brands from Japan . A small family-run company named Kapital is producing highly valued clothing that redefines what it means to wear denim in the Japanese countryside. Kapital has constantly emphasized the exclusive use of hand processes since its establishment in 1984, developing and producing all procedures manually , including thread dying, material fabrication, stitching, washes, and embellishment. Their unusual designs, expert craftsmanship, and meticulous manual finishing are well known across the world.
Store Design
The way that the leftover denim is displayed on the wall is unique but appealing. The doors and racks are constructed from discarded, unwanted pieces of wood that have been arranged to look as though they have always been there. Their vibrant, fun, and stylish inventory mesmerized us and just spruced up our everyday shopping for clothes.
Reconstructed denim served as inspiration for the store’s design. A traditional Japanese residence decorated for a tea ceremony served as the location of one of the Kapital stores in Ebisu. In particular we visited the KAPITAL LEGS – the store dedicated to everything in denim. Each of their stores has a distinctive personality. Some require you to take off your shoes before you enter. Others are crammed together like an American vintage shop with strange artifacts from the Kapital archive heaped high and Ebisu store was one of them. It’s utterly original, unlike anything else, but curiously familiar.
The brand faced a huge transformation when Kiro, Toshikiyo’s son, chose to leave Kojima to pursue his education in America in 1996. Kapital underwent a significant transition and was influenced by the Americana movement in 1996. The EAST MEETS WEST fusion concept, a blending of Japanese and Western designs, is introduced by this artistic Japanese brand called Kapital.
Natural dyes and traditional Japanese Sashiko, Boro stitching and repairs are hallmarks of this exquisite brand. KAPITAL’s areas of expertise are processing and stitching , and very few businesses worldwide are able to do both tasks. The stitching technique -Sashiko – has been used for more than 400 years. Tradition dictates that lines and designs are created with a running stitch and white cotton thread. Typically, indigo blue traditional cloth would be used for this.
KAPITAL began by making jeans, but they now produce a wide range of products, primarily apparel made of denim. With a few exceptions, all KAPITAL products are produced at the company’s factories, including shoes, and accessories. Whether you’re looking for everyday clothing or festival attire for the summer, you can find it there. And the prices are not sky high when you consider the Japanese yen today !
We highly recommend visiting Kapital store when in Tokyo . Kapital Legs : 2 Chome-23-12 Ebisuminami · +81 3-5773-8305
The famous Naked and Famous denim from Canada is self proclaimed Japanese denim aficionado , using the same in most of their products. In their FW22 Collection , there are some exquisite products out of which we chose some of the 3 of the most most attractive ones and bring out in this post.
Rope Dyeing
Blue Smoke Selvedge
Raw denim often fades from deep indigo to lighter blue tones and finally white. Rope Dying , as we all know , is a unique dyeing procedure that causes this. White cotton yarns are repeatedly submerged in indigo dye during this process, but the strands are never submerged for long enough for the indigo to permeate the center core of the yarn.
Naked and Famous Blue Smoke Selvedge Denim
The Blue Smoke Stretch Selvedge appears to be a basic 11 oz selvedge denim. It has a classic appearance at first glance with a black exterior wrap, however it is actually a dark shade of indigo shadow. The white weft that can be seen peeking through the twill lines adds to this. The key to this fabric’s unique Smokey color is a small amount of black tint that is mixed into the dye. Thus, these begin as a clean denim with tonal features but gradually the blue fades and intensifies with wash. More and more of those tonal details will emerge in contrast to the denim. The Blue Smoke Stretch selvedge is a terrific option for year-round wear.
Composition: 98% Cotton, 2% Elastane
Design: Black Stitching, Black Suede Patch
Color: Dark Indigo x WhiteFabric Weight: 11ozFabric Origin: JapanMade in: Canada
Red Gradient Core Denim
The 12.5oz “Red Gradient Core” denim is a special Japanese Selvedge denim woven on antique shuttle looms specifically for Naked & Famous. Here the yarn was dyed initially with a permanent reactive red dye and then rope dyed with indigo. After certain use, the core will reveal the variety of red hues to achieve a fading gradient tone. Sanforized to prevent shrinkage, the jeans retain a firm texture that will soften with wear. The jeans were made, cut, and stitched in North America.
Composition: 100% Cotton
Color: Indigo x WhiteFabric Weight: 12.5ozFabric Origin: JapanMade in: Canada
Catechu Selvedge
Naked and Famous Catechu Selvedge Denim
The Catechu Selvedge is a 12 oz. Japanese Selvedge Denim that has had its inside weft naturally dyed with Catechu dye derived from trees. The Catechu dye is created by boiling, evaporating, and collecting the residue from the Acacia tree. This indigo denim has a warm earth tone that can be seen peeking through the twill lines. To see the color of the interior completely, flip up the cuff. Short slub cotton yarn is used to weave the indigo warp, giving the denim additional personality and highlighting vertical fading. The Catechu Selvedge has the traditional raw denim feel and is stiff and crisp. With contrast stitching, a green line selvedge ID, a suede leather patch, and silver metallic buttons and rivets, this item was cut, sewed, and constructed in Canada.
Composition: 100% Cotton
Color: Indigo x CatechuFabric Weight: 12ozFabric Origin: JapanMade in: Canada
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.
The fashion industry has put in a lot of work in recent years to digitally convert and adapt fashion to the digital world. Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and blockchain technology are being used by brands to attract, authenticate, and engage with customers all around the world. But what precisely is NFT? Recently, a new trend of using NFTs to combine blockchain technology with creative intellectual property has emerged. The concept has grown across all market sectors, and today premium fashion merchants are now participating in the NFT business. Because changes are so important and complicated, the luxury fashion and beauty sectors have created extensive documentation to better comprehend the competitive environment. Without a doubt, the blazing fires of NFTs have ignited a burning desire for blockchain technology in the fashion industry.
WHAT ARE NFTs?
NFTs are cryptographic assets created with the use of blockchain technology. It allows for the transfer of value across a non-replicable medium. It can be a one-of-a-kind, non-recurring token that cannot be partitioned but can be used to depict real or virtual world items, including the token’s own attributes and ownership, all while staying inside a blockchain representation. This equips NFTs with the distinct characteristics that make them so appealing. Smart contracts, which are software programmes that regulate actions such as authenticating ownership and restricting their transferability, are used to generate NFTs.
When a person creates an NFT, they write the smart software code that governs the NFT’s properties and contributes those qualities to the NFT’s blockchain. NFTs are digital files made as jpg, png,.mov, or 3D fashion files prior to getting minted (connected) to a blockchain. They are more than simply a chase to cryptocurrency. NFTs are controlled and authenticated as digital assets via digital accounting records or blockchains, and they are kept in digital wallets in the same way as cryptocurrencies and other assets are, and they serve as valuable objects sold in the digital environment.
In simple language, NFTs cannot be copied or hacked and are not mutually interchangeable, which means, no two NFTs are the same. They are non-fungible, which signifies that instead of obtaining an actual object that you may wear (and which almost certainly has many replicas in the real world), you will instead receive a one-of-a-kind JPG file that cannot be replicated.
ROLE OF NFT IN FASHION INDUSTRY
The fashion and beauty industries have made a determined effort in recent years to enhance a true and precise knowledge of business developments in order to encourage new terms that are consistent with current corporate practices. Fashion’s the only chance of re-entering the fast-paced digital train was to build NFTs, as it had entirely missed the boat with E-commerce. When e-commerce first emerged, a huge number of businesses were completely disinterested in exploring the new channel. The fashion business has become significantly more cautious since then. Sustainable fashion and beauty is a big incentive for younger millennials and Gen Z market groups. Prestige companies may use NFTs to create unique experiences for their customers, increasing brand awareness, engagement, and revenue. Despite the apparent advantages, however, fashion has yet to find out the ideal way to utilize NFTs.
NFT fever had gripped the year 2021. With the growth in Google searches for NFTs, the NFT business saw $2.5 billion in revenue during the first half of 2021, up from $13.7 million the year before. With the fashion business seeking to unlock the technology’s capabilities, it’s no surprise that Karl Lagerfeld has already stated that another release is in the works after their premiere in the virtual world.
As popular as the Karl Lagerfeld NFTs have been, it’s critical for companies to grasp how NFTs vary from other sectors that are more acclimated to selling digital items. This is mostly due to the fact that conventional fashion firms, who are known for their reluctance to digitalization, are finding it difficult to let go of their physicality. As a result, individuals who follow this business are often left wondering what NFTs are, why everyone is eager to cash in, and what they imply for a market that has stayed steadfastly physical for so long.
PLUSES AND MINUSES OF NFTs IN FASHION INDUSTRY
As a designer, an NFT may produce virtual fashion goods that are separate from real-life products, addressing the problem of digital apparel reproduction. NFT broadens the selection of one-of-a-kind things. A fashion company may utilize it to offer its own show video or customized backstage photos. When it comes to digital copies, the NFT makes it simple for collectors to find the original copy they desire. NFT might have an influence on the resale market not only by keeping track of changes in ownership of a given item but also by paying corporations a premium whenever their goods are sold in the second-hand high-end market, for example.
Regardless of their individual advantages, however, NFTs are still a pretty modern investment strategy that may provide buyers with unexpected challenges. Some issues to be aware of and investigate more before purchasing NFTs, such as the fact that anybody can take a picture of the artwork, upload it to a blockchain, and sell it, therefore purchasers must ensure that they are purchasing NFTs from the artist or that the seller has the authorization to sell the NFT. By themselves, NFTs are unable to link the production or ownership of an NFT to a real person in the physical world or to verify that the NFT’s creator has the fundamental entitlements to connect that NFT with a certain creative work.
BIG FASHION BRANDS JOINING NFT MARKET
Below is a breakdown of the many brand tactics for handling the NFT area in the fashion industry, including specific adjustments, how bitcoin carbon emissions are being mitigated, and what’s next in the space.
RTFKT’s Virtual Sneakers
The RTFKT brand was founded in 2019 and quickly established itself as a leader in the virtual sneaker market. Early in 2021, the company worked on a project with “Fewocious,” a well-known crypto artist who was only 18 at the time. He created three virtual sneakers that buyers could “try on” via Snapchat before entering an auction to buy them. The top bidder was also given the opportunity to receive a tangible pair of sneakers to try in person. The partnership lived up to the expectations, selling 600 pairs of sneakers in just 7 minutes for a total of 3.1 million dollars.
Since then, RTKFT has expanded its portfolio by collaborating with “The Fabricant” to produce a new collection of seven virtual products, which received $8 million in their most recent financing round.
GUCCI Selling NFTs
Gucci was the first luxury house to venture into the world of non-traditional textiles. The NFT of the legendary Italian fashion business was inspired by a movie by their “Aria” collection in cooperation with Alessandro Michele, rather than being patterned after fashion products. Christie’s auctioned this four-minute clip for a whopping 25,000 million dollars.
Louis Vuitton- NFTs collecting Game
On the occasion of its founder’s 200th birthday on August 4th, Louis Vuitton merged fashion and technology by releasing “Louis the Game,” an adventure-style game in which players must navigate around Vivienne’s dollhouse.
Aside from that, gamers flocked to various locations to acquire 200 candles to commemorate the 200th anniversary of their birth. The trip included 30 hidden NFTs and 10 NFTs created in partnership with prominent NFT artist “Beeple.” This game’s NFTs are free to gather and not for sale to the general public.
Prada’s Partnership With Adidas
In the latest incarnation of luxury in the metaverse, Prada is presenting its first NFT in collaboration with Adidas: an audience digital work in a Beeple-style collage.
Anyone may register to upload an image using a specifically developed filter that will be modified, jumbled up, and 40% of the image erased to make the image anonymous starting on January 24. Three thousand of the individual images will be chosen at random and minted as one-of-a-kind NFTs by Adidas for free. The owner of the artwork will be the person who submitted it, and they will be able to sell their NFT on the secondary market. Zach Lieberman, a digital artist, and creative coder will subsequently merge the selected photographs into tiles into one massive patchwork NFT.
Burberry With Blankos Block Party
Burberry collaborated with a video game company to create its own NFTs. After the triumph of its own game, B Bounce debuted in 2019, the brand went into the digital world by collaborating with Mythical Games’ Blankos Block Party on a charming shark Blanko that can be acquired, updated, and sold in-game. The Burberry NFT, unlike Ethereum, does not function on the energy-intensive Proof of Work crypto paradigm, but rather on a proprietary EOSIO blockchain protocol that uses a significantly less energy-intensive Proof of Authority methodology.
Overpriced- Scannable Hoodies
Overpriced, the world’s first NFT-driven fashion business, has created a real-life sweatshirt with a scannable code that allows the hoodie’s owner to show it around. This sweatshirt is being auctioned for $26,000 USD on the NFT site “BlockParty.”
Because most fashion labels, such as Balenciaga and Fortnite, place their NFTs inside closed systems, the concept of a virtual wardrobe that moves across multiple gaming platforms and digital worlds is still a work in progress. Polygon, for example, is attempting to alter this. Dolce & Gabbana, a luxury fashion business, has launched NFTs on the platform, emphasizing the ease with which their clothing may be moved between many digital “worlds.” “There’s going to be a lot of money in the NFT fashion industry,” said Joseph Pallant, the creator of the Blockchain for Climate Foundation and an NFT specialist.
FUTURE WITH FASHION & METAVERSE- UNLOCKING LIMITLESS POSSIBILITIES WITH NFT MARKET
The co-founder of stablecoin Tether, William Quigley said, “I’m betting that the revenue model for the metaverse is going to be NFTs.†The Bitcoin pioneer, Quigley, sees the Metaverse as “a massive economic force that will profoundly affect people’s lives in the years ahead.†The fashion industry must grasp that NFTs are all about digital item ownership, and the Metaverse is merely extending that notion into one or more virtual worlds in order to prepare for the metaverse’s future. Despite the fact that the Metaverse as a business model is still in its infancy, NFTs are turning this creative playground to life.
Neuno, created by Natalie Johnson, sees the promise of NFTs as well. Neuno is urging the fashion industry to reach a digital utopia where one may possess a unique piece of “fashion history” by bridging the gap between the actual world and NFTs.
You can’t discuss NFTs and the Metaverse without mentioning the recent emergence of NFT markets, which provide users with a location to purchase and trade NFTs. Investors such as billionaire entrepreneur Mark Cuban, music tycoon Jay-Z, and Google Ventures, which give seed, venture, and growth-stage capital to digital firms, have taken notice of some of these sites. The vocabulary of the future will revolve around NFTs, cryptocurrency, blockchain, skins, and metaverse.
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.
London-based fashion retailer Pangaia is possibly the most inspiring sustainable style brand today. It is not based on trends or seasons, rather it is vegan, organic, biodegradable, and scientifically produced to work as close to Natural resources as possible. Recently, Pangaia debuted with its first denim collection created in collaboration with former Levi designer and Unspun consultant Jonathan Cheung. To minimize its dependence on cotton, the firm used Pannettle, a sustainable fabric for its denim.
Pannettle is developed from Himalayan nettle, a naturally renewable source that blooms again every year and may reach a height of 3 meters. Himalayan nettle is probably employed for the first time in selvedge denim, and it is blended with organic cotton from India to create the blue denim that is featured throughout the collection. Since it is made with a left-hand weave, the denim is soft, airy, and long-lasting. True to its shape, the three-piece collection hence comprises of premium fabrics: a blend of 13ounce, 92% organic cotton, and 18% Himalayan nettle woven at low speed on the Candiani Denim shuttle loom.
THE HIMALAYAN NETTLE
Wild Himalayan nettle was already “somewhat on board” when Cheung started Pangaia’s denim endeavor. The company examined hemp and agro-waste fibers for denim, but nettle showed the most promising result. The material met Pangaia’s criteria of durability and sustainability. Moreover, the hollow core of the linguini-shaped fiber gave thermoregulating effects. It also had a social advantage. Pangaia gets its nettle from a women-run cooperative, which grows in harsh climatic conditions in the Himalayas where nothing else can sustain.
“So, it’s this idea that they can get an income based on their natural environment is one of those beautiful stories of sustainability, where we are trying to optimize what’s around us,†said Dr. Amanda Parkes, Pangaia chief innovation officer.
Furthermore, peppermint, a sustainable oil used for anti-odor treatments, is also utilized in the Pannettle denim line. The oil treatment seeks to minimize the need to wash the product thus leading to less wastage of gallons of water.
CHALLENGES FACED IN THE MAKING OF DENIM
The problem with denim, she added, was making the fibers to be more soft and robust enough to match with cotton’s qualities. That’s when Cheung showed up to create a nettle fabric that’s sustainable, long-lasting, and aesthetically striking. With the assistance of Candiani Denim owner Alberto Candiani, he developed a fabric that he claims is universally malleable to many types of clothing and offers a layer of softness to neutralize the roughness of the nettle fiber. The collection’s production during covid presented “huge amounts of complications,” but it also spurred stakeholders to work differently. The initial prototypes were generated in 3D before the team went on to physical fits, which were mostly done via Zoom.
Working with nettle blends, however, was extremely challenging. Despite its value of being an incredibly strong fiber, nettle lacked the elasticity of cotton, posing problems throughout the weaving process. Cheung stated that he would not have been shocked if “broken parts of machinery” were found on Candiani’s floor. Another snag in the process was discovering that the cloth takes time to settle before cutting. The fix to this was a 48-hour rest period in which the rolled-out cloth was left undisturbed.
They also noted that they needed to sew the jeans in reverse, rather than sewing the inseam from the left leg to the right leg. Cheung stated that the fabric’s left-hand twill shaped the overall design of the collection. The coin pocket and back patch, which are typically on the right side of jeans, are now on the left.
“The collection is an example of slow fashion, being woven on shuttle looms that is about three times slower than projectile looms. Even the construction is slower than normal,†said Cheung.
WHAT CONSTITUTES THE COLLECTION
The collection comprises uni-sex straight-leg jeans, a jean jacket inspired by the ’90s, and a women’s high-rise straight jeans in rinse and mid-wash. The unisex designs come in sizes ranging from women’s 25/men’s 27 to women’s 34/men’s 36. Gender-neutral sizing does not require its lingo, but Cheung, who recently collaborated on a genderless range of jeans with denim manufacturer Unspun, is keen to revolutionize the gender paradigm that the fashion industry has set up. In addition, each denim garment will come with a digital passport that will provide buyers access to product-level impact information. The new function debuted with the brand’s Horizon line and is intended to promote ethical consumption.
“Gender inclusiveness and gender fluidity have been very much a cultural mentality awakening in the last few years, and that is essential to address. I try to think of it as Omni-sex, pan-sex, or gender-full rather than unisex, which always feels more neutered to me,” Cheung added. If men and women are at opposing ends of a scale, Cheung wants to include everyone in between.
The terminology of denim fits, on the other hand, has to be updated, according to Parkes. For example, renaming “boyfriend jeans” as “baggy fit” might help remove the uncertainty that comes with flashy words that each company translates diversely. She believes that non-gendered descriptions may help establish a common language around fashion and what individuals can anticipate from fits.
The collection is available for purchase on Pangaia’s website for $225-$275, with more denim items on the road. Additional designs, denim materials, and techniques are on the way, Cheung said. Pangaia’s product line will be expanded in November 2021 with the addition of hemp and organic cotton.
“The future of creating a more sustainable fashion industry involves using existing natural materials, like regenerative nettle, that are augmented by scientific and technological processes.†Said Pangaia chief innovation officer Amanda Parkes.
Pangaia’s mission is to promote biodiversity and regenerative agriculture ecosystems while also increasing supply chain resilience by utilizing a wider range of plant fiber sources. The brand is vigorously working on additional new denim breakthroughs that will bring a completely new material library into commercial existence.
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 .
The end of summer is usually the time for back-to-school shopping. As parents and school districts catch up with the prospects of remote learning or socially distant classrooms, and the potential of yet another lockdown, children’s apparel companies are hopeful that kids will still need new clothes. Several retailers are expecting sales from this back-to-school season to outpace 2019 mega sales. The back-to-school season is rather predictable for fashion brands. Therefore, clothing retailers generally schedule special sales to draw parents and students into the store to purchase a new product.
MAJOR BRAND IMPARTING THIS TREND
Brands are all set to cover up the low sales margin incurred during the last year of the pandemic. Sales and advertising campaigns are pouring out everywhere to attract Gen Z consumers.
AMERICAN EAGLE HEARTS AT ITS DENIM COLLECTION
Apparel retailer American Eagle unveiled a new, denim-focused ‘back-to-school campaign’ (BTS’21) this week under the tagline “Future Together. Jeans Forever,†which features actors Caleb McLaughlin, Jenna Ortega, Chase Stokes, Madison Bailey, and singer Addison Rae. The campaign highlights the Evolution of the Virtual Shopping Experience and aims at getting people excited to show off new styles as they head back into the world together.
New fashion trends incorporating innovative designs, fits, and fabrics that inspire customers will be seen making a statement in their Jeans. This back-to-school season, the brand will continue to lead the industry through innovative virtual shopping experiences with partners Snapchat and Bitmoji to connect with customers through augmented reality and digital expression. The brand in partnership with Snapchat is launching the ‘Dress Yourself’augmented reality experience. A first-of-its-kind experience that enables users to try on and shop selected looks from the AE Back-to-School Collection using the self-facing camera.
“As we celebrate the excitement of being back together, American Eagle’s ‘Future Together. Jeans Forever’ campaign symbolizes the brand’s continued mission to inspire positivity and support our customer’s freedom to be their truly unique self,†said Jennifer Foyle, President & Executive Creative Director, American Eagle
CUSTOMER’S FAVE FITS
America Eagle is all set for customers to spot their favorite fits. The back-to-school faves consist of:
Men: The new Airflex+ Athletic Skinny, 360 Skinny, Temp Tech Athletic Skinny, and 360 Slim offer ceaseless flexibility and comfort. The collection also includes classic cotton hoodies, hooded flannels, and graphic tees providing boys with versatile outfitting options.
Women: This includes a variety of fashion jeans including an updated take on the classic pleated tennis skirt and the ultra-high rise relaxed Mom short, along with an array of new comfort styles ranging from the Mom Straight and Super High-Waisted Flare to the Luxe Super High-Waisted Jegging, High Waist 90s Boyfriend, and Baggy Mom jeans that all pair with the new assortment of smocked woven tops and polo baby tees.
‘The new denim collections for him and her feature the Real Good badge noting the style is made with the environment in mind and manufactured in a facility that meets AEO Inc.’s standards for water recycling and reduction.’
PACSUN’S BACK-TO-SCHOOL & FALL LOOKS
Pacsun releases brand new apparel that exhibits wardrobe staples like hoodies, graphic tees, denim, and pants. A go-to-gig for graphic T-shirt enthusiasts, Pacsun is stepping up its game by providing consumers with a new quiz that matches graphics with one’s unique style. The brand is also indulging customers who prefer more understated tops and those building their wardrobe by dropping three and five-pack basic T-shirt deals, making it easy to stock up on different colors of your favorites.
The retailer also aims to introduce a wide range of denim for the season. Its Fall collection of jeans and pants include different attires from unique washes to color blocks and patterns in their best-selling fits such as vintage loose, cargo, and slim taper. Progressing its commitment to sustainability, selecting the new Fall collection jeans is eco-friendly and made with recycled fabrics. The brand has improved its shopping experience and is helping students head back into the classroom with ease by offering free shipping on jeans and sneakers so shoppers can try their items risk-free at home.
OLD NAVY’S GENDER-NEUTRAL KIDSWEAR
Gap Inc. retailer Old Navy launches its back-to-school collection that brings forth the basics and bright neon colors, graphic tees, high-tech performance fabrics, and throwback 90’s tie-dye. The brand has curated fall picks for every school that ranges from classroom to playground and weekend play-dates.
Old Navy brings out a vast and stylish array of gender-neutral kids’ clothes that are perfect for transitioning a child back to school this fall. From cozy sweat shorts in different colors to funky graphic tees, there are tons of different pieces to allow kids to express themselves. With this year marking the return to in-person class for many students, that first-day-of-school ‘fit is more important than ever for the kids and that is well ensured by the brand’s clothing assortment.
THE BOTTOM LINE
This Back-to-School season, kids are helping steer the virtual shopping cart with greater influence over parents’ purchasing decisions. For Gen Z, this moment is an exercise in self-expression and personal identity. In addition to apparel, expressing one’s personality impacts trends in Back-to-School accessories and supplies. This makes fashion more practical and personalized.
Tonello brings their “Denim Gallery” to Denimsandjeans India show at Bangalore on August 1-2. With Denim Gallery Tonello brings 10 creative people together to discover new visions and interpretations of reality.Denim Gallery is a bona fide display of “dreams and visions of realityâ€, as told by 10 Designers from around the world who have used Denim as their canvas for painting, staining, and assaulting, in order to express themselves with artistic languages, materials, and concepts. The installation will be one of the important attractions at the show specially for washing nerds !
Grace Warland, Matias Sandoval, Serena Conti, Su Kim and Jon Rouleau, Mika Mitarai, Juan Manuel Gomez, Ilinca Trif, Stefan Vella, and Greta Giannini: these are the names of the artists-designers who have tried to answer, very personally and openly, a deceptively simple question: what is reality for you? The works, of course, have been made of denim and have been realized by Tonello in real and unique pieces. The Jeans have been made using the full potential of Tonello technologies: from Laser Blaze to ECOfree, from Bohemia to NoStone®, from Ecospray Robot to Core.
by GRACE WARLAND
by GRETA GIANNINI
by ILINCA TRIF
by JUAN MANUEL GOMEZ
by MATIAS SANDOVAL
by MIKA MITARAI
by SERENA CONTI
by STEFAN VELLA
by SU KIM and JON ROULEAU
Ecology and nature. Fears for an upcoming apocalypse. Cosmological conceptions of the human beings. Investigations of abstract and primordial artistic languages. Contrasts between the natural elements for all manners of living and enjoying life (including excitement). A interweaving of different realities: the past, memories and wars. Realities like slavery that we try to break free from with the force of imagination and our ability to continue trying new escape routes. The bright lights and accelerated times of modern cities. These are the creative ideas that designers have put on canvas, or, rather, “on Denimâ€.
With the Denim Gallery project, Tonello wanted to elevate Jeans as a leader able to interpret its time in a thousand directions. Art and fashion, painting and performance, design and craft have fused into fascinating, mysterious, and yet somehow “talking†items, because they are absolutely original, unrepeatable, contemporary.
It’s a date in Bangalore, then, to discover this artistic proposal desired by Tonello, less and less a maker of just “machinesâ€, and more and more a reality where technology and creativity meet.
In short, ever more “Inspiringâ€.
