DENIM: TIMELESS STYLE, CONTEMPORARY INDUSTRY
Denim styles are among the most timeless classics in fashion. The transformation of the fashion industry toward greater sustainability through technological innovation is taking the denim sector to a new level. Denim is increasing its focus on sustainability starting with the selection of the right !bers. While cotton is the most important raw material in the denim industry, it has a poor reputation, especially when it comes to cultivation, a process around which there are many myths. That’s why the Transformers Foundation is working with cotton expert Simon Ferrigno to investigate common statements that claim, for example, that around 20,000 liters of water are needed to produce a pair of jeans.
However, alongside cotton, recycled !bers (from post-consumer waste, pre-consumer remnants, cuttings from textile production or vintage fabrics) are increasingly being used in denim styles. Sustainable denim brands like Kings of Indigo o"er 100% recycled styles, Mud Jeans recycle jeans to make new pieces, and ArmedAngels focus on circular designs that are easier to disassemble and recycle at the end of a garment’s life. Furthermore, with the revival of the patchwork trend, upcycling has made its way back onto fashion runways.
A concrete approach to greater sustainability is also cradle-to-cradle design. ISKO, one of the world’s leading denim producers, has only recently developed a technology that cleanly separates blended cotton and polyester fabrics. The recovered raw material from cotton can be used for a variety of new products from clothing to cosmetics. Antibacterial yarns, which promise longer freshness and thus contribute to water e$ciency by requiring less washing, also ensure a longer life and use for denim pieces. The industry is also moving forward in dyeing and !nishing: technology providers such as Tonello or Jeanologia, for example, are using ozone, nanobubbles and lasers to produce stone wash and fading e"ects.
The topic of transparent supply chains is increasingly making its way into the industry. According to Lukas Pünder, Co-Founder and CEO of Retraced, a platform that fashion brands use to manage and communicate their supply chains and sustainability standards, “transparent communication of a product’s value chain and its impact must become key to consumers‘ shopping experience.” Retraced works with denim brands such as Dawn Denim, which is setting new standards for fairness and environmental awareness in the denim industry with its own production facility in Saigon.
The international trade fair Texprocess (June 21-24, 2022 in Frankfurt am Main, Germany) will showcase all technologies for processing denim: from design, cutting, sewing and dyeing to !nishing, textile logistics and e-commerce applications. Additionally, trade visitors will !nd !bers, yarns and high-tech textiles at Techtextil, which is on at the same time. Neonyt (January 18 to 20, 2022 in Frankfurt am Main), with its accompanying Fashionsustain conference, o"ers denim collections from sustainable brands, a separate area for apparel fabrics and expert discussions on sustainability.