PANOS SOFIANOS

There have been a lot of new discoveries, primarily around sustainability and circularity. There are new spinning methods for better denim quality and performance yarns for denim. The recycling fabrics process on post-production and post-consumer wastage is reducing raw material needs. There are also new stretch fibers, which improve and shape the female body, as well as comfort wear for men. Laser techniques and software enable sustainable treatments on jeans and low impact washing systems using ozone. New fiber blends, e.g., manmade cellulose, recycled cotton and biodegradable polymers, offer better values for denim and for the environment. Revolutionary dyeing systems reduce water and chemicals, using foam instead of ordinary dipping. Non-hazardous chemicals replace chlorine and/or potassium permanganate bleaching treatments. Virtual CAD systems avoid the high cost of garment sample developments. And new blockchains guarantee production transparency in the supply chain.

More value for price and ethical products. Automatization and software systems balance the “made in somewhere” trend. In other words: a back-to-base product will be a possible option. The post-Covid era will find us in a new world with less traveling and more local activity. This will foster more functional duty fabrics to enhance the longevity of jeans as “the old good times in the west” with a modern outlook.

Denim must be smart, useful and less polluting. It has to be designed to fit tomorrow’s uniform for work, travel and sport.