Browse Features 2021 - insidedenim: Global denim industry news and vie

When it comes to luxury and premium denim, Italy is a preferred manufacturing and laundry destination. Tilmann Wrobel takes us on a trip to Incom, through the beautiful landscapes of Pesaro, close to San Marino.

Cotton won’t lose its crown anytime soon – particularly when it comes to denim manufacturing. As Inside Denim finds out, opportunities abound for getting things right in Africa.

A community project in the north of England that aims to grow and process flax through to dyed, finished linen could result in very exclusive jeans. It could also inspire a wider revival of textile and clothing manufacturing at a local level.

Alternatives to pumice for stonewashing processes are emerging, with innovators claiming their ideas offer a wide range of environmental and economic benefits.

PVH Corp. in the US has set bold targets for waste, fabrics, water and chemicals. Nicolas Prophte, a driving force for change in Tommy Hilfiger’s denim ranges, tells us that as well as lowering the impact on environment and workers, it seeks to scale its learnings across the industry.

Agricultural waste is a largely unused resource that could be turned into fibres for textiles, if the cellulose from the plant residues can be extracted in a cost-competitive manner.

The evolution of technology, the disruption of supply chains during covid and pressure to address sustainability issues in the denim industry is driving a radical rethink of the industrial landscape. Mills and brands are investing in next-generation factories located closer to their customers and consumers, paving the way to a reshoring of production.

The need to back sustainable and ethical claims is driving the adoption of traceability systems in the denim industry. As paper and pdf-based certificates no longer offer the necessary security, digital technologies promise to provide not only an extra layer of safety but also new services in support of sustainability and transparency.

Tilmann Wröbel takes us on a historic trip to Morocco, to discover a laundry that places emphasis on skill and collaboration.

UK-based retailer M&S has spent two years revamping its denim fabrics, dyes and wash processes, and is rolling the new standards out across all its ranges.

Putting jeans to work may seem like nothing new. But, reforming such an enduring garment to fit the principles of a circular economy, such as those championed by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, is no easy task for the denim supply chain.

A promising partnership between two Finnish companies could supply denim manufacturers with a high-performing, pre-dyed warp yarn, allowing them to skip the indigo dyeing process altogether and go straight to weaving.

The upcycling of deadstock is the ‘new black’ for many an eco-conscious brand. But a bigger trend is under way, behind the scenes and across large parts of the denim supply chain, to reduce and recycle post-industrial and post-consumer waste. New appreciation for what is increasingly considered an unused resource is paving the way for what could be the fashion industry’s first circular economy at scale.

Enzyme-based processes can generate the worn-in look and feel of traditional bleaching and stonewashing without damaging the denim fabric and in near-waterless conditions. These milder, safer and more sustainable alternatives to some of the harshest chemicals and processes used in garment washing could make some of the industry’s worst pain points history.

With physical shows still not possible in most parts of the world, online shows, virtual presentations, webinars and seminars have been vital to keep the supply chain connected. Inside Denim rounds up some of the developments that mills presented at Kingpins24.

Julia Hederus, the designer behind Noko Jeans, the first (and possibly only) Western denim jeans brand to celebrate making its products in North Korea, diplomatically describes dealing denim with an enigma, plus making her own way in the fashion industry - via Thebes.

Clocking On... The Lycra Company’s Denise Sakuma considers herself lucky. “Work is 80% of the day, so you need to love what you do. If you love what you do 80% of the day, you will be a happy person.”

Comparatively little is written about South Korean denim, especially when contrasted with the collector’s paradise that is Japan, the country’s neighbour. Inside Denim talks to two protagonists on the scene in Seoul, both with unique insights to share on denim’s heritage and contemporary potency in the city.

When it comes to Japanese denim fabric manufacturing, there are only a handful of really great places in the land of the Rising Sun to visit. Kuroki is definitely one of them. Let Tilmann Wrobel take you on a guided tour…

An important part of Cone Denim’s commitment to reducing water useage is a new zero-liquid-discharge effluent treatment plant at its production facility in Parras, northern Mexico.

When textiles were first identified as a source of microplastic pollution, polyester fleece was rapidly singled out as a likely major contributor.

Hewitt Heritage Fabrics’ Lancashire-woven selvedge has been used in new ranges by brands including Hiut and Joe & Co...

The Pakistan-based mill is embarking on an ambitious expansion programme that includes a new LEED-certified spinning mill, a denim factory and a shredding facility...

As demand for more natural materials and processes grows, so does interest in alternative and plant-based dyes.

Cotton gets a bad rap. It is accused of consuming undue amounts of water and chemicals from farm to mill. But it is fighting back.