Denim Innovations
Advancements and Innovation: Who is Busy Solving a $4.6 Billion Problem?
Advancements and Innovation:
Who is Busy Solving a $4.6 Billion Problem?
Guest article by Muchaneta Ten Napel, Founding Editor-in-Chief FashNerd
A ubiquitous wardrobe staple, denim is one of the most prevalent fabrics of our time. Developed through the ages, those behind the widely used material are on a mission to transform the global apparel business into a cleaner, more ethical and more sustainable industry.
It is no secret that denim production is negatively impacting the environment.
Still, the good news is that more and more manufacturers, brands, retailers, and consumers are making an immense effort to undertake the issues related to the production of denim. Furthermore, driven by buzz words like ‘sustainability’ and ‘recycling’, many denim businesses are turning to new technologies to help them attain the most sustainable system possible.
When the denim industry becomes more sustainable, we need a new approach. The good news is that the technology has advanced to the point where we can make a big difference in reducing the environmental footprint of denim. Here are some great examples of some of the revolutionary approaches that have been introduced to the denim industry in the past few years.
Picture credit: Ecotextile News
Smart Factory 4.0: Denim’s Greenest Ecosystem
Crescent Bahuman is taking the denim industry on a journey. Understanding the need for the industry to digitise, Zaki Saleemi, vice president of Crescent Bahuman, believes that one of the ways of doing this is through intelligent decisions supported by data.
Saleemi explained to Sourcing Journal that the intelligent factory is designed to give on-site managers real-time information on shop floor activity and other vital sustainability-related metrics like water measurements. The upgrade is a digitization plan that can help a denim company “get organised, get connected, get insights, and get optimised”.
Another exciting development is that Crescent Bahuman is also implementing the blockchain-enabled PaperTale, which shows the entire map of the supply chain – where the cotton came from, where it was manufactured, and where it got converted into fabric.
Picture credit: Levi
Picture credit: Levi Strauss
Levi’s Earth Conscious Robotic Technology
The majority of jeans are washed for hours to achieve that perfect blue colour, and the result is that the dyes end up polluting the groundwater. Looking back to a time when new innovation was leaving its mark on the denim industry, Levi came up with laser technology that made creating ripped and washed jeans easier and more efficient.
Looking to reduce the man-hours put in by designers trying to figure out the perfect fade and the time factory workers spend sandpapering the jeans, Levi’s is also determined to lessen the harsh chemicals that give jeans that much sought after faded look.
Picture credit: The Spin Off
Probing the use of Alternative Raw Materials
Exploring alternative raw materials such as hemp or orange pulp in textile production, Lenzing and denim manufacturer Candiani partnered to push the traditional boundaries of fibre production.
With similar environmental goals, Candiani’s biodegradable stretch denim made from Tencel Limited Edition yarns to the game contains 20% hemp fibre.
Again, Lenzing’s closed-loop manufacturing process has provided an excellent alternative to many classics – a new Tencel Limited Edition hemp soft fibre is an excellent alternative to many classics.
G-Star Raw: Pioneering New Means of Production
When it comes to sustainability, G-Star RAW is not only talking the talk; they are proving their commitment by continuously challenging the conventions of denim design.
Pioneering new means of production while maintaining an uncompromising dedication to quality and style, a few years ago, G-Star came up with a step-by-step process of how the Elwood RFTPi Jean came about. It was a process that pioneered a radical new dyeing method which is hydro and salt-free. They called the process Crystal Clear.
Considered to be the most radical change at the time when it comes to indigo dyeing process, the formula, even in its infancy, showed off its potential to play a part in saving the environment.
Picture credit: Fast Company
Picture credit: Science News for Students
Helping the Denim Industry Go Green
Combining economy and ecology, Sedo Engineering’s innovation is helping the denim industry go green. The Swiss innovation specialists have developed smart-INDIGO to help denim brands quickly move towards this sustainable production structure with more benefits at lower costs. Instead of toxic chemicals, Sedo Engineering uses only electricity and caustic soda to dissolve indigo dyes.
Giving out oxygen instead of toxic wastewater, smart-INDIGO reduces water use by 70 per cent, energy consumption by six times and carbon emission by ten times. The innovation is a “win-win solution for our clients”, says Werner Volkaert, managing director of Sedo Engineering.
With 17 smart-INDIGO machines operating worldwide, Sedo Engineering hopes to bring a revolutionary change to the denim industry.
About the author
Founding editor-in-chief of FashNerd.com, Muchaneta has worked in the fashion industry for over 14 years. She is currently one of the leading influencers speaking and writing about the merger of fashion with technology and wearable technology.
Muchaneta Ten Napel | editor@fashnerd.com
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Don’t miss to explore more sustainable fabrics and trims
from international suppliers in our ReSOURCE area!
Also discover further industry-disrupting innovations at our upcoming shows in Munich this summer:
BLUEZONE's denim trends bring back memories of 90s parties
The next denim season stands for optimism and 90s nostalgia
BLUEZONE #1
Although MUNICH FABRIC START and BLUEZONE couldn’t be realised physically in the end of January, we want to give our beloved exhibitors and long-term partners the chance to present their collections for Spring.Summer 23 online. We are presenting the most inspiring developments, prints and innovations in all our areas: FABRICS, ADDITIONALS, BLUEZONE, DESIGN STUDIOS, SOURCING & KEYHOUSE.
It’s the memories of parties in the 90s, vibrancy, lightheartedness and optimism that make these BLUEZONE collections so special: The denim experts BOSSA, Close to Clothes, Realteks, Sharabati Denim and Tonello rely on the latest washes and the most modern finish paired with retro vibes.
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BOSSA
This season Bossa divided the collection in 3 concepts. The first theme is 90’s Nostalgia – the rebirth of street style cool again. The second theme is Future Healing – a new era of protection for the fast-developing new world. The third theme is Nomad Tourist – a color palette of neutrals inspired by exotic destinations with desert landscapes. All breathable fibers like hemp, flex or linen that compose the perfect suitcase of a nomadic soul.
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Close to Clothes SAS
With the core values creativity and innovation in mind, Close to Clothes try to renew themselves every year with new collections. This year, the goal is to base the collection on a more environmentally friendly approach with eco-friendly products, while keeping the designs trendy.
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Realteks
Realteks’ motto “Lets MINIMIZE while MAXIMIZING” includes its MINIMAL BLUE CONCEPT with increasing ENERGY AND STRETCHABILITY. It’s all about caring for the people and their lives, increasing values and flexibility: reducing the chemicals while creating new methods and saving energy while breathing more in this great blue space. Denim stands for FREEDOM – because humans are free souls and deserve MORE.
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Sharabati Denim
Sharabati Denim’s Spring.Summer 23 collection brings optimism, hope and joy. Everyone wants to leave behind the days spent at home, full of uncertainty and anxiety, and look into the future with hope. Sharabati Denim therefore designed 4 new concepts to support this idea: Old is New – 70’s & 80’s look; Smooth Operator – soft, comfortable and loose fabrics; Sweat Escape – fabrics that will change your mood; Green Screen – a summary of the Sustainability Vision.
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Tonello
The Laundry (R)evolution is Tonello’s concept in the finishing process. Waste avoidance and resource optimisation are the goals of the company’s refinement cycle. In the finishing process, a laser is used to replace manual abrasion, as well as an all-in-one system that carries out all washing processes by integrating four sustainable technologies. Finally, Tonello uses the Metro software, which processes data in real time to check consumption during the washing process, optimise times and improve performance.
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Discover the first Spring.Summer 23 developments of ADDITIONALS, DESIGN STUDIOS, SOURCING and FABRICS in the following blog articles:
– The newest certificated bio materials & Co. of the ADDITIONALS –
– The flowery, colourful and loud prints of the DESIGN STUDIOS –
– The natural FABRICS that determine the season: hemp, linen, nature jersey & Co. –
– The optimistic SOURCING collections using newest techniques –
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Our New BLUEZONE Living Page is Live!
Discover & Contribute To Our Interactive Digital Platform!
We, the BLUEZONE team, are proud to share our new digital home for the denim community with you: www.bluezone.show. With the launch of the progressive BLUEZONE Living Page, we offer a completely new and surprising experience through an interactive and dynamic approach featuring exclusive insights for all denim lovers.
The idea behind the one-of-a-kind website is to constantly update and inspire the blue-blooded community through a “living” platform in between shows. Our next BLUEZONE show will take place in Munich from 31 August – 1 September 2021. Until then, everyone with a heart for denim is welcomed on www.bluezone.show to dive deeper into the blue world showcasing the stories, personalities and brands who are shaping this industry.
“We’ve always wanted to offer the denim community a special environment according to their needs – which is why we started to organise BLUEZONE as a dedicated denim show in the first place. In these challenging times, we felt like broadening this approach by offering the industry a new, exciting and vivid platform to share information, get inspired, collect futuristic ideas and stay connected throughout the year”, says Sebastian Klinder, Managing Director of BLUEZONE.
“We aimed to create something truly unique: a lively digital home where one could spend hours because the content never gets boring and is constantly updated. True to our motto ‘denim beyond the seasons’, our special BLUEZONE Living Page creates the perfect basis for the live talks and the development of innovative novelties which will be presented at our upcoming BLUEZONE show from 31 August to 1 September 2021”, adds Lucie Germser, Denim Creative Consultant for BLUEZONE.
Besides offering information about the key event BLUEZONE itself, the interactive Living Page presents “Unmissable Community News” as well as inspiring “Blue Trends“, behind the scene shots, material news and fashion collections to be discovered by the blue community. Page visitors can share some “Hot Minutes With” industry insiders like Stephanie Micci, Global Creative Director of Roxy, or Ronnie Reyes, Global Head of Design of Quiksilver.
Further denim heads like Luca Braschi, CEO of Blue Alchemy, or Barbara Gnutti, CEO of Effe-Bi, answer unexpected questions in the “Who Really Is” series while denim manufacturer and mills showcase their most recent collection novelties and company values in the “Bluezone Speed Meeting” series.
Now it’s your turn: We invite you to share your most exciting novelties and ideas with our BLUEZONE team and therefore with the whole denim industry! We are looking forward to receiving your ideas via mail to news@bluezone.show
Stay healthy & hopetimistic and see you in the end of August at BLUEZONE,
Your BLUEZONE team
