Rivet Project Denim Report

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o much of the fashion industry’s time is spent on forecasting what’s next. The blood, sweat and tears poured into each new collection, fit, campaign and editorial tend to mean little to the creators once the general public gets its eyes and hands on them. The industry agonizes over not only what the consumer wants for the next season, but also what the next generation of consumers will want and the one beyond that.

Though it has the benefit of being centered on a timeless fabric and product—blue jeans—the denim industry has found itself caught up in this rat race, too. It’s difficult not to when the gravitational force of the entire apparel industry is pulling it in a direction that rewards speed over quality and originality. No matter what part of the denim supply chain you look at, be it cotton providers, fabric mills, designers or retailers, each link is under pressure to lower prices, sell more and do it faster so it can get on to the next big idea.

However, if hindsight is 20/20 as they say, well, damn. The events that have unfolded this year—a global pandemic, a consequential economic breakdown, a civil rights movement and the shakedown of systemic racism in corporate America—have kicked the entire fashion industry in its proverbial crystal balls.

While we began 2020 claiming blue skies were ahead for the global jeanswear industry buoyed by throngs of consumers who wished to expand their denim wardrobe, the only thing that is certain now is uncertainty.

But there are silver linings to be found. This unprecedented time has led to a greater awareness of the planet’s fragility, giving way to a deeper appreciation for garments that are classic, durable and personal. “Buy less, buy better” is the new mantra, which arguably bodes better for denim than any other apparel category.

As a beloved garment produced and worn by people on nearly every continent, and with investments being made to enhance quality while reducing its environmental footprint, jeans inherently have the blueprint for the post-pandemic fashion industry. The denim industry doesn’t need another mood board, forecast or crystal ball to force its hand—it only needs to rediscover what made it special to begin with.

Angela Velasquez Rivet executive editor

TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S

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ON BRAND The latest news from influential denim brands

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ON SECOND THOUGHT Denim industry executives dish on how they plan to pivot their businesses for a postpandemic world

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WHAT CLOTHING CONSUMPTION COULD LOOK LIKE BY THE END OF THE ’20S Can the planet handle consumers’ desire for new fashion?

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ETERNAL LIFE The denim industry continues to push toward a circular economy to eliminate waste and overconsumption

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20 FOR 2020: THE REMIX 20 examples of the “new normal” the denim industry faces

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NEW PROJECT Digital wholesale platforms like NuOrder are keeping industry players connected

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OV ERCOMING ECO HUR DLES What makes Levi’s new jean its most sustainable yet?

Levi’s recently introduced its most sustainable jean—the product of more than five years of research in circular denim design and a partnership with Swedish recycling textile technology startup Re:newcell.

The jean is made with 60 percent organic cotton and Circulose, Re:newcell’s breakthrough material that includes 20 percent recycled denim and 20 percent sustainably sourced viscose.

Re:newcell launched Circulose in 2019 as an alternative to mechanical recycling, which weakens natural fibers and requires synthetic fiber blends to make them stronger, deeming them non-recyclable. To make Circulose, Re:newcell repurposes discarded cotton textiles like worn-out denim through a process similar to recycling paper. The waste fabrics are broken down using water. The color is then stripped from these materials using an environmentally friendly bleach. After any synthetic fibers are removed from the slurry mix, the mixture is dried and the excess water is extracted, leaving behind a sheet of Circulose. This sheet is then made into viscose fiber, which is combined with cotton and woven into a new fabric.

The collaboration with Re:newcell is an important step in Levi’s garment-to-garment recycling. Though durability and circularity are akin to the holy grail of sustainable denim, technology has put the two qualities at odds. The partnership, however, is an example of how to recycle jeans in a way that doesn’t diminish quality or hinder its recyclability in the future.

“We’re transforming old jeans into high-quality materials, moving us beyond traditional cotton recycling, which shortens and breaks fibers,” said Una Murphy, Levi’s senior designer for innovation. “By using high-quality fiber, Levi’s jeans last longer, and designing for circularity allows our old jeans to become new jeans again and again.”

The collection includes a men’s 502 and a women’s high loose fit. The jeans are designed in a way that maximizes recyclability so they can be regenerated into a new garment again.

Each component of the jeans—from trims to thread—has been carefully calibrated to ensure it meets recycling specifications, allowing the garment to have a second life once it’s no longer wearable.

“This is a sustainability challenge that we’ve been wrestling with for years, so it’s really exciting to see an aspirational concept become a familiar pair of Levi’s jeans—now on sale around the world,” said Paul Dillinger, Levi’s vice president of global product innovation. —Angela Velasquez

2020 RIVET DENIM REPORT

SUSTA IN A B L E GLOW UP Y/Project remakes bestsellers as sustainable statement pieces made to last.

Designing during quarantine presented Y/Project creative director Glenn Martens with an opportunity for a sustainable do-over. For Spring/Summer ’21, the luxury streetwear brand is revisiting 16 of its most recognizable pieces from previous seasons and remaking them with sustainable and ethical practices.

The Evergreen capsule collection features signature garments—including warped seam jeans, cut-out trousers and shirts with extended collars— remade entirely in the EU with a combination of certified organic and recycled fabrics. This eco mindset is carried down to the collection’s trims and how the garments are packaged, branded and shipped.

And due to the styles’ proven endurance, the collection will never go on sale. The Evergreen line will be sold every season alongside the new seasonal styles and be priced consistently with Y/Project’s core line. A percentage of proceeds from the sale of Evergreen garments will also be donated to an ecological charity. —AV

SO F R ESH A N D SO CL E A N Jeans brands explore antimicrobrial and antiviral textile technologies.

It isn’t enough for jeans to be comfortable and stylish. The pandemic is introducing new realities, one being the relevance of fashion with protective properties.

Denim brands DL1961 and Warp + Weft are stepping into the space with fall collections that use antimicrobial technology. The sister brands announced a partnership with Swiss performance textile company HeiQ, which recently developed HeiQ Viroblock, one of the world’s first antiviral technologies proven to reduce COVID-19 transmission through clothing. Beginning Oct. 1, all new collections by DL1961 and Warp + Weft will have this technology.

“Our mission as a premium denim brand is to make products in a way that is good for the planet and the people on it,” said Warp + Weft founder Sarah Ahmed. “As safety is at the forefront of our consumers’ concerns, we want to be there to help. Our jeans are designed to make you look good, and feel good about wearing them.”

The technology is applied in liquid form to denim during the laundering process to provide a sanitizing and germ-resistant surface. It includes a silver component that attracts virus molecules and kills them on contact. HeiQ Viroblock stays active on treated garments for

up to 30 domestic washes.

Antimicrobial technology is increasingly gaining importance, particularly in the denim category as jeans are a part of an everyday modern uniform and tend to be garments that consumers refrain from washing frequently. Diesel is taking antiviral fashion to a new level, too, with its latest partnership with Swedish chemical company Polygiene, which got its start in garment protection technology during the SARS epidemic in the early 2000s.

The companies worked together on a finishing treatment that prevents 99 percent of viruses—including those that cause COVID-19— from attaching to fabric. Used exclusively in Diesel denim, Polygiene’s ViralOff technology will be applied to a selection of the brand’s Spring/ Summer 2021 styles. Diesel has plans to incorporate the technology into additional garments in the future.

The technology, Diesel said, represents a critical response in protecting customers. “Safety and public responsibility have never been more important, and Diesel prides itself on innovating and adapting to the world’s evolving situations quickly and responsibly,” the company noted. —Liz Warren

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SCA LING POSITI V E CH A NGE Outland Denim establishes an in-house standard for sustainability.

Outland Denim, known for its sustainably washed organic cotton jeans and efforts to eradicate modern slavery, is ramping up its voice in an effort to lead the denim industry to reduce its collective environmental impact.

“Our customers aren’t just buying a pair of jeans; they are investing in positive change,” said Outland Denim founding CEO James Bartle. “They are taking us up on our promise to create an impact on their behalf.”

Part of this positive change is the development of the Maeka Standard, a certification that represents Outland’s “high expectation of sustainability as a manufacturer and as a brand.” The standard is a combination of Outland’s policies that center on zero exploitation and jeans that are made without slavery, poor labor standards or environmentally harmful materials and techniques; garments made with the intention to create positive change; and a social mission to “correct injustices with the desire to positively impact” all stakeholders.

Outland will extend the standard to other brands it manufactures for in an effort to streamline sustainable production, alleviate doubling up on intellectual capital and infrastructure and reducing the costs associated with responsible production.

The first products in development with the Maeka Standard are a denim jacket and jeans from the Outland Denim x Karen Walker collection.

“By offering the opportunity for other brands to produce using the socially, environmentally and economically sustainable facilities that we have established and become known for, we can stretch our impact and grow our business,” the company noted in the report. —AV

2020 RIVET DENIM REPORT

THE SK INN Y ON STR E TCH J Brand doubles down on stretch denim.

As stretch denim becomes increasingly popular among comfort-seeking consumers, denim brands are seeking ways to innovate a highly flexible fabric that people will want to wear all day long—and J Brand may have just developed it.

The denim brand debuted Limitless Stretch, a fabrication created at the company’s Jeans Innovation Center in Los Angeles. Available exclusively in its new Sophia skinny fit, the fabric is able to stretch to twice its size and retract without any sagging. The fabric features 30 percent more stretch than other premium denim fabrics on the market. The super skinny silhouette features a mid-rise waist and a slightly longer in-

seam than other J Brand styles.

In March, retail data analytics firm Edited published a report that showed 23 percent more consumers purchased women’s stretch denim year over year, highlighting the opportunity for comfort-focused denim.

J Brand’s Limitless Stretch fabric also checks off another box on the list of consumer demands increasing in light of the pandemic: sustainability. The new denim is washed using J Brand’s Eco Wash water-saving process. By the end of the year, the brand will incorporate sustainable technologies into 100 percent of its washed denim. —LW

CIRCL E OF L IF E G-Star Raw expands its circular product assortment.

G-Star Raw and Italian denim mill Candiani Denim are breaking new ground in regenerative ingredients. The Dutch brand recently introduced a denim fabric with the world’s first regenerative indigo dyeing concept, meaning the waste from the indigo dyeing process is developed to function as a fertilizer for the agricultural industry.

Along with being circular, the fabric offers performance qualities for the consumer on the go. The Iken Superstretch O fabric features 97 percent organic cotton and 3 percent ROICA EF, a Global Recycled Standard certified stretch yarn designed to keep jeans in shape after wear.

The new denim fabric is available in five jean styles: the Airblaze, Lancet and D-Staq for men, and the Noxer and Kafey for women.

The indigo innovation complements G-Star’s other circular products, including a new line of Cradle to Cradle Certified Gold T-shirts and a new sneaker range made with 100 percent recycled cotton denim fabric. The sneakers’ worn-in blue-gray colorway is derived from 100 percent recycled indigo yarns. —AV

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ON SECOND THOUGHT Unprecedented times are driving executives to recalibrate their outlook for the denim industry. w or d s _____ L IZ WARR EN

JASON TROTZUK, founder and creative director, Fidelity Denim ON THE CHANGES AND CHALLENGES AHEAD FOR DENIM RETAIL. The biggest changes I see for retail right now are, well,

basically everything. Post COVID-19, consumers are looking for new experiences—the ones that they’ve had in the past no longer resonate with them.

Corporations are deemed to be the bad guys and locally and ethically made products are very meaningful to consumers.

This also includes price point, as this is a new era.

Premium is not as important as purpose—if the brand has meaning and understanding and has representations in categories that speak to the consumer, those are the brands that are going to have - J A S O N T R OT Z U K longevity.

“ I S EE D E N I M R E B OU N D I N G I M M ED I AT ELY. I N FAC T, I DO N ’ T S E E DENIM SKIPPING A B E AT AT A L L .”

ON WHEN THE DENIM MARKET WILL REBOUND FROM THIS CRISIS. I see denim rebounding immediately. In fact, I don’t see

denim skipping a beat at all. Yes, there is a trend toward more

comfortable basics as people are in their houses more, but sweatpants will only take them so far. Denim has always had a rebellious nature, and if you ever want to bring yourself to a little bit more of a relevant place, putting on a pair of denim will get you there.

The more important question for denim brands is the way in which they will reach the consumer. In a post-pandemic world, this could mean a multitude of different experiences for people to enjoy, be introduced and reconnect with the most dynamic article of clothing they can own. In a post-COVID-19 world, the retailer is not the only option.

ON WHAT THE DENIM INDUSTRY SHOULD LOOK LIKE IN A POST-PANDEMIC WORLD. I would like the denim

industry to become more ethical and more sustainable.

Denim is arguably one of the biggest polluters in the garment industry, but more importantly, the world has become used to cheap denim that is made unethically, supporting child labor and ignoring standards that are hurting our environment and destroying the planet. As an industry, we need to stop this.

ON HOW THE PANDEMIC WILL AFFECT FUTURE DESIGNS. Less fluff, more meat! In a world of attrition, a

smart designer knows when less is more, the consumer is unsure of their purchases, and the purchases are more meaningful. A smart designer will make sure that all of the facets of a great pair of jeans are included in one pair.

2020 RIVET DENIM REPORT

JORDAN N ODARSE, creative director, Boyish Jeans ON THE CHANGES AND CHALLENGES AHEAD FOR DENIM RETAIL. Making sure we don’t sink with the large retailers.

We have to control dilution and brand image right now and be very selective of who we work with on [the] wholesale market side of business.

ON WHEN THE DENIM MARKET WILL REBOUND FROM THIS CRISIS. I think it’s more about a shift in consumer

mentality. The denim market won’t be going back to the way it ever was. It’s going to change because consumers are waking up. They are getting smarter with involuntary greenwashing from brands that try to be sustainable but do not actually put the effort into learning what sustainability and circularity truly are.

Replacing plastic fibers with recycled plastic fibers is just trying to solve a problem while creating two more problems. This mentality needs to change.

ON WHAT THE DENIM INDUSTRY SHOULD LOOK LIKE IN A POST-PANDEMIC WORLD. True transparency,

“THE DENIM M A R K E T WO N ’ T B E GO I N G B AC K T O T H E WAY I T E V E R WA S. I T ’S GO I N G T O CH A N G E B ECAU S E CO N S U M E R S A R E WA K I N G U P.” — J O R DA N N O DA R S E

true sustainability, smart design and better marketing. So many companies have amazing, young employees with great ideas but these companies are stifled by their executive teams that have become leeches within their company, sucking up huge salaries and not contributing anything to the well-being of the company besides their own desire to latch on for as long as they can.

ON HOW THE PANDEMIC WILL AFFECT FUTURE DESIGNS.

Trim down the selection. Offer less. Stock only core bestselling, season-less styles. Avoid the retailers with buying teams and executives that do not understand their own

business. They will try and use you and right now small brands cannot afford that. Stay strong, deliver a strong message, and your consumers will follow you.

AYDAN TÜZÜN, executive director of global sales and marketing, Naveena Denim Mills ON THE CHANGES AND CHALLENGES AHEAD FOR DENIM RETAIL. The biggest changes and challenges for denim retail

will be the same. Denim retail should adapt itself constantly to the upcoming new normal in an agile way. Fortunately, denim is a perfect fabric that is timeless and adaptable.

I think if there is one industry that will weather the crisis easier than the others, it’s denim.

ON WHEN THE DENIM MARKET WILL REBOUND FROM THIS CRISIS. In this time of uncertainty, it is really difficult

to predict a moment of rebound. I think we should be open about uncertainty, and transparent in the ways in which we acknowledge the limitations of future prospect-telling.

However, I think the crisis is also maturing in a way, and the industry has already adapted itself to the new normal. We have already seen a significant increase in orders, especially on the functional fabric side.

ON WHAT THE DENIM INDUSTRY SHOULD LOOK LIKE IN A POST-PANDEMIC WORLD. Denim has always been a

very versatile fabric. And I think it will not only adapt to the new normal, but also be a frontrunner as a symbol of change again, as it has been many times in the past. I would like to see the denim industry make jeans a symbol again for an ethical, sustainable and conscious revolution for the whole fashion industry and beyond to create a win-win-win solution for consumers, the supply chain and the planet.

ON HOW THE PANDEMIC WILL AFFECT FUTURE DESIGNS. The pandemic

shed light on an already existing trend toward more functional athleisure wear, as well as a more ethical and sustainable collection. We had already been working on these, but of course, we have

“ T H E I N D U S T RY H A S A L R E A DY A DA P T E D I T S EL F TO THE N E W N O R M A L .”

— AY DA N T ÜZ Ü N

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reinforced our efforts to adapt better to this change, focusing on clever, wearable and functional fabrics.

Another main area of focus is of course sustainability. We are working on expanding our products focusing on natural fibers such as hemp, biodegradable alternatives to polyester and elastane and sustainable processes that will bring us closer to our main vision of creating 100 percent sustainable denim.

JEFF ROSENSTOCK, president, General Sportwear ON THE CHANGES AND CHALLENGES AHEAD FOR DENIM RETAIL. This year has affected every aspect of the apparel

business, and at the core, severely challenged the two most important factors: supply and demand itself.

From the supply point of view, having more control that offers better flexibility and quick turn has changed from a luxury to a necessity. Owning our facilities puts us in the best position for our customers to be able to leverage our production strength and react quickly to their needs to get them what they need, when they need it.

From a consumer standpoint, it is all about what they need right now, and how they are buying it to get it quicker and easier.

We are seeing more demand for buy now/wear now comfort, and better quality at a fair price. Convenience has become a critical factor in how customers purchase.

“ W H ER E YOU M A K E YOU R P RO DUC T S A N D W H O YOU M A K E I T WITH ARE JUST A S I M P O R TA N T A S W H AT YOU M A K E . ”

ON WHEN THE DENIM MARKET WILL REBOUND FROM THIS CRISIS. We expect

pent-up demand resulting in a much better denim fourth quarter as the weather turns.

This will be supported as — J E F F R O S E N STO C K more people return to work and school in the fall, fueling the need for comfortable clothing that can be dressed up and down appropriately. Shorts, sweats and suits will not be able to cover that need as well as denim.

ON WHAT THE DENIM INDUSTRY SHOULD LOOK LIKE IN A POST-PANDEMIC WORLD. There will be many lessons learned

from this pandemic. We hope one of these is that your supply

chain cannot be taken for granted. Where you make your products and who you make it with are just as important as what you make. Choose your partners wisely, and understand that the cheapest and easiest answer is not always the best one.

ON HOW THE PANDEMIC WILL AFFECT FUTURE DESIGNS. Outside of seasonal items, we are taking

the pressure off designing according to trends. It has become more of a logical review of where we are today, what we are missing, and where we need to be next.

Indigo denim, for the most part, is a year-long business, and best-selling washes are really not specific to any particular time. We would rather take advantage of the fact that we own our factories and continue to react quickly to the needs of the brand in real time. We are constantly reordering Devil-Dog Dungarees products to keep our best-selling fits and washes in stock, and service our website customers, as well as our drop ship and retail partners with quick shipments and return on their investment.

STEVE MAGGARD, president, Cone Denim ON THE CHANGES AND CHALLENGES AHEAD FOR DENIM RETAIL. I think the biggest challenge facing denim

retail right now is uncertainty. With so many unknowns, planning a business in the current environment is very challenging. Everyone is trying to understand or predict what the short-term and longer-term will look like across the global markets: What government assistance will be provided? Will there be a second shutdown of retail stores due to COVID-19? Will schools re-open and how will that affect the back-to-school season and the need for jeans? How will consumer habits and purchasing ability change coming out of the pandemic?

ON WHEN THE DENIM MARKET WILL REBOUND FROM THIS CRISIS. I think that due to COVID-19 remaining at

high levels and even growing in some areas of the world, a complete rebound will be delayed until early next year. There are also significant inventory issues caused by the shutdown and the resulting bankruptcies and store closings that will take several months to cycle. We are definitely seeing stronger global demand in recent months, but a complete rebound is far away.

2020 RIVET DENIM REPORT

ON WHAT THE DENIM INDUSTRY SHOULD LOOK LIKE IN A POST-PANDEMIC WORLD. My hope is that, coming out

ON WHEN THE DENIM MARKET WILL REBOUND FROM THIS CRISIS. Fortunately, the denim market wasn’t as

of the pandemic, the industry recognizes those companies that acted responsibly and ethically during the crisis and rewards them with continued business.

I am referring to those companies that were impacted but continued to do the right thing— pay their bills, honor their commitments, partner within and across the supply chain to ensure mutual survival, deliver the product they — ST E V E M AGG A R D committed to make, use the downtime to create new products, and focus on the safety of their workers.

These are the companies that are exhibiting the heart and soul of the global denim community and that deserve to be recognized and supported.

dramatically affected by the virus as other markets and industries, since casual attire became the norm as consumers began to spend more time at home and work remotely. The biggest challenge thus far is that most of our retail and dotcom partners reverted to very conservative plans until they could get a better idea of next steps, which ended up putting a lot of stress on supply-chain management. We are now in a quick reaction period, which makes long-term planning harder. We are expecting, and hoping, to be back to a new normal by mid-2021.

“CO N S U M E R S A R E S T I L L GO I N G T O WA N T T H E SAME THINGS AS A LWAYS F R O M T H EI R J E A N S.”

ON WHAT THE DENIM INDUSTRY SHOULD LOOK LIKE IN A POST-PANDEMIC WORLD. The denim industry needs to

return our focus to sustainability and eco-friendly practices.

ON HOW THE PANDEMIC WILL AFFECT FUTURE DESIGNS.

We are designing more focused seasonal collections, and although we’ve reduced the number of styles in each, the new collections are exciting and trend-driven, while staying true to Mavi’s DNA.

ON HOW THE PANDEMIC WILL AFFECT FUTURE DESIGNS.

Consumers are still going to want the same things as always from their jeans. They want a great-looking, comfortable pair of jeans that is produced in a sustainable and ethical manner at all steps of the process. At Cone Denim, we have become more creative in our design process. We are doing a lot more design work through video calls and remote communication as travel is limited. Our team has been using the extra time to focus, reflect and expand our innovations, and I am really excited about some of the new denim we will be rolling out over the next several months.

ARKUN DURMAZ, president, Mavi ON THE CHANGES AND CHALLENGES AHEAD FOR DENIM RETAIL. The uncertainty of both supply and demand

is currently the biggest challenge. Although most of our customers and suppliers have revised their plans numerous times, the long-term effects of the pandemic are still very much unknown. Additionally, there is some unpredictability in logistics, especially when it comes down to product that requires air travel.

VICTOR LYTVINENKO, co-founder, co-designer, president, Raleigh Denim ON THE CHANGES AND CHALLENGES AHEAD FOR DENIM RETAIL. Predicting the future is the toughest challenge right

now.

ON WHEN THE DENIM MARKET WILL REBOUND FROM THIS CRISIS. The rebound is going to be in a different

direction. The market has changed and the ways we’ve done things in the past will not be the way we do things in the future, from all angles of sourcing, production, and sales.

So, it’s very hard to define what a rebound will look like, and hard to say when it will happen.

ON WHAT THE DENIM INDUSTRY SHOULD LOOK LIKE IN A POST-PANDEMIC WORLD. Question everything. We have

a chance to start over and do things better. A lot of our industry and model of making wasn’t really working, and now is the time to make some changes.

ON HOW THE PANDEMIC WILL AFFECT FUTURE DESIGNS.

Classics. We are focusing on our best-selling styles with comfort and a few sprinkles of novelty and color.

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WHAT CLOTHING CONSUMPTION COULD LOOK LIKE BY THE END OF THE ‘20S

2020 RIVET DENIM REPORT

When it comes to fashion, can the planet handle consumers’ desire for newness? w or d s _____ JASMI N MA L I K C H UA

D

ressing an entire planet doesn’t come without its toll. And as the world’s population grows, so too, will fashion’s environmental stakes.

If global population growth continues on its present trajectory, more than 8.5 billion people will need to be clothed at the close of the decade, the United Nations estimates.

As a result, overall apparel production and demand are expected to surge by 63 percent from 62 million tons in 2017 to 102 million tons in 2030—or the equivalent of more than 500 billion T-shirts— according to sustainability think tank Global Fashion Agenda (GFA) and management firm Boston Consulting Group (BCG).

Such an increase would lead to a corresponding expansion of fashion’s water, carbon dioxide, chemical and waste footprints. While the volume of water consumed by the industry is already a capacious 79 billion cubic meters per year—or enough to fill nearly 32 million Olympic-size swimming pools—GFA and BCG anticipate it will leap by 50 percent by 2030, placing even greater pressure on water-scarce regions, like the cotton-producing hubs of China and India.

Fashion’s carbon emissions are also projected to balloon by more than 60 percent to nearly 2.8 billion tons per year by 2030. By GFA and BCG’s calculations, this is proportionate to the amount of emissions generated by nearly 230 million passenger vehicles in a year.

Equally at risk of exploding is the industry’s already outsize chemical footprint. Although cotton accounts for just 3 percent of the planet’s agricultural land, its cultivation employs an estimated 16 percent of all insecticides and 7 percent of all herbicides. The Ellen MacArthur Foundation projects cotton production to grow at a rate of 1.5 percent year on year, but whether this will translate into the same increase in chemical use depends on a raft of factors, such as the adoption of organic cotton, regenerative agricultural systems and genetically modified crops.

Waste creation is easier to calculate. Overall, humankind produces 2.1 billion tons of waste per year, according to the United Nations Environmental Programme. Assuming today’s current solid waste during production and at end of use, GFA and BCG predict that the fashion industry’s share will increase by 62 percent between 2015 and 2030, with an additional 57 million tons of waste generated annually.

The “vast majority” of clothing waste ends up in landfills or is incinerated, the organizations added. Globally, only 20 percent of clothing is collected for reuse or recycling.

TODAY Volume of water consumed by fashion industry

79 billion cubic meters per year BY 2030 Will leap by

50 percent BY 2030 Fashion’s carbon emissions are projected to balloon to nearly

2.8 billion tons per year TODAY Humankind produces

2.1 billion tons of waste per year BY 2030 An additional new

57 million tons of waste generated annually 13

ETERNAL The denim industry continues to push toward a circular economy to eliminate waste and overconsumption. w o r d s _____ JASMI N MA L I K C H UA

F

ew garments are as tailor-made for the circular economy as denim.

When Jacob Davis and Levi Strauss invented rivet-reinforced blue jeans as we know them in 1850s San Francisco, they conceived of them as workwear for prospectors in the grip of the gold rush. For circularity pundits, who want to keep resources in circulation as long as possible, denim is the antithesis of throwaway fashion that is worn fleetingly and then chucked aside.

“Denim was always meant to be lasting,” said Marisa Ma, co-founder of Atelier & Repairs, a Los Angeles-based firm that creates one-of-a-kind clothing from castoff textiles and trims. “No employer of miners wanted their jeans to rip, so everything was created for enduring use.”

But denim’s hard-as-nails construction can also work against it.

The same rivets that prevent tearing, for instance, are difficult for recyclers to remove and result in large swathes of fabric being cut off and landfilled or incinerated at the end of jeans’ life. Modern-day consumers prefer denim with a little bit of stretch, which means mixing cotton yarns with small amounts of Spandex or Lycra. Because blended fibers are nearly impossible to tease apart into their original constituents, “this really severely impacts the recyclability of the garment,” said Jade Wilting, partnership and community manager of Circle Economy’s textile program in Amsterdam. Neither have takeback programs or recycling techniques achieved the breadth of scale necessary to channel unwanted jeans into new apparel manufacturing and other high-value applications. At present, most garments that cannot be reused are “downcycled” into rags, upholstery stuffing and housing insulation.

“Some chemical recycling technologies are out there, but they are still not optimized to handle the waste we currently have because this waste was never designed to be reused in the first place,” said Adriana Galijasevic, G-Star Raw’s denim and sustainability expert.

For people like Ma, downcycling denim is almost criminal. “There was a purpose and a reason for why it was designed the way it was,” she said. “But that’s the biggest riddle of all: How do we encourage longevity with today’s business metrics?”

To be sure, circularity in any industry, denim or otherwise, is

an uphill task. Most modern supply chains are based on a linear take-make-dispose model. “It’s not easy retrofitting needed infrastructure,” said Roian Atwood, senior director of global sustainable business at Kontoor Brands, which operates Lee and Wrangler.

But denim can be the poster child for circular fashion. It just needs a few nudges in the right direction.

“Denim can be a circular product if it’s designed to last for a long time, if it’s made with great materials and if it’s made so that it can be made again into a new garment,” said Francois Souchet, Make Fashion Circular lead at the Ellen MacArthur Foundation.

In July, the U.K. nonprofit launched Jeans Redesign, an initiative that is rallying brands such as C&A, Gap, H&M,

“CIRCU L A R I T Y IS A B OU T M AT ER I A L S A N D DE SIG N, B U T I T IS A L SO A B OU T N E W P ROCE S SE S A N D SYS T EM S.” — H É L È N E S M I T S, C IR C L E EC O N O M Y Lee, Outerknown and Tommy Hilfiger to tackle the waste and pollution in denim production today. Initial guidelines have called for the removal (or at least minimization) of rivets in favor of tack stitching, a material composition that is at least 98 percent cellulose fibers by weight and compo-

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l_____S / S 2 0 GI V E NCH Y

LIFE

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nents that are easy to remove or disassemble.

“Our aim is to use the learnings from this project in a bigger scale in our way to become fully circular in all our production processes,” a spokesperson for H&M said. “We see participating in this project as a next step in our already extensive work in applying circular-economy principles in our business, all the way from the design stage, use of materials and production until the final product reaches our customers and the product-use stage.”

There have already been efforts to create more circular denim.

H&M has been incorporating recovered cotton from its garment takeback program into select items since 2015. Three years later, C&A and G-Star Raw unveiled their versions of the “world’s most sustainable jeans,” which the Cradle to Cradle Product Innovation Institute anointed with its Gold-level seal of approval for their holistic approaches to human and environmental health, material reutilization, renewable energy use, carbon management, water stewardship and social justice.

Lenzing, too, has been increasing the proportion of recycled cotton scraps in its Tencel x Refibra fibers, which have appeared in collections

by AG Adriano Goldschmied, Guess and Levi Strauss.

Hélène Smits from Circle Economy wants to see more of this, however. “Incorporating recycled cotton, whether mechanically or chemically, is still not widespread and requires not only technical innovation but also setting up new circular supply chains,” she said.

“Circularity is about materials and design, but it is also about new processes and systems.”

It’s also a philosophy, said Megan Stoneburner Azim, director of sustainability and sourcing at Outerknown, which backs its organic-cotton SEA (Social Environmental Accountability) jeans with a lifetime repair warranty. “To build circular denim, the industry must use safe and renewable materials, ensure durable and long-lasting garments, put mechanisms in place to collect and sort used product when worn through, and drive material innovation for recyclability,” Stoneburner Azim said. “The No. 1 priority is to keep a style in circulation as long as possible.”

Indeed, recycling is just one facet of the circularity model, and arguably its least important. Not only does recycling any product degrade its quality, according to Souchet, but it also nullifies all of the energy, labor and resources that go into its design and production.

“More value is derived by maintaining the integrity of the product,” he said. “So you need to share, repair, rent, resale and basically keep the product in its current shape and use it to the maximum. And then once you can’t use the product anymore, then you can look at recycling.”

Sweden’s Nudie Jeans, for instance, buys back unwanted jeans that it resells as part of its Re-use range. In the Netherlands, Mud Jeans is the first—and so far only—denim brand that lets customers rent its items for a monthly fee, which provides a healthier margin per item. Another upside to this “sharing” model? Less trash.

“The main advantage of keeping garments in circulation is to prevent overconsumption,” said Dion Vijgeboom, the company’s

co-owner. “The longer you keep garments ‘alive’ by repairing, rental and resale, the less you buy. If fewer clothes are being bought, fewer garments end up as waste in landfills.”

Mud Jeans even offers free repairs to active leasers. “We want our customers to use their jeans as long as possible,” Vijgeboom said.

Younger consumers are certainly keen on access over ownership. Already, 62 percent of millennials and 57 percent of teenagers said they wish brands offered more ways to rent or borrow items, according to Cassandra, a business intelligence company that specializes in young people.

“The fashion industry is quickly waking up to this,” said Martijn Hagman, chief financial officer at Tommy Hilfiger, which was the first to offer jeans made from 100 percent recycled-cotton fabric on a wide scale. While the brand will continue to collaborate with the PVH Product Innovation Center—Tommy Hilfiger is owned by PVH Corp.—to develop and marshal innovations in sustainability, Hagman calls these options “exciting alternatives,” and ones he is keen to explore at some point.

“There is a true opportunity in these new models of consumption, and businesses that do not look into them risk being left behind,” he said.

20 examples of the “new normal” the denim industry faces. wor ds _____ A N GEL A V E LA S Q U E Z

1

Black Lives Matter

Apparel brands and retailers found themselves in the middle of civil unrest brought on by the police killing of George Floyd, an unarmed black man in Minneapolis, at the start of the summer.

The global protests forced the apparel industry to take an honest look at its racial makeup, its leaders, hiring processes and the steps it can put in place to help break down systemic racism. Brands responded (with mixed results) by making donations to civil rights organizations, posting messages on social media and pledging to do more.

And consumers, as they take a deeper look into the values of the brands they support, will hold them accountable.

2 Durability Just as the Great Recession ushered in a time when consumers revisited heritage brands and sought out items that would

endure several seasons, experts predict a renewed appreciation for quality over quantity. As pandemic shoppers pull back on spending, the items they do purchase during this uncertain time must show strength and durability—qualities that denim was built on.

3

Shopping Appointments

Once a perk saved for the super-wealthy and/or the super-famous, personal shopping appointments are becoming a socialdistancing solution for retailers that want to get consumers back into their doors without the crowds.

Even Levi’s is testing out appointments in select stores. With strong conversion rates, expect to see more retailers fold personal shopping into their strategies.

4

Made Locally

5

Recent Nostalgia

It took a global pandemic for the apparel industry to identify its weak spots, particularly its reliance on sourcing components and manufacturing overseas.

The result was delayed shipments, concerns of contagion and missed selling periods. Expect to see denim brands— large and small—look for domestic solutions for at least part of their production to ensure a more stable supply chain.

Fashion and cultural references from the ’90s and ’00s have permeated the contemporary fashion market, sparking chitchat about the rise of “recent nostalgia.” New docuseries like “The Last Dance” and the January death of Kobe Bryant have also led ’90s kids down memory lane.

The pandemic, however, is leading many to rewind back to just six months ago, lamenting l_____B L ACK L I VE S M AT T E R

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THE REMIX

Among the unexpected twist and turns of 2020 is the mainstreaming of face masks in the Western part of the world. Since March, denim brands have jumped into action by pivoting their production to help fulfill the need for personal protective equipment (PPE). From Mother Denim to Mavi, the number of fashionable face mask options by denim brands is vast and likely to grow. Searches for non-medical face masks remain high, according to global fashion search platform Lyst. Searches increased 510 percent since the beginning of the year to the start of May.

7

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Call-out Culture

The barrage of unsettling events that have unfolded in 2020 has ignited a fire in humans to correct unjust actions. And fashion companies that project morals aligned with equality, fairness and environmentalism but say and do otherwise were among the first to feel consumers’ disdain.

Sustainable darlings

Everlane and Reformation both landed in hot water following statements by former employees that described racist tendencies. With social media empowering people who wouldn’t otherwise have a platform to share their experiences, expect to see hard truths revealed.

8

Tie-Dye

Though denim and luxury streetwear brands like MSGM and R13 have experimented with tie-dye for several seasons, the psychedelic effect became the unofficial print of life under lockdown as both a fun at-home activity and a way to refresh old loungewear hanging in the closet. And it continues to influence online apparel searches.

Searches for women’s tie-dye sweatpants increased 4,758 percent since last year, according to Trendalytics, while searches for tie-dye sweatshirts—which are up 1,072 percent compared to 2019—are still on the rise.

The trend is also striking

accessories like hair scrunchies and socks.

9

Protective Fashion

Qualities like antimicrobial and moisture-wicking have had strong standings in activewear for some time, but the spread of the coronavirus is driving other apparel categories to take a closer look at technologies and fibers that can offer consumers a higher level of protection.

With jeans brands like Diesel, Warp + Weft and DL1961 each putting out into the market this fall their own take on antiviral denim collections, watch

this space as consumers become more aware of the protective fashion.

10

Workers’ Rights

When the pandemic forced retail to shut down, many brands’ knee-jerk reaction was to cancel their in-production orders or suspend payments to their supply-chain partners, leading to factory closures and millions of garment workers left in the lurch. Remake’s #PayUp petition for brands to fulfill their financial obligations shed light on this ugly side of the business, resulting in more than 250,000 signatures.

Meanwhile, the ability to socially distance revealed itself to be a privilege, too, when garment workers in densely populated counties like India and Bangladesh continued to work in unsafe conditions. News of these hardships, and more, are driving consumers to ask more questions about who is making their clothes and how those people are treated.

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6

Face Masks

l_____T I E - DY E RAGE S O N

everything from Halloween 2019 and the casual act of dining in restaurants, to the closets filled with winter and spring clothes that have barely been touched.

l_____OFF-W HI T E FACE MAS K

2020 RIVET DENIM REPORT

19

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With the U.S. passport rendered worthless in many parts of the world until the country gets a grip on the coronavirus, and the fear of air travel remaining high, coopedup Americans are hitting the road to escape instead.

AAA forecasts 97 percent of the estimated 700 million trips Americans will take during summer 2020 will be car trips. This more localized approach to “summering” might throw a wrench in consumers’ desire to buy new vacation clothes, but denim brands can capitalize on this all-American tradition in marketing that promotes timeless styles by adding nostalgic details like retro car or Route 66 patches and graphic tees.

12

Cottagecore

The catchy moniker given to the Gen Z subculture that mends clothes, dresses in ditzy florals and enjoys pastimes like puzzles and crocheting will likely filter into mainstream fashion just as the other ’cores have—and perhaps at a speedier rate, given Cottagecore’s docile and feel-good nature. With consumers updating pieces from their own wardrobe with DIY techniques, and the pandemic raising awareness of the fragility and regeneration of Mother Nature, they’re already on the right path.

l_____HIT T I N’ T HE ROAD

11

Road Trips

13

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AI Locations

Influencers who built their personal brand on aspirational travel and fashion photography initially grappled with how to be their authentic selves during a crisis that forced them to stay home and that called for sensitivity. Many took to redecorating their homes, while others turned to augmented backdrops by apps like FlickPlay,

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THE REMIX which allows users to add butterfly wings, lemon trees and more to physical locations. Designers are taking a similar approach, too, creating virtual runway shows and avatar models to present their new collections.

14

Kanye West

All eyes will be on Kanye West and how his 10-year partnership with Gap will play out. Though the union got off to a joyful start when it was announced in June that the mall retailer would cocreate a line with West’s Yeezy—and perhaps even jumpstart West’s plans to revive Made in USA apparel manufacturing— the honeymoon stage was short lived. West stated he would walk away from the deal if he wasn’t made a board member during his first presidential campaign rally in July. While the future of this partnership remains complicated, the buzz that it has stirred

2020 RIVET DENIM REPORT

16 (and the potential for actual good designs) may lead other heritage brands to look for trendier allies.

15

Natural Dyes

The novelty of swapping out jeans for wearing sweats or pajamas began to wane after the first couple of weeks of shelterin-place orders, leading many consumers to search online for elevated loungewear, effortless coordinating sets and garments with comfort built in. Jeans brands can earn their place at the table by emphasizing garments made with biodegradable stretch fabrics, cottonized hemp and soft yet circular fibers like Tencel x Refibra.

At-home fashion also presents jeans brands with an opportunity to experiment with joggers and elastic waists.

17

TikTok

Though Gen Z was privy to the addictive quality of TikTok prior to the pandemic, the videosharing app became a refuge for millennials and even Gen X during shelterin-place orders with its viral dances and quirky snapshots into the lives of others. And brands are experimenting with how to use the app to connect with consumers, including Levi’s, which was one of

18

Capsule Collections

The coronavirus disrupted the global fashion calendar early.

It drove Giorgio Armani to host an audienceless show in Milan in March and hung over Paris Fashion Week like a doomsday cloud. The subsequent shutdown of factories and headquarters immediately led designers to discuss cancelling the calendar altogether— pointing out its antiquated inefficiencies and strain on creativity. This new mindset has filtered into denim, arguably the most seasonless fashion category in existence.

Brands, however, are open to injecting newness with smaller but more frequent capsule collections that can be amended to adjust to new consumer needs, and that generate spurts of buzz online and in stores.

19

Zoom Dressing

Working from home is all fun and games until there’s a Zoom call. With colleagues showing only their top half, many consumers are gravitating to items that allow them to be business on top and party on the bottom.

Polo shirts, which retail data analytics company Edited reported made up 12 percent of men’s sell outs for S/S ’20 compared to 10 percent in 2019, are proving to be an easy business casual solution for men. Meanwhile, tops with ruffles and bright colors are picking up momentum for women.

20

Voting

In the midst of all the chaos, it’s (almost) easy to forget that 2020 is a U.S. presidential election year. As Nov. 3 nears, expect to see brands ramp up their efforts across social media platforms and in stores to promote registration, mail-in ballots and inperson voting.

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When a sense of normalcy does re-emerge, color will be an impactful tool for companies to renew consumers’ spirits and drive shoppers to buy. Neutrals and colors inspired by nature—as consumers look to reconnect with the environment—are among the palettes to watch in the coming seasons. And there’s a host of sustainable ways to achieve these hues.

With brands like G-Star Raw using Archroma’s EarthColors made from agriculture waste products and J Brand, which introduced this summer a line of jeans dyed with Tonello’s Wake, a dyeing system that uses only organic and compostable

At-Home Fashion

the first to use TikTok’s “Shop Now” buttons during the pandemic, and Hollister, which features TikTok stars in its back-toschool campaign.

l_____T RU MP V S. B I DE N

raw materials, denim giants and their consumers are waking up to the possibilities—and beauty—of natural dyes.

21

NEW PROJECT Digital wholesale platforms like NuOrder are keeping industry players connected—and in business. w o r d s _____ JE SSIC A B I N N S

T

his year, trade shows have made a remarkable transformation into shapeshifters equipped to keep up with the changing times. The coronavirus crisis has made in-person gatherings virtually verboten, keeping brand reps and retail buyers safely at home.

But if there’s a silver lining to the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s that this period of seismic disruption has set the industry hurtling toward its digital future. When Informa Fashion Markets announced its partnership with digital wholesale platform NuOrder in May, Nancy Walsh, president of the fashion trade show organizer, described the move as an “important next step in the evolution of our business.”

The future of wholesaling in the highly tactile apparel, footwear and accessories sector, she added, “is a synergy of physical and digital,” and debuting a digital show “will help translate the experience of discovery and connection that is at the heart of our physical events to a new and exciting virtual environment.”

For now, however, the industry is clinging to what digital has to offer. Informa’s Project show, taking place Sept. 1-Nov. 1, will leverage NuOrder’s e-commerce platform in hopes of recreating and enhancing the trade-show experience.

Rivet caught up with NuOrder co-founding co-CEO Heath Wells to learn what virtual technology offers that in-person meetings can’t, whether the digitization of trade shows has staying power, and what participants can expect from virtualized fashion events.

What are some of the valuable tools and features attendees can use to help curate their orders for next season?

Heath Wells: The suite of digital tools including linesheets, catalogs, ordering and allocation will be essential for brands and buyers.

The Virtual Showroom feature offers an enhanced and experiential component for brands to be able to show their collections in a more contextual way through the use of 360-degree images, shoppable hotspots and video.

What do you say to buyers who say they like to touch and feel the garments they order?

HW: Technology will never fully replace the tactile, but it provides the next best thing. NuOrder’s visualization features allow brands to show close-up details and full 360-degree views in an impactful way. Swatches can also be sent to buyers directly and through Zoom meetings that can be conducted within the platform itself; a buyer

can have a swatch in hand and be walked through the collection, ultimately recreating the showroom experience in the virtual realm.

Has NuOrder learned anything new about what trade shows need since this mass exodus of physical events?

HW: Trade shows have always represented the notion of curation, community, discovery and commerce. What we have learned is that through the use of technology, we can seamlessly bring all of these elements together in real time and not be confined to the time limitations of a physical show.

What are some special features that attendees will have access to at Project’s digital event?

HW: One of the greatest benefits of the digital event is providing attendees with an opportunity to engage in discovery and commerce, all in a centralized digital ecosystem. Project’s expertise in marketplace curation, matched with our advanced technology, will let brands dive deeper into their storytelling and interact with buyers and retailers beyond the confines of the physical experience. Exhibitors will be able to use NuOrder’s robust selling tools, allowing retailers to be able to shop trade shows by browsing and connecting with relevant brands to order online.

When the pandemic is over, will trade shows keep a digital component to their business?

HW: We believe so because one of the biggest advantages of digital is the ability to connect at any time, from any place and in real time. Technology has been a game-changer for wholesale buying and makes it possible to simulate real-life experiences, resulting in faster, efficient and smarter ways of working. Digital is also giving us a means to become better storytellers and curate immersive brand experiences. For us, digital is in our DNA, but the true value and what excites us most as we move toward the true digitization of the industry, is the synergy between the physical and digital that takes this whole experience to the next level.

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