Denim Special Edition
Visit Carved in Blue, a blog produced and curated by the denim team at Lenzing.
© Richard Cordero
Introducing TENCEL™ Modal with Indigo Color Technology
The lush indigo color has been highly coveted since ancient times. But dyeing fabric in the blue hue has come at a huge environmental cost. Conventional indigo dyeing needs chemicals to make the pigment water soluble. The process of dyeing starts by dissolving the dye in a vat, followed by immersing yarn in the vat and then oxidizing the material. Indigo also has a low affinity for cellulosic fibers such as cotton, hemp or TENCEL™ fibers, so achieving a rich blue color typically requires multiple repetitions of the dyeing and oxidizing process. Aside from using potentially harmful chemicals, the process uses large volumes of water, thereby generating significant amounts of effluents.
© Richardo Cordero
Adriano Goldschmied’s TENCEL™ Collaboration Explores Broader Indigo Applications
Lenzing’s latest launch, TENCEL™ Modal with Indigo technology, offers the denim industry an opportunity to think outside the box in using the indigo-dyed fibers. As we debut these fibers on the market, who better than the Godfather of Denim Adriano Goldschmied to pioneer this new product? Adriano, who founded creative agency House of Gold as well as denim labels including AG Jeans, is among the first to create a commercial collection using TENCEL™ Modal with Indigo technology. Dubbed Seed of Joy, the line’s name is meant to reflect the added creative and fashion freedom possible with these new fibers, as well as the material’s sustainability benefits. “The TENCEL™ brand is leading revolutionary change for the denim industry, and it has always been one of my go-to eco-fibers for my collections,” said Adriano.
© Hiut Denim
All in the Family with Hiut Denim’s David Hieatt
Hiut Denim’s backstory has family ties, but it is also about the love that exists for a local community. Husband and wife duo David and Clare Hieatt founded Hiut Denim to bring denim manufacturing jobs back to their town of Cardigan in Wales. The town’s denim factory, which employed around 400 people and had produced about 35,000 jeans per week, closed down after three decades in 2002. Hiut Denim opened about a decade later in Cardigan, allowing local skilled denim makers to resume doing what they know best. Today, Hiut Denim’s “grand masters” only make 100 pairs of jeans per week, focusing on quality over quantity.
© Arvind
Arvind’s Knit Denim Supports Consumers on the Move
Even before the pandemic, consumers were increasingly turning to athleisure as streetwear. But during Covid-19, this quest for comfort has accelerated. India’s Arvind Limited is taking note of the need for stretchier indigo fashions with its Infiknity collection. Made with processes including circular knitting for seamless construction, the textiles are designed for the active individual. Arvind’s CEO, Mr Aamir Akhtar chatted with Carved in Blue about the idea behind Infiknity, why denim knits are in demand and how indigo knitwear could contribute to sustainable savings.
© Denim City – SP
Brazil Innovation Hub Buoys Denim Development
Amsterdam-based nonprofit the House of Denim Foundation is on a mission to make denim more sustainable and smarter through education and community. In service of this goal, the organization’s subsidiary Denim City founded an innovation campus in Amsterdam in 2014. Now, the Denim City footprint is extending to Brazil with a new location in São Paulo, opened last fall. Like the location in the Netherlands, Denim City São Paulo is focused on connecting the next generation of denim creators with the leading minds in the field to drive sustainability. An on-site academy enables professionals and graduates to learn about topics such as techniques in laundry, the basics of denim production and how to position a denim brand.