TikTok is not only dictating denim’s trends, but also molding the way in which it’s designed.
Rather than resist the shift, Welsh entrepreneur and designer Osian Gwynedd used the powerful social media platform to his advantage—and is now reaping the rewards. His newly launched Kickstarter campaign, which promotes his line of expertly crafted jeans for men and women, reached its almost-$35,000 goal 9.5 hours after going live.
Owner of Antur Supply Co., an adventure lifestyle brand, Gwynedd first started his denim venture in January 2020 to create men’s and women’s jeans that offered comfort, fit and durability—qualities he said were impossible to find in other pairs currently on the market. Throughout the design process, he took to social media to educate his followers and promote the upcoming launch, and ended up receiving valuable input that changed the course of his offering in the process.
“Documenting the process on TikTok meant we could make changes to the design based on what the community liked or not,” he told Rivet. “By going viral, we were able to gain a really healthy email list so that we received instant backers to our project immediately after going live.”
The most consistent piece of feedback centered on deepening women’s front pockets—a common ask that has inspired similar denim designs from startups in the past.
Gwynedd posted a TikTok comparing his jeans’ deep front pockets to those of other brands, including Zara and Levi’s, after which he made them ever deeper to respond to the overwhelming feedback. Posted in late July, the post has since garnered more than 296,000 likes and 3,600 comments. He also uploaded the post to Instagram following its viral engagement.
Jeans are available in dark wash and black denim in a skinny fit for women and a slim fit for men. Women’s jeans are offered in waist sizes 24-36 and length sizes 28, 31 and 34. Men’s are offered in waist sizes 30-38 and even length sizes 30-36.
Antur Supply Co. reports that its jeans are made with fabrics that are 30 percent more breathable and four times as flexible as conventional denim. The cotton, Lycra and Lycra Coolmax blend provides the wearer freedom of movement, breathability and thermoregulation. Additional features include a reinforced gusset, secure back pockets and a Silverplus coating from Rudolf Group for a water-resistant, antibacterial and anti-odor finish.
Jeans are stitched with Coats’ Epic EcoVerde threading, a 100 percent recycled premium polyester core spun sewing thread that creates durable, attractive seams with greater abrasion resistance. Each pair is finished with a sustainable back patch and eco-friendly metal trims.
Early bird pricing ranges from $90 (65 pounds) for one pair to $414 (302 pounds) for a bundle of five pairs. Customers can secure their orders on the Kickstarter page through Sept. 16, when the campaign ends. Following production and quality control, Gwynedd expects products will be delivered by March 2022.
“I’m excited for the remaining 28 days of the campaign,” Gwynedd said. “Who knows what we can achieve.”