Artistic Milliners has grown from a small retail store, established in Pakistan in 1949, to become one of the top manufacturers of denim in the world. Additionally Artistic Milliners is one of the leaders in sustainable textile production—opening Pakistan’s first-ever LEED Certified garment factory, contributing some one million meters per month of closed loop denim manufacturing, and employing equipment to save on water and waste, among other efforts.
Along with a dedication to innovation and environmental sustainability, the company has focused on the empowerment of women, who dominate the workforce in global garment production at the factory level. Women make up about half of Artistic Milliners’ workforce, but find it harder to advance than the men who work there. Some of the projects dedicated to improving women’s lives through education and training, advancement opportunities, and other paths are the HERproject and P.A.C.E. Program. Artistic Milliners is the first and only denim company in Pakistan to run Gap Inc.’s Women Empowerment program, which stands for “Personal Advancement and Career Enhancement”.
Read more at Carved in Blue.
This article is one of a series on Rivet from Lenzing’s Carved in Blue denim blog. From conversations with the experts behind the mills that make some of the world’s most-wanted denim to the global brands bringing novel denim made with TENCEL® and Lenzing Modal® to the market, Carved in Blue shares the stories of those whose roots run deep with denim. Visit www.carvedinblue.lenzing-fibers.com.
