Most denim brands got their start producing jeans with new fabrics and are just now venturing into the world of secondhand. EB Denim is taking the reverse approach.
The Los Angeles-based brand known for its upcycled jeans—and A-list fanbase, which includes Bella Hadid, Megan Fox and Hailey Bieber—debuted its first original jean for fall, the Unraveled Two. The high-rise straight-leg style is modeled after EB Denim’s bestselling piece, the Vintage Unraveled.
Founder and designer Elena Bonvicini launched EB Denim in 2016 with a focus on re-fashioning vintage, made in USA Levi 501s. The brand got its big break when Bonvicini gifted a pair to influencers Chiara Ferragni and Danielle Bernstein, who promoted them to their followers. After years of organically growing the brand with social media, Bonvicini said she got to a point where the vintage denim supply could not meet demand.
“I felt limited with reworking vintage denim, and wanted to continue expanding and evolving the brand,” she told Rivet, adding that the Vintage Unraveled jean silhouette, a high-rise straight leg with frayed and split hems, was difficult to keep in stock. “I knew I wanted to branch out into new denim for quite some time, but with the production minimums and only having one shot at launching this, it had to be a sure thing.”
Bonvicini turned to Artistic Milliners and Star Fades International to make her dream into reality.
The Unraveled Two indigo uses a fabric made with an organic cotton and recycled cotton blend, along with Artistic Milliners’ innovative Crystal Clear indigo dyeing process, which uses an organic fixing agent that requires no salt and 70 percent fewer chemicals than conventional indigo dyeing methods. Further, it uses recycled trims and hardware based on a dipping process versus the traditional electroplating approach, as well as reclaimed leather patches. Also crucial to the brand is keeping a local supply chain.
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“We believe sustainability is a journey and we still have many goals that we will share along the way, but one of our core pillars is to keep everything as local as possible and exercise the skills and talent that Made in L.A. has to offer,” Bonvicini said.
The jeans are washed at the new L.A.-based Star Fades International, which provides turnkey and custom washing and finishing services to customers ranging from large international retailers to specialty premium labels.
The brand-new Unraveled Two features many of the same elements as the original, including frayed hems and unraveled back pockets and similar washes. Currently, it’s available in a light wash and black denim, with upcoming plans to release a medium wash like its upcycled version.
According to Bonvicini, the brand will also continue to honor its sustainably focused roots. “The unfortunate and simple truth is that these jeans can never be as sustainable as upcycled denim,” she said. “But I am making a vow to be as sustainable as possible without compromising style. Consumers are unable to tell the difference between our jeans and an unsustainably made pair of jeans, and my goal is to break into the market and set the standard for style and sustainability.”
EB Denim is set to release several other original styles for Spring/Summer 2022. The Unraveled Two style is available now on EB Denim’s website for $325—the same price as the vintage style—in sizes 21 to 32.