The world doesn’t need another denim brand that contributes to the fashion industry’s already adverse environmental impact, according to Frank And Oak.
The Canadian monthly subscription apparel brand teamed up with Dubai-based Desert Studio to overhaul how it makes its men’s and women’s denim ranges.
Frank And Oak’s new Hydro Less denim use sustainable finishing technologies by Jeanologia, including e-Flow, ozone technology and laser finishing. The revamped process speeds up production time, while dramatically reducing Frank And Oak’s environmental impact.
Combined, the technologies allow the brand’s denim segment to slash its water usage by 95 percent, reduce its energy consumption by 79 percent and use 50 percent fewer chemicals.
Frank And Oak relaunched the collection last week. The men’s line offers straight, athletic and tapered fits. Women’s styles include the Stevie, a high-waisted tapered jean in rinsed black and a denim pinafore.
Denim won’t be the only category to get a sustainable makeover at the brand either.
Frank And Oak set a goal to have the majority of its products made with sustainable methods by the end of 2018, and it has already started sourcing organic cotton, Tencel and hemp fibers for its range of T-shirts, pullovers and shirting.
The company said it spent the last year doing a lot of “soul-searching” and re-examined how it made its products.
“We decided that it was important to use more eco-friendly processes and more sustainable fabrics,” the brand stated on its blog, The Handbook. “It wasn’t enough to make clothing that is of lasting quality, it’s not enough that it’s also fashionable, it needs to do both of those things while being responsible.”