This report focuses on alternative ways to produce denim. But the funny thing about the word “alternative” is how the ideas that are initially perceived as alternative soon enough become mainstream—and often times it’s for the better of mankind and the planet.
So-called alternative lifestyles—a dubious term to label any individual who doesn’t subscribe to traditional gender, marriage or societal norms—are now celebrated for their individuality (not to mention they inject heaps of creativity and passion into our industry). Alternative plant-based meat is now a $801 million industry, and it’s being flipped at your local Burger King. And Nirvana and Pearl Jam—arguably the godfathers of alt rock—are revered in the eyes of Gen Z, inspiring the next generation of artists the same way Elvis inspired The Beatles and James Brown inspired Michael Jackson—both of whom would have been considered “alternative” in their heyday.
If the alternative methods to indigo dyeing, transparency, design and marketing examined in this report have the same trajectory as the Beyond Burger or The Beatles, then it is safe to suggest that the denim industry is progressing in a more responsible direction. Investments across the denim supply chain are awakening a new wave of innovation that aims to eliminate waste, chemicals and denim’s reliance on water, and in the process, are helping to hold companies accountable for their sustainability claims.
These solutions provide an alternative way to manufacture and conduct business, which may not be an easy pill to swallow for an industry as steeped in heritage and tradition as denim. However, if there is a lesson to learn from the social and environmental movements that have swept across the world in the past six months, it is this: we can correct past mistakes.
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Now is the time for companies to come out of their corporate shell and become more human. Embrace alternative strategies that allow you to create with less. Provide an open forum for new voices. Allow the next generation to guide you, as they often see the potential in an alternative idea before anyone else. The world is watching.
Download the report to learn:
- The steps that leading denim execs are taking to make sustainability an imperative across the organization
- How denim manufacturers are leveraging fabrics such as graphene to deliver more sustainable denim products
- Why transparency in the denim industry begins with traceable fibers
- How the environmental and cost benefits of indigo alternatives are washing over the jeans industry
- The importance of marketing and event strategies in mitigating waste across the denim supply chain
Click here to download the report.