A lot can happen in 25 years—just ask denim finishing company Jeanologia, which celebrated its 25th anniversary this year.
The company—which has more than 1,000 customers across five continents—has influenced both the denim industry and the planet with its innovations in denim production technology. It used the milestone to reflect on its achievements and set new intentions for the future.
Jeanologia was the brains behind laser technology when it emerged in 1999. Since then, major denim brands including Levi’s, Pepe Jeans, Armani Exchange and others have adopted the technology, which distresses denim in record time and reduces the amount of water, energy and chemicals used in the process.
That was just the start of the company’s industry-leading advancements. It’s also to congratulate for developing the first ozone washer, the e-flow nano bubble technology, Dynamic Ozone for fabric, and EIM software that has since become the world standard environmental measurement tool for denim.
But perhaps one of the most impactful developments has been the H2Zero closed cycle water recycling technology that takes polluted water from washing machines and reuses it in the garment finishing process. Developed in 2016, it set the tone for the company’s goal of 100 percent water elimination within the denim industry by 2024.
Despite its past accolades and lofty goals for the future, Jeanologia remains humble and credits its customers for making real change.
“There is no innovation without implementation,” CEO Enrique Silla told Rivet. “This is our greatest achievement.”
The company celebrated its 25th anniversary with a companywide “birthday party” at ITMA Barcelona. Clients were invited to the celebration, and were also welcome at the Jeanologia Valencia headquarters for its “25 days of open doors” to demonstrate transparency and environmental creativity.
Most recently, the company partnered with international universities, bodies and institutions to train students on sustainable practices for the industry. Together, they intend to develop efficient, more transparent processes for all areas of the textile supply chain.
Next up for Jeanologia is a push toward manufacturing on demand.
“We want to eliminate waste on the planet and the cost of inventory for brands and retailers,” said Silla. “Our new way of using technology makes it possible through postponement and proximity manufacturing at a neutral cost. But the best thing is that every day our research team has a dream, identifies needs, and creates solutions.”