At Wednesday’s BPD Expo in New York City, comfort and sustainability were woven into every detail, from the seed paper marketing materials to the in-house CBD installation. Exhibitors showcased their top selling denim, most of which featured eco-friendly, ultra soft fabric that feels less like a pair of jeans and more like a pair of sweatpants.
Here’s what the participating mills and manufacturers have coming up for Fall 2020.
Super stretch denim
As denim softens, it opens itself up to a new market of individuals who can feel more confident wearing it. Indigo Textile is just one denim manufacturer offering new possibilities with its “Beyond” collection, a line crafted for all body types. The enhanced fabrics provide extreme stretch and shape retention that hugs—and never restricts—curves.
Even vintage-inspired denims, which are notoriously rigid and stiff, showed a softer side. Indigo Textile touted its “Retro Rebooted” collection, which featured ’90s styles with more give than the original versions.
Azgard-9 also softened up its old-school looks and showcased a number of high stretch jeans, including a high waisted acid wash skinny made from organic and recycled cotton.
Sustainable processes and materials
Green techniques also took center stage with most manufacturers. Rajby prominently displayed its “denim reborn” signage, pointing to the manufacturer’s latest upcycling initiatives. It is one of a handful of Pakistani manufacturers that hold a Cradle to Cradle certification.
Indigo Textile’s “Blu” collection incorporated orbit dyeing, which can achieve shades typical of conventional rope dyeing with less indigo and chemicals. The technique is ideal for sustainable denim washes and laser finishing.
Sustainability also dominated the conversation with Tuong Long, which used non-toxic material in all of its fabric. The company’s Fall 2020 collection featured aniline-free denim, which offers customers a traditional indigo blue without the toxicity.
Standout patterns
While denim tradeshow floors are typically a sea of blue, BPD was much brighter. Manufacturers showed off their boldest prints and colors, including GKL’s wide array of slim fitting stretch denim in colors like periwinkle, turquoise, clay and peach.
Hefine also showcased bold colors like yellow, mint and fuchsia, with the prints to match. Many of the company’s shorts featured longer hemlines and thick stripes or large polka dots.
Indigo Textile combined bold prints and colors across a series of straight leg pants in the “Contrast” collection. The “Lyla Blues,” made up of 98 percent cotton and 2 percent elastane, featured pinstripes that came in an assortment of colors: denim blue with white stripes; white with denim blue stripes; mint with white stripes; and bubblegum pink with white stripes.
Performance first
Manufacturers showed off their technical finesse as they discussed finishing methods that improve the performance and functionality of denim. Azgard-9 touted water repellant, flame retardant and antimicrobial finishes that maintain the quality of the denim under a number of different conditions.
Deyao also showcased denim with moisture-wicking Sorbtek technology that keeps skin cool and comfortable. The mill also incorporated a new washing method into its True Black jeans collection that removes the smell often associated with darker dyes.