Kingpins New York July 20-21 will offer U.S. attendees their first look at Fall/Winter 2023-2024 denim fabrics on domestic soil. The trends, however, are universal and indicative of the industry’s shift toward sustainable, versatile and nostalgic fabrics.
“When we start every Bossa denim collection we think about cultural trends and influences. We want to fit our denims in the consumer’s movements and directions,” said Özge Özsoy, Bossa marketing chief.
At Kingpins New York, the Turkish mill will showcase fabrics in three themes that reflect consumers’ renewed love for outdoor living, the shift toward gender-fluid designs, and interest in upcycling. Key items include a new 100 percent cotton woven fabric with a knitted look and a recycled cotton blended comfort stretch fabric with a special slub character.Özsoy said Bossa is also having success with Hempy, a collection of fabrics that use the first certified sustainable cottonized hemp fiber by Marmara Hemp, and laser-friendly black fabrics that easily achieve effects, scraping and washes.
Y2K has recently been “on fire,” said Baber Sultan, Artistic Milliners director of research, product and trend. With clients’ wish lists inundated with trends seen on TikTok, Artistic Milliners works to “freshen up” the look with subtly restyled cuts and imbuing each piece with “true conscious cred.”
Fabrics in Cone’s Fresh Dimension concept are gaining interest. Pierette Scavuzzo, Cone Denim design director, attributes this to demand for more dimension and texture in constructions, especially with ’80s marble character “being very dominant the past couple of years.”
Buxton is a combination of a lighter, unique casted indigo shade paired with a special archival construction that feels softer and lighter than it looks. “It offers excellent versatility in fits across gender without focusing on a specific trend,” she said. “Buxton gives newness with an appeal that can be as long-lasting as a timeless heirloom jean.”
Meanwhile, Cone’s Clover is a rigid fabric with a hand that feels as if the jean has been worn in. As a mid-weight, genderless option, Scavuzzo said the fabric gives designers the flexibility to pursue various silhouettes. This fabric also uses Cone’s Flash Finish making it suitable for laser-friendly finishes while reducing chemical and water usage in the finishing process.
With the market “oversaturated” with fabrics bearing an orange-peel effect, Susan Lawrence, Artistic Fabric Mills (AFM) VP of sales and marketing in North America, said fabrics with prominent character in the warp and weft yarns are gaining traction. “For those who know, think Osaka Japan circa 2004,” she said. “These are modern fabrics that can achieve true vintage washes, making them unique.”
“US Denim Mills is known for always going the extra mile when it comes to introducing new products and catering to customers and end consumers’ fashion needs while protecting the environment at the same time,” said Aleem Ahmad Khan, US Denim Mills senior manager research and business development.
Key items for the season include Native Blue, a 100 percent cotton fabric designed to produce tinted washdown effects without adding any tint; Xotica, another cotton fabric with a dark blue/black shade; Antiqua, a lightweight soft denim with bold twill lines; and Modenim, a comfort stretch fabrication with versatile wash-down potential.
One of US Denim Mills’ “most acclaimed” fabrics is Flexi, a crosshatch fabric that boasts hyper stretch, recovery, and comfort. “Excellent recovery, better shrinkage, and super shape retention in final garments by using advanced technologies and innovative material makes Flexi the right choice for our customers,” Khan said.
XDD’s 2nd Skin collection keys into the market demand for comfort and stretch. Kelvin Wan, XDD creative director, said clients appreciate the concept because of its two main elements—Lycra Adaptiv, a patent-pending adaptive fabric designed to adjust to a wearer’s functional needs, and EcoVero, a fabric produced from specially processed wood pulp with a comparable feel to silk and cotton.
This fabric is suitable for skinny and slim silhouettes, while also being comfortable enough to wear for an entire day, he added.
With a wide range of constructions—from rigid, comfort to super-stretch—Calik’s recycled RE/J product line is its most prominent. “The serious level of resource scarcity with the global climate crisis encourages both individuals and companies to find more sustainable solutions, and RE/J stands out with its 100 percent recycled [content],” said Serhat Karaduman, Calik Denim CEO.
Products made with regenerative cotton are some of Orta’s standouts. The Gen R fabric range uses 100 percent regenerative cotton sourced from ethical regenerative cotton farms that help regenerate the biodiversity of the land and the prosperity of the people and community.
“We are focusing on minimizing virgin and fossil material inputs, minimizing waste, create circularity, enhancing biodiversity and create a carbon positive environment,” said Zennure Danışman, Orta marketing and washing manager.
Orta created a NFT for Gen R’s launch. Developed in collaboration with Muse VR, the Orta Blueskyer NFT features the “100 percent regenerative denim utilitarian suit rising from a technorganic garden” towards the sky. “The Blueskyer is the first NFT representing Orta’s commitment to creating and supporting the #iamablueskyer movement that captures the spirit of the new generation of designers, artists, creators, climate advocates and more who aim to cancel climate change, eliminate waste, rewild biodiversity and improve social equity,” Danışman said.