SS 24 denim decoding: spotlight on sustainability
The Denim Première Vision show opens its doors this November 23 and 24 in Milan. Discover our decodings of the denim trends for the Spring-Summer 24 season.
This denim season continues the hunt for ever-more sustainable products. The whole sector is mobilizing to find lasting solutions impacting the entire production chain. New blends of natural and synthetic fibers, along with new dyeing, finishing and washing methods, now provide solutions whether in terms of chemical inputs or saving resources like water and electricity.
Discover a wide choice of sustainable products selected by our denim fashion expert by logging-on here.
Plant inspiration
The influence of vegetable fibers is on the rise. Bast fibers, particularly blended with cotton, catch the eye, and lend new aspects and handles to the season’s denims.Neat sophistication
Organic cotton is one of the more interesting green alternatives to traditional uses of the fiber. Note that this season, organic cottons tend to be more sophisticated, with clean renderings and dense handles. The season’s 100% organic cottons are playing the quality card with sturdy handles, betting on the durability of the products. Made to be passed down from generation to generation, these products are designed to last. Visuals are timeless, with colors going as far as deep indigo blue.
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Organic cotton can be used on its own or worked in blends.
This season, 100% plant-based blends continue their ascension, especially those integrating bast fibers. Hemp is a fiber whose cultivation requires few inputs and a minimal amount of water. Hemp and cotton mixes are particularly interesting, as these blends enhance both the strength and suppleness of fabrics. Such blends can also be used for accessories, for ultra-rustic looks on woven labels and jacrons. --> Azgard-9 DNM DENIMDNM DENIMSee the product Foison TextileFoison TextileSee the product Olimpias LabelsOlimpias LabelsSee the product Bio-polymers and artificial fibers
Made from chemically transformed eucalyptus pulp, lyocell is also found in the season’s blends, especially with other plant fibers such as cotton and hemp. One advantage of lyocell is that it makes handles softer and suppler, for more fluid fabrics, and is even found in ultra-light weights, which are interesting for summer products such as blouses and shirts.
The latest procedures are grounded in a circular approach and make it possible to use the agri-food residues of the fibers to create yarns for weaving. This is the case with soy protein, which can now be spun after processing. Blended with cotton and polyester, the fiber lends an incredible softness to denim. Some of the latest innovations use hemp or banana food residues and transform them into yarns.
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Synthetic Alternatives
Another option is finding alternatives to traditional synthetic fibers. This is primarily accomplished by using recycled polyester, blended with other natural or synthetic fibers. in addition, there are new innovations that can stand in for classic elastaneRecycled
Thanks to new optimized processes, today it’s possible to produce fully recycled blends by combining a variety of different types of fibers. Cotton and polyester fibers, both recycled, can be used together to create eco-friendly fabrics with more sophisticated handles. For a more global approach, recycled polyester yarns can be made from plastic bottles or fishing nets recovered from the oceans. The latest technological advances also provide solutions in terms of yarn biodegradability. Thanks to Ciclo® technology, it is possible to incorporate an additive that makes polyester yarns as compostable as certain natural fibers.
New innovations are also being seen in elastane fibers. New, cleaner fibers can be used to replace traditional elastane fibers, which are faulted for, among other things, the micro-particles they release in water during washing. These new elastane fibers give a nice elasticity to products. Other alternatives include recycled elastane.
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More sustainable dyes
Fantasy and sustainability are no longer mutually exclusive, and products combining both are by now the norm. And this season, color is an important part of the equation. Dyes are moving towards more sustainable solutions by focusing efforts on energy savings, water efficiency and reduced chemical inputs.Pastels
Pastels in earthy, gray or oxidized nuances punctuate the season’s denims, imagined in more virtuous versions. A first direction uses natural dyes derived from fruits, shells, roots or even clay. When used on organic cottons, vegetable dyes make it possible to obtain very characteristic washed-out colors. This season, vegetable dyes are broken down into quite luminous ranges of pastels. When superimposed in different layers on a garment, they create shades that are, accordingly, more or less accentuated or diffuse. This technique does not rely on bleaching, while the fabrics are dyed directly and retain the irregular nature of the fiber. Another option is the addition of colored recycled yarns that lend an arty effect to the finished product.
To limit the use of chemicals, it’s also possible to use recycled pigments, from fabric scraps, for dyeing and coatings. And lastly, to reduce the water needed to wash jeans, a step that usually consumes a considerable amount of energy, factories are being equipped with more efficient washing machines.
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