The denim industry demonstrated its strong belief in collaboration at Kingpins Amsterdam last week. Once again, the B2B trade show brought together denim mills, fiber manufacturers, technology companies and designers to showcase capsule collections and exhibits that turn out-of-the-box ideas into commercially ready products.
At the trade show, Swiss specialty chemical manufacturer Archroma and Chinese textile mill Prosperity Textile inked an agreement to shape denim innovation together. They will collaborate to develop, evaluate and implement new approaches to improve denim aesthetics, durability and performance.
Prosperity Textile’s director Stafford Lau said the company’s smart factory infrastructure in China and Vietnam lets it to “develop and test new ideas quickly and take the best of them into production.”
“An innovation only matters once it reaches the market, and that takes a partner who will help shape it, test it and run it at scale,” said Jordi Calucho, Archroma’s super systems denim director. “Prosperity Textile brings that partnership, and together we want to give denim brands and consumers the look and lasting performance they crave, made in more sustainable ways.”
Elastane manufacturer Hyosung TNC was the starting point for several collaborations, including one with Turkish denim mill Maritaş, which combined cotton grown through regenerative agricultural practices in Turkey with Hyosung’s RCS-certified recycled spandex produced in its Turkey-based facility. The collection was particularly relevant for European brands that want to support a regional supply chain.
Another collaboration combined Hyosung’s 100 percent recycled regen elastane fiber with Tencel Lyocell – HV 100. Taiwanese denim mill Nien Hsing produced the fabrics and showed how brands can enhance denim with an authentic look and texture with the ease and comfort of recycled stretch.
Hyosung and DNM Denim—both members of the circular initiative, Denim Deal—linked up to produce fabrics that contain more than 20 percent post-consumer recycled cotton and Hyosung’s regen BIO Max Elastane derived from sugarcane.
The collection provided an opportunity to highlight Hyosung’s transition to renewable resources. Commercial production for Hyosung’s sugarcane-based regen BIO Spandex began in August, becoming the industry’s first operating integrated bio-based spandex production system. The system connects the entire production chain, from sugarcane feedstock to Bio-BDO, Bio-PTMG and finished spandex. The facility currently has an annual production capacity of up to 50,000 tonnes, with plans to expand capacity to up to 200,000 tonnes as market demand grows.
Lenzing partnered with world-renowned Japanese denim manufacturer Kaihara Corporation. The duo developed the REMOD collection featuring three of Lenzing’s signature lyocell offerings for denim applications: standard Tencel, linen-inspired Tencel dtex 2.2 and Tencel Lyocell – HV 100. Spanning men’s heavyweight jackets, midweight wide-leg jeans and shirting, Lenzing said the collection “unlocks a range of fiber-blending possibilities,” including constructions with and without cotton.
“We are delighted to work with Kaihara Corporation again. Tencel fibers have been part of Kaihara’s collections since the 1990s and every chapter has asked something different about the material,” said Dennis Hui, Lenzing’s global business development manager, denim. He added that each Tencel fiber variant “brings authentic denim character with elevated comfort and hand feel.”
“We can’t wait to see mills, brands and designers gain fresh inspiration to play with the many application possibilities within the Tencel Lyocell fiber portfolio,” Hui said.
Other projects were there to purely inspire.
Munich-based artist Isha Pimpalkhare’s “Four Breaths of Blue” greeted attendees at the entrance to Kingpins Amsterdam. The textile installation draws on the gradual deepening of color through repeated dips and exposure to oxygen.
The artwork was curated by Indigo Art Museum and supported by Indian denim manufacturer Arvind.
Pimpalkhare developed the technique, described as a reinterpretation of Devore, while studying textile design. It uses acid to burn away select areas of indigo-dyed cotton, while a fine polyester mesh holds the remaining fragments together.
Stella Blu partnered with artist Nouch to create a collection of 100 limited edition art pieces. Called “Material Intent,” the collaboration plays with the idea of social construct. It centers on denim bags that resemble disposable plastic shopping bags. Each bag features illustrations of different animals.
Cone Denim marked its 135th anniversary by exhibiting never-before-seen garments. The pieces were selected for how they reflect the life of the original wearer. In another exhibit, The London Showroom showed “Blue-Collar Modernism,” an exploration of style from Fleet Street, the home of British print and national journalism for nearly 500 years. The pieces showcased a cleaner workwear aesthetic than previous showroom presentations, which emphasized repair techniques and faded finishes.
Kingpins presented the third installment of its “Made in” series, this time focusing on China. Exhibitors were asked to show how they see the future of denim in China. Together, Kingpins CEO Vivian Wang said they “blend tradition and technology, handwork and next-gen thinking, and they paint a much broader picture of China today.”
The “Made in China” exhibit also included the film “Indigo Story: The Hands That Remember.”
Jeanologia partnered with denim consultant and Denim Forum founder Sue Barrett to create Common Ground, a utility wear collection inspired by nature. Barrett said the collection combines workwear and military-inspired fits with nature-inspired patterns, lasered details, vintage finishes and references to archival pieces.
“The result is a mix of old and [new], combining a timeless feel with a contemporary attitude,” she said.
Jeanologia’s laser and G2 Ozone technologies were part of the process. Laser was used to create pattern, contrast and depth directly onto the garment, while ozone worked with color and ageing to shape the final look.
“For some of us, the creative process is as meaningful as the final collection. Common Ground made us think about the balance between becoming part of our surroundings while still preserving our own identity, what makes us unique while sharing a common ground,” said Carme Santacruz, Jeanologia’s creative director.
Italian chemical manufacturer Officina39 debuted Renegade Renaissance, a two-piece collection featuring unconventional materials and led creatively by Marta and Glenda Goldschmied, the founders of Gold Girl Co. The Recycrom inventor served as the project’s “technical engine and creative enabler,” translating the sisters’ vision into physical garments through chemistry, textile know-how and material experimentation.
The two-piece collection included Marble Dreams, a draped white gown inspired by classical sculpture. Officina39 dipped the gown in marble dust to give it its strong but smooth structure. For Midnight Journey, a gown inspired by scratch-off lottery cards, Officina39 applied a leather coating to achieve the sisters’ vintage effect.
“Marta and Glenda brought a remarkably strong creative vision. Our job was to give that vision a material language. Marble dust, permanence, chance and ambition are not conventional briefs for a chemical company—and that is precisely why they interest us,” said Andrea Venier, Officina39’s managing director.