A new collection simultaneously makes history and clears up the confusion surrounding the often-elusive denim supply chain.
Turkish denim mill Calik Denim and sustainable Dutch brand Kings of Indigo debuted a range they’re calling the first-ever traceable denim collection. Using Aware’s blockchain technology, all 14 pieces in the collection are equipped with tracing elements that verify their origin.
Aware’s tracer particles are added to fiber in pre-production and then woven into fabric. Its technology creates a “digital twin” version of the recycled yarn that is registered into a secure blockchain to ensure it’s completely fraud-free. Each garment with a tracer receives a unique fingerprint that can be scanned for authentication.
Aware has attracted considerable interest amid the industry’s quest to eliminate greenwashing. As the need for transparency grows, companies such as Artistic Fabric Mills and Arvind have also implemented tracing technology to add credibility to their sustainability efforts.
All garments are produced with Calik’s Denethic technology, a wash process that slashes water usage by 15 to 44 percent depending on the wash type: rinse-wash, rinse and enzyme-wash, or bleached. Calik began its partnership with Aware earlier this year to trace its recycled cotton and recycled polyester. Since then, it has worked with the company to trace its new Dyepro waterless dye solution, which uses no water and produces zero chemical waste during the dyeing process.
The collection, available now on the Kings of Indigo website, includes men’s and women’s styles with trending elements like patchwork, relaxed fits and workwear influences. Standout pieces include the Philip, a men’s straight fit two-toned jean with reinforced front panels, the Adela, a women’s mid-wash jumpsuit, and the Adam, a genderless mid-wash chore jacket. Prices range from $150-$290 (130 euros to 250 euros).
Kings of Indigo launched in 2011 on the basis of making denim more sustainable. As of 2020, more than 95 percent of the brand’s offering was composed of sustainable materials. The company produces its apparel with 100 percent GOTS or Organic Content Standard certified organic cotton, and was approved by PETA as a vegan brand.
Both the brand and Calik Denim are committed to expanding upon their sustainable efforts and are signatories of the Denim Deal, a three-year initiative by public and private organizations to boost the use of recycled textiles in denim garments.
