A panel discussion ‘From Fiber to Fashion, Style to Sustainability: New Visions for Denim’, at the 17th annual New York Fashion Conference at the City University of New York’s Graduate Center, highlighted the future success of denim business and its dependence on fully embracing product innovations with cutting-edge sustainability practices. The conference’s theme this year was ‘Trailblazers’ and industry pioneers, François Girbaud, Founder and Owner, Marithé+François Girbaud, and Adriano Goldschmied, aka the Godfather of Denim presided the denim panel discussion.
One of the first to use stone and acid washing techniques on jeans as well as engraving with light Girbaud and Marithé Bachellerie later included technical innovations such as use of lasers and ozone for various denim effects. However, in retrospect, Girbaud said, it was a mistake, which resulted in the development and use of more sustainable practices and less chemicals. Now, fashion is changing for the better and people have become more environmentally aware following the Fukushima nuclear power plant explosion in 2011.
Goldie, Diesel, Replay, Gap 1969, Citizens of Humanity, AG and Goldsign, are brands by Goldschmied. Agreeing with Girbaud he said that traditional cotton approaches require a lot of water. Therefore he has incorporated use of cellulose fibres such as Tencel and Modal by Lenzing in his products. Also, he now uses Lycra for stretch denim and added that they were now looking forward to sustainable trends. He believes that the denim industry has to adapt processes that have much less impact on the environment and innovative product development is also needed; thus, technology is the real partner of innovation of the industry today.
