With fast fashion and overflowing landfills, the denim industry is facing a reckoning. The constant demand for new styles and washes often comes at a high environmental cost. But what if a single fabric could be the key to a more sustainable and creative approach to denim design? That's the premise behind One Denim, a groundbreaking initiative spearheaded by Kingpins Show, designer Piero Turk, and Italian wash innovators Tonello.

The genesis of One Denim

The idea of One Denim was born from a desire to challenge the status quo and inspire change within the denim industry. The project aims to demonstrate the incredible versatility of denim fabric and promote sustainable practices by showcasing a collection crafted from a single fabric.

At its core, One Denim aims to promote sustainability by reducing overproduction and waste in the denim industry. By demonstrating that a single high-quality fabric can be transformed into a diverse range of garments and washes, the project encourages designers and brands to rethink their approach to denim production. "Brands are using a lot of different denims for different styles and different washes. This also means a lot of waste," says Piero Turk, the designer behind One Denim. "One Denim should show to everybody, mills and brands, that with just one quality you can do [almost] everything. You do not need to use many different denims to develop new ideas and have variety in a collection.”

Beyond sustainability, One Denim serves as a source of inspiration for the industry. Each season, the project partners with a different denim mill to create a capsule collection comprising ten distinct silhouettes, all crafted from the same fabric. This showcases the fabric's versatility and inspires designers to push the boundaries of their creativity. Each season, One Denim partners a different denim mill to bring its vision to life. This season, the spotlight falls on Cone Denim, a historic US-based manufacturer renowned for its quality and innovation. Cone Denim's Stout fabric takes center stage, chosen for its robustness and potential for diverse applications.

The One Denim team comprises:

Kingpins Show: The renowned denim trade show provides the platform for showcasing the One Denim collection to a global audience of designers and brands.

Piero Turk: A celebrated designer, Turk lends his creative expertise to curate and co-design the collection's silhouettes, ensuring both style and wearability.

Tonello: Masters of garment finishing, Tonello utilizes its cutting-edge, sustainable wash technologies to transform the single fabric into a diverse range of looks.

Shifting perspectives

Since its inception, One Denim has made significant moves to raise awareness about sustainable denim production and inspiring creativity within the industry. By showcasing the potential of a single fabric, the project challenges conventional thinking and encourages a more conscious approach to design. One Denim is poised to continue its impact on the denim industry, promoting sustainability and inspiring innovation. The project's commitment to collaboration and its focus on pushing creative boundaries ensure that it will remain a driving force in the evolution of denim.

What’s new this season…

This season, One Denim partners Cone Denim, to highlight the versatility of their Stout fabric. The collection, debuting at Kingpins Amsterdam on October 23-24, Kingpins Hong Kong on November 21, and Kingpins New York on January 22-23, 2025, will feature 10 unique silhouettes, including classic five-pocket jeans and trucker jackets alongside contemporary pieces like vests, T-shirts, and dresses. Each garment will be treated with Tonello's sustainable wash technologies, further emphasizing the project's commitment to responsible production.

"This collaboration can inspire a visual story of how one fabric can transform into many interpretations, without constraints," says Pierette Scavuzzo, design director at Cone Denim. "One Denim serves as inspiration and a model for brands; The bigger the vision, the better, with using only one fabric.”

One Denim's message is clear: creativity and sustainability can go hand in hand. By embracing innovative approaches and responsible technologies, the denim industry can reduce its environmental impact while continuing to produce exciting and fashionable garments.