MARKET ANALYSIS, SOURCING AND NEW

PRODUCT DEVELOPMENTS FOR

DENIM(MEN)

Guided by: Ms. Nethravati TS & Dr. Krithika G K

Akansha | Anusha | Gaurav | Mukund | Palak | Shruti Arora | Twinkle
 DECLARATION

We hereby declare that the project report entitled, Study of Special

Product Categories: Denim Men (S.P.G and Heritage Products &
Cluster Awareness Workshop) submitted to National Institute of
Fashion Technology, Bengaluru is the work carried out by us under
the guidance and supervision of Ms. Nethravathi TS and Dr Krithika
GK.
 
We further declare that this report thereof has not been submitted in
any form for any other Degree/diploma/company. All information
included has been duly acknowledged.

Akansha Saxena
Anusha Joshi
Gaurav Kriplani
Mukund Verma
Palak Goel
Shruti Arora
Twinkle Sukhija

MFM- 3rd Semester

Date: 26th August’2020

 CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that Akansha Saxena, Anusha Joshi, Gaurav Kriplani,

Mukund Verma, Palak Goel, Shruti Arora and Twinkle Sukhija are
bonafide students of MFM Semester 3 studying in the National Institute
of Fashion Technology. They have prepared and submitted an
assignment titled “Study of Special Product Categories: Denim Men” in
partial fulfillment of the requirement for the award of the masters
degree during the academic year 2019-2021
 
 
 
Date: 26th August’2020
 Index

Chapter 1: Introduction and overview of Denim Industry

1.1) History
1.2) Supply Chain of Denim Industry
1.3) Denim as Work wear
1.4) Process flow for Denim Manufacturing
1.5) Denim in Contemporary Fashion
1.6) Global Denim Sourcing-Statistics and Facts

Chapter 2: Journey of Denim for being Eco-Virtuous

2.1) Environmental Concerns related to Denim Industry
2.2) Innovation in Denim Manufacturing Technology
2.3) Commitments by major Denim brands

Chapter 3: Market Size Of Denim (Men)

3.1) Share and Size of Indian Market
3.2) Denim as a Story- International Market
3.3) Key business practices
3.4) Major Players
3.5) Strategies of Popular brands for Denim
3.6) Marketing strategies after Pandemic for Denim

Chapter 4: Trend Spotting and New Developments

4.1) Key Trends and Growth Drivers
4.2) Covid 19 Impact
4.3) Challenges in Indian Market
4.4) Recent Developments in Manufacturing  of Denim
4.5) Trends related to Products

Chapter 5: Future of Denim Industry

5.1) Scope of Industry-COVID 19
5.2) Suggestions

Conclusion
Annexure: Docket
 Abstract of the Assignment

This Assignment was a divination towards the Denim (Men)

Category and is annexed by the Docket formation
supplemented by all the indispensable aspects related to the
Denim Industry. It has drifted us deeply into being
proficient in this category.

This Denim (Men) analysis report and Docket is generated

with a nice blend of industry insight, Market situation and
solutions, practical analysis of supply chain, challenges
associated with it due to sustainability issues and outbreak
of Pandemic. No stone is left unturned while preparing this
Denim market research report.Brevity of words and content
have been paid special attention to not pull this document
into a very lengthy report for your persual.

Denim market will register a growth rate of 6.20% for the

forecast period of 2020 to 2027. Growing demand for
recycled denims, which are manufactured using plastics &
other materials, is expected to create new opportunity for
the market.

Essential and Common parts for all products used in the

different categories and subcategories are detailed once to
justify the efforts involved in the Docket. All viewpoints
and suggestions put in the report are based on iterative
validation deep understanding of Indian market and
workability. It’s a positive sight that the end of 2019
predicted the denim industry predicted to grow more than
$14 million by 2024. Combined with the opportunity to
innovate with more sustainable processes denim is a
category on most retailers’ radar
 1
1) OVERVIEW OF DENIM INDUSTRY

The Global Denim Market is estimated to demonstrate 4.60%

CAGR during the forecast period (2018-2023) owing to the
growing preference of denim apparel among the youth, asserts
Market Research Future (MRFR) in its latest report. A rugged
cotton twill textile or a fabric, denim, is used to prepare
products such as jeans, bags, jackets, shirts, and other
accessories. The first denim manufactured was in the year 1873
by Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis. Today denim is one of the most
fashionable and important items in every wardrobe and has
become one of the most lucrative businesses across the globe.

In the recent days, the denim market has gained huge

acceptance in the fashion industry across the globe. With youth
becoming extremely fashion conscious, the spending on
branded denims have increased, thereby fueling the market
growth during the assessment period. Denims are available
informal as well as casual wear and in a wide variety of shades.
They are also preferred owing to its comfortable nature, low
maintenance, and durability. Such factors have highly
contributed the market growth during the appraisal period.
Moreover, the growth of e-commerce and organized retail sector
has made it easier to tap into consumer buying patterns. The
increasing number of shopping malls along with the availability
of denim products through e-commerce has accelerated the
sales of the market across the globe. The Denim Market Size is
touted to touch USD 128,643.1 million by 2023.

Having said so, the Indian denim industry is also showing

continual growth trends over the years. With newer territories,
technologies and trends, the market is only going to see some
exciting moments ahead there is a buzz in the industry. Kishore
Biyani, who is the Founder & CEO of Future Group, has 35
fashion brands with a combined turnover of over Rs 7,000
crore.
What India needs is more denim brands. Today, denim wear is
going deeper into the rural markets. Not only men, even
teenage girls in rural areas are opting for denim wear. This calls
for more brands that can cater to the demand.
 2

The denim market in India is set to nearly double to over Rs 13,000

crore in the next three years (by 2017), owing primarily to
youngsters’ obsession for the cult fabric. The boom will be fuelled
by not only an increasing demand from small cities and rural
areas, but also acceptance of the fabric at workplaces, the study
adds.
In terms of volumes, the denim market is estimated at 300 million
pairs of jeans, which is projected to grow to 800-900 million by
2021 as anticipated by Cotton Inc.
India is the second-largest producers of denims after China. Of the
total denims manufactured in India, 700 million meters are used in
the domestic market and the rest is exported.
This is one fabric that will never completely go out of fashion. “The
denim market in India is growing at a very fast pace, with the
market for branded jeans constituting over Rs. 2,000 crore in the
country. India is growing at the rate of 10-15% per year
On the flip side, counterfeit products are considered one of the
common restraints to the market growth. For instance, in August
2017, Levis had filed a complaint in the U.S. district court stating
that a group of unnamed defendants had created an e-commerce
site selling counterfeit Levis products to the consumers. Emergence
of athleisure wear poses a threat to the market. But development
of new production techniques in making denim apparel
comfortable can culminate in higher profit margins for the market.
Men’s Denim Segment: Men’s denim enjoys the largest share and
are poised to grow at a high CAGR of 14 per cent over the next
decade. Until a few years ago, denim was popular with men in the
urban cities only, however, it has now gradually become popular
in the semi-urban and rural markets also. Growing awareness and
an increasing affinity for global fashion has led to this
development. Denim is considered the most versatile fabric for
men with multiple applications over casual wear, work wear and
everyday wear.
 3
1.2 H I S T O R Y O F DEN I M I N DUS TR Y

What Is Denim?
Denim is a strong cotton fabric made using a twill weave,
which creates a subtle diagonal ribbing pattern. The
cotton twill fabric is warp facing, meaning that the weft
threads go under two or more warp threads, and the warp
yarns are more prominent on the right side. The diagonal
ribbing is what makes denim fabric different from canvas
or cotton duck, which is also a sturdy woven cotton fabric.

A close look at the history of denim is taken to try and

understand how this fabric came from humble beginnings to
a giant of the clothing industry that is estimated to produce
$129.8 billion of retail sales by 2021.

Denim was first produced in the city of Nîmes in France, and

was originally called the serge de Nîmes. The word denim is
an English colloquialism of the French term: “de nim.”

1.BRAG. (2019, January 24).  A Brief History Of Denim.

 4
Levi Strauss' Journey to the States

In 1851, in an endeavour to escape anti-Semitism and pursue

financial prosperity, Loeb Strauss left his hometown Buttenheim,
Germany to head for New York, where his brother owned a dry
goods store (textile shop). After learning the trade for a couple of
years and changing his name, Loeb, (now Levi) headed West to
San Francisco during the California Gold Rush to set up his own
branch of the family shop in a more profitable environment.
‘Levi Strauss & Co. Wholesale House’ had been born. During this
era in San Francisco, most men were miners due to the lucrative
promise of gold in the area. This resulted in a surge in demand for
work wear that could withstand daily damage to the cloth.

Denim became popular in the United States during the Gold Rush
in 1853, when Levi Strauss opened up a shop in San Francisco
selling dry goods along with buttons, threads, and canvas for
tents. He began making durable pants for miners with big pockets
for storing gold. Jacob Davis was one of Strauss’s customers, and
he added copper rivets to the seams and pocket corners, adding
strength

(Masterclass, 2019)
 5

David and Strauss patented the

pants and Strauss began mass-
producing and marketing them,
helping them evolve from
something worn exclusively by
working men to a mainstream
fashion item.
Foundation and Innovation
In 1872, a local tailor known as Jacob Davis purchased some
denim strips from Levi Strauss to craft high strength trousers for
his own client. However, as strong as the fabric was, the trousers
fell apart at the seams after a few weeks of wear, which was
especially problematic for workers who were storing gold ore in
their pockets. To solve this problem, Davis had the idea of
installing copper rivets on the pockets and the base of the fly, to
make sure the pieces of fabric were firmly bound to one another.
This was the light bulb moment that set Levi’s on the road to
global success. Because Davis couldn’t afford to patent his
invention, he wrote to Levi Strauss and requested that he fund
the patent so the two could go into business together.

2.Hodakel, B. (2020, August 22).  The Remarkable History Of Denim (How It

Became an Icon in Fashion)
 6
Strauss liked the idea and they took the patent out together. Levi
became responsible for manufacturing the jeans in his San
Francisco factory, employing Jacob Davis to oversee production
and design. All Levi’s jeans once had a metal rivet at the bottom of
the fly but they removed it after receiving complaints from
cowboys that it would heat up and burn them. Levi’s blue denim
jeans then surged in popularity, primarily amongst workers at
first, but by 1920, the trousers were the leading item in men’s
work wear. However, it was the next 30 years which would
cement the rise of denim in mainstream industry as they began to
sell their product nationwide.

Hollywood helped romanticize the blue jean in the 1920s and

1930s by putting the trousers on handsome cowboy types played
by the likes of John Wayne and Gary Cooper.

This glamorous new image spoke to

consumers who sought casual
leisurewear to wear at the weekends
and on holidays. Publicity photos of
actresses like Ginger Rogers and
Carole Lombard wearing jeans
helped convince women that the
style was for them too. In the 1930s,
Vogue gave their seal of approval,
calling jeans “Western chic”. In 1942,
the American designer Claire
McCardell sold more than 75,000 of
her denim Popover wrap dress.
Yet, it wasn’t until the 1950s that jeans came to be associated with
rebellious, anti-establishment youth. Marlon Brando and James
Dean popularized the image of the denim-clad teenage idol with
huge sex appeal; rock’n’roll stars helped cement the style as cool;
hippies and anti-war protestors wore jeans in the 1960s and early
1970s as a way to show support for the working class; while
feminists and women’s lib organizers chose blue jeans as a way to
demonstrate gender equity.
 7

In 1976, Calvin Klein showed blue jeans on the runway — the

first designer to do so. Gloria Vanderbilt introduced her hit
jeans in 1979. These designer jeans were not only a
commercial success, but were also marketed with a racier
image in mind. In the 1980s, Brooke Shields’s provocative
Calvin Klein campaign and Claudia Schiffer’s sultry ads for
Guess helped give the blue jean a new kind of seductive
potential. By the 1990s, fashion houses such as Versace,
Dolce & Gabbana and Dior had also entered the jean market.
 8
Over the decades, the types and styles of jeans became stratified
among groups and subgroups: hip-hop styles of the early 1990s
were characterised by oversized, low-slung baggy jeans;
intellectuals and hipsters turned to dark denim as a way to get
back to the style’s roots; pop stars favoured Diesel’s sandblasted
and whiskered styles; aficionados paid high prices for vintage
Levi’s and hand-dyed Japanese indigo. Today, almost all luxury
labels and high-fashion designers have sent jeans down the
runway; and they’re available at both ends of the price spectrum,
in a multitude of styles: wide, skinny, high-waisted, low, light,
dark or coloured. “I have often said that I wish I had invented
blue jeans,” Yves Saint Laurent told New York Magazine in
November 1983. “They have expression, modesty, sex appeal,
simplicity — all that I hope for in my clothes.”

1.3 ) DEN I M A S W OR K W E A R
Long before the dawn of blue jeans, denim pants were
used as work wear in a variety of applications. During
the 19th century Gold Rush in California, a greater and
greater need arose for durable men' s work wear to cloth
gold miners while they were on the job.

2.Hodakel, B. (2020, August 22).  The Remarkable History Of Denim (How It

Became an Icon in Fashion)
 9
Up until the Second World War, denim jeans still weren't highly
popular. Jeans were seen for being what they were at that point:
A work clothing option that was rugged and comfortable to wear.
It was only when residents of eastern states started to travel to
the American West for vacations that the concept of jeans caught
on.

In the 1940s and early 1950s, it was fashionable to go to the

western states for vacations to experience a whole new way of
life: that of a working cowboy. For the people of the eastern states,
who lived in suburbia, this life was intoxicating, and jeans were
part of the package. So of course, they took them back home, and
these types of pants got big.

Elvis Presley, James Dean, and Marlon Brando: They all wore
jeans during the early days of their popularity. Being worn by
either a famous singer or a heartthrob "bad boy" type does
wonders for a garment's reputation, so jeans found themselves
catapulted to the top of stardom alongside the men who wore
them. While it wouldn’t be common for women to wear jeans
until the 1960s, the ’50s were a period of bad boy looks and devil-
may-care attitudes, and jeans were the focal point of all of this.

However, it was soldiers

in WW2 who spread the
jean look outside of
America. While stationed
across Europe and in
Japan, the men of the U.S.
armed forces would wear
jeans while off-duty.

With whisperings of the rebellious look already stirring, it was

easy to see how jeans would spread to British soldiers and the
other allied troops who served with them.

2.Hodakel, B. (2020, August 22).  The Remarkable History Of Denim (How It

Became an Icon in Fashion)
 10
1.4)P R OC ES S F LOW F OR DE N I M M A N UF A CT UR I N G

The warp yarn (length-wise) used in denim fabrics is uniquely

prepared for denim manufacturing compared to conventional
woven fabrics. The yarn goes through numerous processing
steps before it is placed on the weaving machine. Unlike the
warp yarn, most filling yarn (width-wise) is put onto yarn
packages and delivered directly to the weaving machine where it
is inserted into the fabric without any further preparation in the
same manner as conventional woven fabrics. The following flow
chart reveals the necessary steps in the manufacture of denim
fabrics, beginning with the production of the warp yarns used.
The chart forms an outline for the process of denim
manufacturing.

Yarn Spinning Systems

Before the late 1970s, all denim yarns were ring spun. Today,
denim fabrics have different combinations of ring and open-end
yarns. or example, ring/OE indicates a ring-spun warp yarn and
an open- end filling yarn. Weaving a combination of ring-spun
and open-end yarns can help to reduce fabric costs while still
maintaining some favorable ring-spun fabric characteristics.
 11
WARPING
Warping is the process of transferring multiple yarns from
individual yarn packages onto a single package assembly.
Normally, yarns are collected in a sheet form where the yarns lie
parallel to each other and in the same plane onto a beam, which
is a cylindrical barrel with side flanges. This is known as beam
warping and is shown in Figure 1. For ball warp denim, the yarns
are brought together and condensed into a rope before being
wound onto a relatively short cylindrical barrel (sometimes
called the shell or log) that has no end flanges. This is shown in
Figure 2. In both cases, the supply yarn packages are placed on
spindles, which are located in a framework called a creel.

Figure 1-Beam Warping Figure 2- Ball Warping (Rope)

DYEING AND SLASHING WARP YARNS FOR DENIM

Most denim is yarn-dyed fabric with the warp yarns dyed
with indigo dye and the filling yarns left un-dyed. There
are a number of modifications or alternatives in the dyeing
process that are routinely used to change the overall look
or performance of the fabric. With the advent of denim
garment washing techniques, the consistencies of the
indigo dyeing process and its modifications have become
crucially important in determining the quality and
performance of indigo denim products.
 12
SLASHING (Sizing)

The main purpose for sizing warp yarns is to encapsulate the yarn
with a protective coating. This protective coating reduces yarn
abrasion that takes place during the weaving operation and
reduces yarn hairiness preventing adjacent yarns from entangling
with one another at the weaving machine. Also, this protective
coating keeps the indigo dye from rubbing off during the weaving
process. For many years, native starches or slightly modified
starches with corresponding binders were regarded as the most
economical way to size indigo warps. However, the industry shift
to garment washed denims has led to new sizing recipes. Many
times the type and quantity of size used are determined by the
subsequent fabric and garment finishing operations that follow.

DRAWING-IN AND TYING-IN OF WARP YARNS

When a new denim style is put on a weaving machine, it is
necessary to draw (thread or insert) the warp yarns through
various elements as in Figure below, including stop motion devices
(drop wires), weave design control devices (harnesses and heddles),
and filling “beat-up” devices (reed). Each end of yarn must have its
own individual element. This procedure can be done manually or
automatically on drawing-in machines.

(Csanak, 2015)
 13
WEAVING DENIM FABRICS

Structure of Denim Fabrics

Denim fabrics are woven by interlacing two sets of yarns (Figure
below) perpendicular to one another in fabric form. Yarns in the
machine direction are called warp yarns or warp ends, and these
are interlaced with filling yarns or picks. The sequence or order
of interlacing the two sets of yarns can be varied to produce
many different weave designs. The finished fabric construction is
determined by the number of warp and filling yarns per square
inch or centimeter. For example, a typical construction for
bottom weight denim may be 62 x 38. This is interpreted as 62
warp yarns per inch of width and 38 filling yarns per inch of
length and always in that order.

Finishing

Grey Fabric
The finally woven fabric or Grey Fabric, as it is popularly called,
wound on a cloth roll is taken out from weaving machines at certain
intervals and checked on inspection machines for possibilities of any
weaving fault. If such faults are seen anywhere in fabric during
inspection, certain corrective steps are taken at weaving, warping,
sizing, etc so that they can be minimized in subsequent product. This is
a quality control exercise.

(Csanak, 2015)
 14

1.5) DENIM- A BRAND IN ITSELF

To this day, jeans remain the most popular types of denim garments. From
skinny jeans to bell-bottoms, there are tons of different styles of jeans to
choose from, and these types of pants are equally popular among young
people and old folks from the United States to Germany to India and beyond.
Jeans come in all sorts of different colors, but the most popular color for these
types of pants remains indigo blue. Some blue jeans are quite dark, but others
have been washed to create a faded look. Jeans are also offered in colors like
maroon, black, and gray.
In addition to jeans, denim is also used to make a number of other garments.
For instance- denim shirts, Jackets, Mask, Dungarees etc.

Denim garments remain popular in part due to their durability. A high-

quality pair of jeans can last for years or even decades, and these types of
pants look better as they age, which adds to their appeal. Plus, denim has
become associated with Americana and the developed world; while this
fabric no longer evokes the "bad boy" mystique, denim still denotes the
luxury of the modern industrial age of global trends and spreading
international prosperity.

(Csanak, 2015)
 15

Denim In Culture
The first catalyst for the rise of denim was Western style movies,
from around 1930 to 1980. Men saw gun slinging cowboys such as
John Wayne taking names, riding horses and saving lives in blue
jeans (although films were in black and white to start with) and
before long, blue jeans went from the clothes of working men to
the high streets of most American cities.
 16
World War Two then broke out in 1939. Denim jeans and jackets
became very popular amongst returning or off duty American
GI's. These soldiers shocked the system as instead of settling
down in the suburbs with a family, they wore jeans and rode
motorbikes around the US. This rebellion was attractive in the
eyes of the American consumers, cementing their position in
male fashion as they were viewed as the clothes of rebellious
heroes. Actors such as Marlon Brando helped further popularize
jeans 1953 through his role in ‘The Wild One’ the trend soon
picked up in Europe, where people were eager to buy into the
comfortable post-war prosperity lifestyle that blue jeans
represented.

Jeans also acted as a bridge in social disparity. Gone were the

days where the rich wore only suits and finery and the poor
wore workwear and rags, jeans were now worn by everyone.
They were made from a sturdy cloth, they didn’t need ironing,
they couldn’t get dirty and when they aged, they looked even
better. From the 60s onwards, almost every cult and subculture,
from extreme to passive have worn jeans. From hippies to
skinheads, skaters to football casuals and from bikers to ravers,
denim has been a universal piece of almost all social rebellions
since the 60s. Levi’s didn’t actually call their trousers “jeans”
until 1960, they were previously known as “waist overalls”. The
name ‘jeans’ originates from the Italian city of Genoa, where the
cotton used in denim was originally sourced.

Today, Levi’s Strauss & Co. sells the world’s favourite denim.
Whether it’s a pair of jeans, jacket, or a shirt, you can always
rely on their quality. Denim jeans are the ultimate example of
form following function. Their strength, versatility, durability,
and comfort are what have made them the most popular item of
clothing ever. They can be worn in almost any environment and
used for any activity.
 17

1.6) DENIM IN CONTEMPORARY FASHION

The uses of denim have changed a lot since the days that
this fabric was used to clothe workers during the Gold
Rush. Denim wearers of the day could never have
envisioned the rise of skinny jeans, and they would have
looked upon the trend of "distressed" jeans with holes in
them with, well, distress.
These days, denim can be used to make practically any
garment. This fabric' s use in jeans has gone through
many evolutions, and fashion designers around the world
continue to devise new ways to make denim into pants.
It' s also relatively common to see denim used in avant-
garde designer apparel that models flaunt down runways
across the world.

Inf lu ence of Den i m on the F a s hi on I ndu s try

Denim' s status as a counter-cultural fabric paved the way

forward for many youth style trends that continue to
shape the fashion industry. This fabric remains an iconic
image of Western clothing, and the adoption of jeans by
Western women has also caused these types of pants to
serve as symbols of women' s liberation.
Jeans transcend all age and economic classes. The rich
and the poor as well as the old and the young equally
enjoy them. It' s possible to buy a pair of denim jeans for
less than $25 or Rupees 10,000, but designer forms of
these pants can cost hundreds of dollars per pair. High-
quality designer jeans are now seen as status indicators,
and the high degree of customizability associated with
these types of pants makes it possible to produce jeans
that appeal to each consumer class.
 18

DRIVING FACTORS FOR DENIM MARKET    Some of the key

driving factors for the denim market in India are:
An
aspiration youth (15-29 year olds) with higher spending power
than previous generations, which make 26 percent of the
consuming population  A wide range of consumer segment that
consider denim as an apparel of choice owing to its comfort
and style. Favoured preference for denim amongst youth
owing to its versatile association. Increasing usage of denim
products by women and youth in smaller cities and rural India

1.6) GLOBAL DENIM SOURCING - STATISTICS & FACTS

Denim, a fundamental component of the casual wardrobe, has

become a staple textile within the global apparel market. The
market value for denim fabric was 90 billion U.S. dollars in 2019
and was expected to increase to 105 billion U.S. dollars by 2023.
Denim or blue jeans is by far the most valuable product in the
denim industry, though there has been an increase in value for
every type of denim clothing item. Western wear, a style of clothing
originating from the 19th century American old west region, uses a
large amount of denim. As such, the market value of western wear
was also projected to increase through 2023, to reach a value of 99
billion U.S. dollars.

Pakistan is the leading exporter of denim fabric worldwide, leading

particularly in exports of denim made from at least 85 percent
cotton. The cotton percentage of denim fabric is quite significant
because the cotton threads will expand but not contract. The higher
the amount of cotton in a blend, the more the denim will stretch
and remained stretched over time. China and Hong Kong import the
most denim fabric, especially denim made from less than 85 percent
cotton. In contrast, Turkey is the leading importer of denim made
from at least 85 percent cotton.
 19
Levi Strauss, who reported over 5.7 billion U.S. dollars in sales
in 2019, has the largest brand share of the jeans market.
Eighty-seven percent of Levi Strauss's sales were made
through the company's Levi's brand in 2019. The VF
Corporation, in comparison, had jeans wear sales of 2.4 billion
U.S. dollars in 2019. The apparel and footwear company owns
several popular brands, including North Face, Timberland,
and Vans.

According to the report based on TIM, Ministry of Trade and

Trade Map data, world denim fabric exports increased by 5.1%
in 2018 and reached approximately 5 billion USD.
Top 5 countries that perform most denim exports are listed as
China, Pakistan, India, Hong Kong and Turkey.
 20
2) JOURNEY OF DENIM ON BEING ECO-VIRTUOUS

Majority of the sustainability issues regarding the denim industry are

associated with environmental degradation. Environmental degradation in
this industry is highly focused on the use of water, the pollution of water and
the difficulties faced during recycling. Safety of workers has also been a
concern since the past 40 years.

2.1) TECHNICAL ASPECTS OF DENIM PRODUCTS

Process of Manufacture of denim garments is like any other garment
except that these garments require special care and finishes. The basic
outline of the operations for denim garments in general is given
below.
1. Pattern design and pattern making
2. Cloth cutting by mechanical process.
3. Sewing by high-speed industrial sewing machine
4. Trimming and inspection.
5. Ironing and pressing as finishing process.
Designers use five elements to create a design that will stimulate the
potential consumer to buy like color, silhouette, drape, texture, and
tone. Besides these the designer selects buttons, uppers, snaps, thread
lace, tapes, braids, medallions, sequins and a variety of ornaments and
closures and decorative devices to impart the desired design effect.
 21

Cutting involves three basic operations, i.e. making the marker,

spreading the fabric, and chopping fabric into the marked sections.
There are six types of machines available to chop or cut a lay into
the component parts of the market like rotary blade machine,
vertical reciprocal blade machines, band knives, similar to band–
saws, die clickers systems with straight blades and automated
computerized laser beam cutting machines.

The sewing operation is performed to join the individual cut

components in to desired shape by using power operated sewing
machine. Fusing and cementing are processes for stitching or
decorative seaming.
In fusing, the seam bond on decoration is formed by melting some
fiber or finish content in the material in a manner that joins the
sections or decorates in the desired area. In cementing, the bond or
decoration is made by an adhesive, such as cement, glue on plastic
which is applied to the materials during or immediately preceding
the cementing process.

Fusing is either by direct heat, by hot head fusing presses, in which

pressure surface area is heated by electric heating grade or steam.
Cementing processes use mechanical pressure systems with inbuilt
head application depending on the adhesive materials used.
Moulding is a process that changes the surface character to
photography of a garment of one of its stitch sections by application
of heat, moisture, or pressure. Pressing, pleating, blocking mangling,
steaming, creasing, curing, and casting curing and casting are trade
terms for various moulding processes. Pressing has two major
divisions.
 22
Buck press is a machine for pressing a garment or section between
two contoured, heated pressure surfaces that may have steam
vacuum systems in either or both surface. In the field of casual
fashion the fade look has significant value.
Previously the faded effect used to come after repeated washing of
the garment. Now we can get the fade effects instantly by latest
washing technology and it plays a very important role in the
salability of the denim garment. There are many types of washes.
The prominently used are Hard Wash, Half Bleach, Full Bleach,
Marble Bleach, Acid Wash, Stone Wash, Chemical Wash, Ice Wash,
Moon Wash, Bright Wash, Gun Wash, Camel Wash, Ink Wash etc.

2.2) ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS CONTROVERSIES

RELATED TO THE DENIM INDUSTRY:

It is estimated that 70 percent of Asia's rivers and lakes are

contaminated by the 2.5 billion gallons of wastewater produced by that
continent's textile industry. Dark frothy spill off can be seen rushing out
of dye facilities as a result of the largely unregulated manufacturing
process.

Local communities who rely on these rivers for drinking and bathing
suffer from a high incidence of cancers, gastric, skin and related issues
afflicting both their residents and factory laborers.
Even though this is a result of manufacturing all sorts of other
garments, a large portion of this is attributed to denim due to the
chemicals used in its finishing stages.

Consider just one of the most popular types of jeans today—distressed.

To get that "lived in" look, denim is subjected to several chemical-
intensive washes. Campaigners from the environmental group
Greenpeace, who tested the outflows near dyeing and finishing facilities
in the top denim producing towns in Asia, found five heavy metals
(cadmium, chromium, mercury, lead and copper) in 17 out of 21 water
and sediment samples taken from throughout Xintang one of the locales
featured in the project. Toxic campaigners in China also discovered
heavy metals like manganese, which can be associated with brain
damage, in the rivers.
 23
The textile industry has one of the largest environmental impacts
in the world. This is true of denim because it is made of cotton,
which in most cases is a polluting crop dyed with indigo, a dye with
a damaging degree of fixation which initiates huge ecological
problems.

The industry depends heavily on the availability of water. Cotton,

the main component in denim, consumes fertilizers, pesticides, and
a significant quantity of water during its cultivation. In addition, a
huge amount of pollutants are released during different processing
stages of denim, especially in dyeing, finishing, washing, and
rinsing. The entire denim industry, from cotton irrigation to
manufacturing, is also responsible for a high water footprint.

• Worker safety concerns:

There are several safety and health issues associated with the
textile industry. The major safety and health issues in the denim
industry can be stated as:

1. Exposure to cotton dust:

The workers engaged

in the processing and
spinning of cotton are
exposed to significant
amounts of cotton
dust. They are also
exposed to particles of
pesticides and soil.

Exposure to cotton dust and other particles leads to respiratory

disorders among the textile workers. The fatal disease of
byssinosis, commonly known as brown lung, is caused among
people working in the textile industry on account of excessive
exposure to cotton dust. The symptoms of this disease include
tightening of the chest, coughing, wheezing, and shortness of
breath.

(Omotoso, 2018)
 24

2.2) INNOVATION IN DENIM MANUFACTURING

TECHNOLOGY:

Ever since problems related to the denim manufacturing process

have surfaced, there has been rapid innovation in the technologies
used in manufacturing denim.
Such technologies include:

• Laser technology that can give a pair of jeans a worn look instead of
sandblasting or hand sanding which can be lethal or detrimental to
workers and the environment.
Distressing jeans by engraving images on the fabrics with lasers is
also possible with lasers. This also eliminates the need of water to
create a distressed look.

• The G2 ozone treatments introduced in 2005 fade down the color of

a jeans instead of using chemicals like bleach or hypochlorite.
• In 2011, eflow, a technology that uses air (Nano bubbles) instead of
water to dye jeans and give them properties like softness and wrinkle
repelling was introduced.
Using these innovations, an average pair of jeans requires just a glass
of water to finish when it used to require 300 liters.
 25
• In 2014, a cleaner dyeing process was introduced that takes indigo
dye and uses electrochemical (Co2 and O2) and no water to make the
colors for their denim.

• Chitosan, which comes from the waste of the food industry (it is the
natural derivative of chitin which is the exoskeleton of shrimp and
crab) is being applied to the yarn after dyeing it. It creates a shell to
protect the color so dyes will not rub off and less dye is needed
overall to color the denim. This new process saves chemistry, water,
and energy and is biodegradable. Because there are no chemicals, the
process doesn't create skin problems.

2.3) COMMITMENTS BY MAJOR DENIM BRANDS:

These are some of the sustainability commitments by brands seeking

to burnish their reputations as responsible stewards of industry:
1. Levi’s:
Greenpeace’s years-long Detox My Fashion campaign, which
challenged more than 80 apparel brands, retailers and suppliers—
representing 15 percent of global fashion production—to eliminate
hazardous chemicals such as per- and polyfluorinated chemicals from
their supply chains.
• Levi’s says it met its first 2020 goal—a 25 percent reduction of
emissions in owned-and-operated facilities—in 2017, three years
ahead of schedule. So, it set “far more ambitious and far-reaching”
climate goals for 2025, said Michael Kobori, Levi’s vice-president of
sustainability.
By 2025, the brand aims to slash its carbon emissions by 90 percent
and use 100 percent renewable energy in all owned-and-operated
facilities. It also vows to reduce carbon emissions across its global
supply chain by 40 percent, which is proving both a challenge and
opportunity because it requires directing so many moving parts.
 26

• Another 2020 goal Levi’s already hit involves worker wellbeing,

specifically guidance and support on financial literacy and
empowerment, individual, and family health and equality.
• Levi’s is also working on its goal to make 80 percent of Levi’s
products using its Water<Less technology, which helps shrink
water use in the finishing process by up to 96 percent.

2. Gap:

• Gap Inc. pledged to source 100 percent of its cotton, across the
enterprise, from more sustainable sources by 2025. The Gap brand
moved the goal posts, however, up to 2021.
• Energy-wise, Gap Inc. Gave one of its 2020 goals—reducing Scope
1 and 2 greenhouse-gas emissions for owned-and-operated
facilities by 50 percent—a shot in the arm in August when it
signed a 90-megawatt virtual power purchase agreement for a
wind project with Enel Green Power North America. One of the
largest offsite renewable energy contracts by an apparel retailer,
the partnership will generate enough wind energy to power the
equivalent of more than 1,500 Gap Inc. Retail stores, the company
noted in a statement.
• By 2030, Gap Inc. Says it will reach 100 percent renewable
energy across all owned-and-operated facilities globally.
 27

3. G-Star Raw:

• Greenpeace’s years-long Detox My Fashion campaign, which

challenged more than 80 apparel brands, retailers and
suppliers—representing 15 percent of global fashion
production—to eliminate hazardous chemicals such as per- and
polyfluorinated chemicals from their supply chains.
Using only 100 percent sustainably sourced cotton,
such as Better Cotton Initiative cotton, organic cotton
and recycled cotton, by the end of 2020.
• Of its non-cotton components, the company promises
a target of 90 percent.
 28

4. Nudie Jeans:

• By 2020, Nudie Jeans says it

will increase the number of
own-brand jeans it takes back
by 20 percent and the number
of own-brand secondhand jeans
it sells by 30 percent globally.
• The same year, at least one
style in its collection will
comprise post-consumer
recycled Nudie Jeans from its
garment-collection scheme.
• By 2025, the company wants
to be carbon neutral along its
entire supply chain, from raw
materials to finished product.
 29
5. Wrangler:

For Wrangler, setting “globally relevant goals” reflecting its most

material issues—cotton, water, energy, and chemistry—was crucial,
according to Roian Atwood, the director of sustainability. “We are
proud that the goals are ambitious and impactful, in that our work
toward them will actually have a positive impact on our industry and
the world,” he said.
• By 2020, Wrangler plans to use 100 percent “preferred chemistry”
throughout its supply chain and conserve 5.5 billion liters of water.
• By 2025, it wants to source only sustainable cotton and power all
owned-and-operated facilities with 100 percent renewable energy.
But owning its own manufacturing—a rarity in the business—affords
it with “opportunities and sometimes concerns” that other denim
brands may not have to deal with, according to Atwood. “Powering all
of our owned-and-operated buildings with renewable energy, for
example, expands beyond just our offices and stores,” Atwood said.
“We have to think about how to implement at our manufacturing
facilities and distribution centers as well.”
 30
3) MARKET SIZE OF DENIM (MEN)

MARKET SIZE AND GROWTH

Denim is of the most promising category in India’s apparel
market. In 2014, the denim market of India was worth 13,500 Cr.
which accounts for 5 percent of the total apparel market of the
country. The market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 15 percent
to become 27,200 Crore as compared to 2018.
The denim market in India is skewed towards men’s segments
with 85 percent contribution coming from it. Women’s denim
segment contributes 9 percent to the market and the kids
segment the rest 6 percent. The women’s and kid’s denim
segments are expected to witness higher growth rates due to
their lower base and increasing focus of brands and retailers on
those segments

In general the western lifestyle and western fashion has

accelerated the trend of casualization across the globe. This
trend has boosted the consumption of casual fashion apparel like
denims, dress shirts, tees, casual shirts among both men and
women consumers in all developing countries including India.
The average number of denim items owned by Indian consumer
is much lower in comparison to consuming market of the United
States, Europe etc. The number is even lower than countries like
Brazil and China. This difference in the number demonstrates
the huge potential that exists for denim in the domestic market.

SEGMENTATION
The denim apparel market can be segmented based on product,
category, consumer group, distribution channel, and region.
i)In terms of product, the market can be classified into bottom
wear and top wear. The bottom wear segment can be further
divided into jeans, loose trousers, skirts, shorts, and others. The
top wear segment can be categorized into shirts, dresses, and
jackets.

3.Department, S. R. (September 2016). Statista. Retrieved from Number of

denim jeans consumed in India
 31

Out of these, the market for jeans is expected to grow by USD

14.38 million during 2020-2024, progressing at a CAGR of over 5%
during the forecast period, owing to trending styles in jeans such
as cropped jeans, mom jeans, distressed and rugged jeans,
globally. Apart from wide acceptance of trending styles, the
traditional blue jeans are still witnessing considerable adoption
across the globe.

ii)Based on category, the denim apparel market can be segmented

into low, medium, and premium.
The overall growth during the year 2019 mainly came from an
increase in the ‘value’ of sales, which in turn was driven by
consumers having higher disposable incomes. On the other side
however, brands in the mass market and unbranded segments
made up for a staggering 92 per cent of the total denim market.
The key factors responsible for the growth for this part of the
market was the huge ‘volume’ of sales coming from the
increasing penetration of these brands into Tier -II and -III cities
and the rising aspirations of consumers from smaller cities to
follow the latest trends like their peers from metros.

iii)In terms of consumer group, the market can be classified into

men, women and children.
Men’s Denim Segment: Men’s denim enjoy the largest share and
are poised to grow at a high CAGR of 14 per cent over the next
decade. Denim has been popular with men in the urban cities
only, however, it has now gradually become popular in the semi-
urban and rural markets also. Growing awareness and an
increasing affinity for global fashion have led to this
development. Denim is considered the most versatile fabric for
men with multiple applications over casual wear, work wear and
every day wear.
 32

Women’s Denim Segment: Among Indian women, jeans or

denim trousers are the most popular articles. Women
across different age brackets and spanning all shapes and
sizes like to wear denim as it is comfortable, functional
and durable. Denim is also gaining popularity in
athleisure form among women owing to the comfort
provided by stretch denims. Women who are not at ease
with western wear have taken up wearing jeans by
pairing them with Indian ethnic wear like kurtis. This
mix and match style is gradually picking up, particularly
among women in small towns and those who come from a
traditional background and is likely to further fuel the
growth of the segment. This segment is expected to grow
the fastest at the CAGR of 17.5 per cent.

Kids’ Denim Segment: This is the smallest segment in the

domestic market, but is expected to grow at a high rate
primarily due to the availability of the products led by
the innovations in the industry for natural, hygienic and
flexible fabrics.

iv)Based on distribution channel, the market can be split

into online and offline stores.
The offline stores segment can be further categorized into
large format stores, specialty stores, brand stores, and
independent retailers.
Of these, the specialty stores held the largest market
share of around 23% in 2017, owing to the fact that these
stores offer various brands under one roof and attractive
pricing to lure customers.

3.Department, S. R. (September 2016). Statista. Retrieved from Number of denim

jeans consumed in India
 33
The online mode has emerged as a preferred distribution
channel for denim vendors, as the channel enables vendors to
provide customized denim products as per the customer’s
requirements of size and color. Apart from this, premium denim
designers are also leveraging the advantage of e-commerce by
offering special category designs on popular sites like Amazon,
Myntra, Alibaba.com, JD.com, and Flipkart, and setting-up
exclusive sections dedicated to their collections.

v)In terms of region, the market can be segmented into North

America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa, and South
America.
North America has been the largest denim market, accounting
for more than 30% of global revenue, whereas the sales are
expected to witness the fastest growth in Asia-Pacific, during
the forecast period. The growth in Asia-Pacific will be led by
factors such as surge in digitization within the apparel
industry, advancement in new denim knitting technologies,
growth in investment in clothing space, and the increasing
adoption of luxurious and casual garments from all segments of
the society. Further, the increasing technology developments in
brand marketing and customer management, changing
demographics and rise in foreign direct investments (FDIs) are
some of the factors for the expanding of denim industry in the
region.

CITY-WISE DISTRIBUTION OF DENIM MARKET

The value share of denim market is skewed in favour of mega
metros and which account for almost half of the total denim
market at a share of 49 percent. Though the markets of other
urban areas and rural India contribute high in volume terms,
their combined share in market value is only 51 percent. As the
penetration of denim category and the awareness of denim
quality increases in those cities and rural India, their share in
market value will start increasing with more number of
consumers willing to pay premium for the quality, design etc.
 34

PRESENCE OF BRANDS
In India unbranded denim products dominate the market with
around 60 percent share of the market. The share of brands in
denim market stands at 40 percent. Most of the unbranded
players operate on the lower price segment of the market where
awareness of quality of fabric, finishing and washes, design and
fit are relatively low.
The emergence of semi-urban clusters, areas having less number
of farming communities, across the country has opened a plethora
of opportunities for regional brands and retailers. A typical denim
consumer of the semi-urban cluster demonstrates a blend of the
characteristics of urban and rural consumers; like an urban
consumer he or she shows awareness of brand and product
quality and like a rural consumer pricing and a affordability plays
a crucial role in his or her purchase decisions.
The regional brands have focusing to cater to these typical
requirements of the semi-urban consumers. However presence of
lots of unbranded players in such markets it a market of intense
competition to many national level brands

3.1) DENIM VALUE CHAIN IN INDIA

India has an integrated value chain for denim products starting
from fiber to retail. Denim is primarily produced from cotton and
India is expected to overcome China as the single largest producer
of cotton the world in 2014. The country is the second largest
producer of cotton yarn. The denim fabric production capacity of
India is more than 1,000 million meters per year, and India is still
witnessing entrance of more denim fabric manufacturers in the
industry. Denim fabric production in India is concentrated in the
western and northern parts of the country with more than 45
percent contribution coming from Gujarat alone where
Ahmadabad is the production hub.

(Krueger, 2019)
 35

3.2) Regional Insights:

The denim market span across four major regions, namely,

Europe, Asia Pacific, North America, and Rest-of-the-World
(Row).
North America is considered to be an attractive region among the
manufacturers and occupies 34.7% of the market share. The
region is likely to showcase a moderate growth rate owing to the
expanding product portfolio of denim by the major
manufacturers. With key manufacturers focusing on promotional
activities to create awareness among the consumers associated to
new product launch, the market in this region is considered to
flourish.
 36
Europe is considered to occupy a major market share owing to
the technological upgrades and development of latest products in
this region. The increased adoption of distressed denims coupled
with the discount offerings have further contributed to the
market growth in this region.
Asia Pacific is presumed to be a lucrative region among the
denim manufacturers owing to the increasing middle-class
income population along with mass urbanization. Also, with the
increasing per capita disposable income levels of consumers, the
sales of denims have increased in this region.
3.3) Indian Denim Market
The Indian fashion retail market is continuously evolving and is
expected to perform at a high Compound Annual Growth Rate
(CAGR) of 9.7 per cent to reach US $115.14 billion by 2026, up
from the current market size of US $45.71 billion. Domestic
fashion retail has been demonstrating high receptivity towards
corporatization. The Government’s efforts to boost cashless
transactions and reform indirect taxation with a nationwide
unified tax structure, Goods and Services Tax (GST) are also
expected to accelerate corporatized retail. At the same time, the
Indian apparel market is also witnessing a growing inclination
towards western and casual wear. Denim is among the highest
growth categories in the Indian apparel market.
Denim Market Size and Growth
The market size of Indian Denim Wear was estimated to be Rs
20,205 crore in 2016. The market is now projected to grow at a
CAGR of 14.5 per cent and reach Rs 39,651 crore by 2021, and Rs
77,999 crore market by 2026. The men’s denim segment
comprises 84 per cent of the market while the women’s denim
segment and kids’ denim segment comprise 10 per cent and 6 per
cent respectively.
Segmentation Analysis
The global denim market has been segmented on the basis of
type, consumer group, distribution channel, and region.
 37

Based on type, the denim industry has been segmented

into loose fit, slim fit, and others. Among these, the loose
fit denims account for 34.8% of the market share and is
considered to expand at a moderate rate. On the other
hand, slim fit denims are considered to retain its
dominance during the estimated period owing to the
rising consumers preference towards skinny fit apparels.

Indian Market Share And Status

The Indian denim industry currently stands at US$3.6 billion, and
has been growing at a CAGR of 9% over the last five years. Denim
wear market is expected to grow at CAGR of 12 percent and reach
Rs 91,894 crore by 2028. The market in India is dominated by
men’s segment, accounting ~86 percent of the total market size.
However, women denim wear segment is expected show higher
CAGR of 13 percent than men’s segment (12 percent).
 38

The graph above shows consumption of denim wear in india

The distribution of these brands among male and female are

almost alike . Levi’s is the most popular brand in denim wear
and almost 49%business share in denim wear category is of
Levi’s. Also,the major categories among jeans in men has the
following share in India-
 39

The global denim jeans market size is expected to grow by USD

14.38 million during 2020-2024, according to the latest market
research report by Technavio before the pandemic hit the world
USA is one of the top consumers of denim jeans with an
estimated demand of 450m pieces per year, followed by
European Union (EU). US’s top three suppliers of denim jeans
include China, Mexico, and Bangladesh. Largest supplier of
denim garments to EU is Bangladesh followed by China. Demand
growth for the next six years is expected to largely emanate from
Asia (12%), Latin America (15%), North America (10%), Europe
(4%), Mexico, and China. Top denim fabric importing countries
include Bangladesh and Mexico.
 40

3.5)BRANDS AND THEIR POPULARITY

1.Levi’s- The popular denim in this brand for men are-

1. 501® ORIGINAL
2. 502™ TAPER
3. 505™ REGULAR
4. 510™ SKINNY
5. 511™ SLIM
6. 512™ SLIM TAPER
7. 514™ STRAIGHT
8. 541™ ATHLETIC TAPER
Launched as a dry-goods retailer during the California gold rush,
the company got a breakthrough in the 1870s, when it patented
the use of rivets to strengthen the seams in denim work pants,
inventing blue jeans. But the company was in loss till Chip Berg
became the CEO. Levi Strauss & Co. has four major core values.
Empathy – walking in people’s shoes: Levis will always pay
attention to all people around the world. They respond and listen
to the demands of their consumers, workers as well as
stakeholders.
Originality – innovative and authentic: The pioneering spirit that
started in 1873 with the first pair of blue jeans still spreads
through all facets of their business. Through practices and
innovative products, Levis cracks the mold.
Integrity – doing the right thing: ¨When doing business Levis
sets social responsibility and Ethical conduct in the top. That
means Levis pays attention to do right things by their society,
brands, company and employees.
Courage – standing up for what they believe: Levis always
accepts all conventional wisdom and practices. Levis wishes to
become greater.
 41
H&M Group
Some popular jeans in H&M for men are-
1. Regular jeans
2. Slim jeans
3. Slim-straight-cropped
4. Skinny
5. Tapered
6. Relax-fit
H&M's strategy to boost sales has been to offer customers
featured products that have been marketed as designer
collaborations with well-known names such as Versace and
Alexander Wang and even Indian Designers like SABYASACHI.
By offering these products within H&M locations, the company
boosts its own reputation by partnering with valuable figures in
the fashion world, and it offers its customers additional lines for
purchase that are different in look and style from the mainstay
designs of the company.
 42
Zara
1. Cropped fit
2. Raw edge skinny jeans
3. Raw edge relaxed fit
4. Denim casual trouser
5. Denim jacket
Zara's strategy is to offer a higher number of available products
than its competitors. While most clothing retailers manufacture
and offer to the public for sale 2,000 to 4,000 different articles of
clothing, Zara's production has been markedly higher, at over
10,000 pieces produced per year. This unique feature of the
company's strategy has allowed Zara to appeal to a broader
number of customers with unique tastes.

3.6) MARKET SITUATION OF DENIM INDUSTRY IN LIEU

OF COVID-19:

By the end of 2019, the denim industry was predicted to grow

more than $14 million by 2024. Combined with the opportunity
to innovate with more sustainable processes denim is a
category on most retailers’ radar. Particularly for Q1, which
saw countless retailers release new season denim campaigns
with a focus on diversity and sustainability.
 43
Currently, the denim industry is saturated with many legacy
brands winning over consumers with nostalgia and brand
loyalty. Also, new labels with innovative products and
advertising are gobbling up market share. It can be hard to make
assortment stand out amongst such fierce competition, especially
in the current retail climate shrouded by the uncertainty of
COVID-19.
Using data from the EDITED Retail Decision Platform, here its
represented the pivotal shifts in the denim market and the
essential trends.
While there is a huge demand for sweats and joggers as
customers embrace their new working lifestyles, it doesn’t mean
retailers should be halting their denim promotions or trimming
assortments. During this time, denim with comfort features has
seen particular success. The majority of SKU sell out of men’s
stretch jeans rose 23% YoY, hinting at these styles as a low-risk
investment to refresh your denim promotions during these
uncertain times.

While retailers’ supply chains may be compromised as

coronavirus continues to affect arrivals, it’s essential to maintain
an aura of newness to keep consumers engaged. Look to retailers
such as J Brand, Madewell, and Top shop who have highlighted
comfort in their recent denim communications.

As the climate emergency is top of mind in 2020, retailers will

continue their sustainable efforts across denim assortments.Lee
and Wrangler continue to pave the way with their ‘Indigood’
foam dyeing process on specific lines, which requires no water
and significantly fewer chemicals. In February, Mango launched
a line of denim made from sustainable cotton with some styles
washed using water
minimizing technology Jeanologia. Jack & Jones are using
recycled materials from production leftovers.
 44

Small steps to sustainably update denim collections include

swapping leather back patches for paper alternatives, as well
as promoting longevity by educating consumers on how to
care for their denim.

This Figure represents the commitment of brands for

Sustainable denim even in the midst of Pandemic –

Future of Denim is not bleak!

 45
4) TREND SPOTTING AND NEW DEVELOPMENTS

4.1)SOME OF THE KEY TRENDS IN DENIM MARKET

In India most of the denim manufacturers focus on the domestic

markets, as the value realization remains higher in domestic
market than in export markets
In the recent times the industry has witnessed entrance of new
fabric manu-facturers which is expected to make the market for
denim fabric more price competitive in the coming years
Cotton remains the fiber of choice in denim apparel. In blended
denim fabrics polyester is being used as weft threads The
demand for stretch denim is growing at a faster rate in India
market due to its comfort and t characteristics
The color of denim jeans is no longer limited to traditional blue
colors. Indian youth has started accepting denim in different
colors including green, red, yellow etc.

Key trends and Growth Drivers

The Indian Denim wear market is currently dominated by
unorganized players. However, with many private labels and
international brands entering Indian apparel market, the
inclination towards branded denims is increasing among
consumers.
The future value growth within the denim category shall be
because of the increased demand for enhanced product
attributes: fashion, quotient, stretch, and light weight fabric,
varying colors, styling and detailing. This trend is emerging
across both men’s and women’s segments. The above factors shall
combine to drive relatively higher levels of growth of the mid-
premium and premium/ luxury segments as well.

4.Bojer, T. S. (2018, january). Denim Hunters. Retrieved from 27 Revolutionary

Denim Innovations you need to know: https://denimhunters.com/27-denim-
innovations/
 46

Recent trends have indicated increased penetration of denim category

across semi-urban and rural centers, which shall drive volume growth
across mass market and unbranded segments.
Certain factors, which are contributing as key growth drivers of
denim wear in the country, are enumerated below:

1. Youth as a growth driver: Youth (15 to 29 years old) who comprise

26 per cent of the consuming population, are a key growth driver of
denim wear in the country. Increasing disposable income, comfort,
quality and brand consciousness are major reasons behind increasing
acceptance of denims among this young population
.
2. Growth of the organized retail sector: The denim wear market is
dominated by unbranded denim products who constitute 60 per cent
of the market and thus tend to give intense competition to branded
denim players. However, with many private labels and international
brands entering the Indian apparel market, the inclination towards
branded denim wear is increasing in consumers.

3. Online penetration of denim: Increased penetration of Internet

coupled with burgeoning smart phone market has resulted in the
growth of e tailing in India. Due to ease of ordering online, paucity of
time, flexible return policies, and the cash on delivery, the youth of
India is more likely to purchase denims online.

4. Increased rural spending: Rural areas are developing at a rapid pace

and so is their purchasing power. With the percolation of mass media,
people in rural areas are also aware of fashion trends. Their
inclination towards western wear is another reason for the growing
demand of denims in rural areas. The mid-value segment of denim
wears, characterized by quality, value-for-money, and increasing
styling quotient, is the preferred choice of people from rural areas.
 47
5. Growing popularity of engineered/ distressed denim: The
emergence of tattered denim has provided a perfect option for
fashion conscious youth. The applications of
distressed/ripped/tattered/patched denim are not restricted to
bottom wear jeans but can be seen in jackets, shorts, skirts etc.
These are emerging, as one of the most stylish must haves for
both men and women. This trend has been re-emerging in many
new avatars every season.

6. New denim fabric washes: In denims, ‘wash’ refers to shade of

the denim fabric. Jeans manufacturers are focused in achieving
different hues of blue by washing the fabric in certain dyes,
bleaches, or other agents that affect the denim color. Dark indigo,
faded blue/vintage/aged, stone wash and distressed jeans are new
denim fabric washes in trend these days.

7. Changing classification of consumer’s wardrobe: The change in

classification of consumer’s wardrobe has acted as a growth
driver for the casual wear and denim wear in India. Earlier,
fashion was considered as a basic need to be purchased on the
basis of the requirements. Consequently, the typical consumer
wardrobe was limited to basic categories like shirts, trousers,
winter jackets and sweaters, sarees and salwarkameez. The basic
purchase parameters were limited to the basic functions of the
cloth, comfort, and price. However, with the changing socio-
cultural values, increased per capita consumption, increasing
exposure to international fashion trends and growing disposable
income apparel market is slowly becoming more occasion’s
specific. Consequently, fashion basket has expanded to include
clothing like sports/gym wear, occasion specific ethnic wear, jeans
etc.
 48

8. Increasing Denim Affinity

The denim segment has always been one of the leading segments
in the apparel industry. The blue denim has remained a wardrobe
essential for decades. Due to its increasing popularity in India,
denim wear is now also witnessing huge demand among masses.
There are certain key attributes, which are making the future of
denim wear industry promising.

9. Durability: This is one of the major reasons, which make it

popular among masses. Denim wear is considered durable as it is
made up of a sturdy cotton twill textile. It is woven in a manner
that it can be effortlessly worn in any condition.

10. Comfort: Conventionally, denim was made from 100 per cent
cotton, but modern interventions have made varieties of denim
available in the market. Today, denim blended with polyester is
also popular as it manages shrinkage and crease. Stretchable jeans
are also popular among masses as they provide comfort and a
better fit.

11. Versatility and Convenience: Denim apparel are considered

low maintenance, ready to wear clothes, which is another reason
for their increasing acceptance. In addition, denim wear is
available in different designs, stretch, and colors, which make it a
preferable choice among consumers. Denim is finding ways into
other components of the wardrobe in the form of dresses, joggers’
pants, jeggings, lightweight denim shirts, denim shorts,
accessories out of denim fabrics etc.

12. Availability: Denim wear is now much more easily available

in the market, deeper across the country and across different
market segments and varied price points as well. Thus, bringing it
within the reach of different income groups.
 49
4.2 ) CO V I D 19 I M P A C T

Compared to the same period one year ago shows only a 2% increase in
newness YoY. Additionally, majority SKU sell-outs of sweatpants
during this quarter outpaced both jeans and leggings with a 115%
increase YoY. The majority of SKUs selling out compared to last year
for jeans and leggings lifted by 16% and 11% YoY, respectively.
While there is a huge demand for sweats and joggers as customers
embrace their new working lifestyles, it doesn’t mean retailers should
be halting their denim promotions or trimming assortments. During
this time, denim with comfort features have seen particular success.
The majority of SKU sell out of women’s stretch jeans rose 23% YoY,
hinting at these styles as a low-risk investment to refresh your denim
promotions during these uncertain times.
While retailers’ supply chains may be compromised as coronavirus
continues to affect arrivals, it’s essential to maintain an aura of
newness to keep consumers engaged

4.3) DENIM TRENDS IN 2020

In 2018, skinny styles were heavily invested in, making up 35% of

men’s jeans retailing across the US and UK market. Now, they
attribute to 29% of retailers’ jeans assortments, which is
dominated by the less-restrictive slim and straight cuts, each
sitting at a slightly higher 30% of the total.
 50
Following Pie chart represents the most sold out Denim colors for
Men in FY 2019-2020 on most online platforms as compiled by
Edited.com

Post covid-19
Apparel sales have been hit worldwide during the coronavirus
crisis, but denim sales have been sluggish even as the world
unlocks. Many American denim makers have filed for
bankruptcy since April. Levi’s has suffered a whopping 62 per
cent drop in global revenue and might have to let go of about
half its workforce.This was preceded by a downward trend in
denim sales as people were increasingly moving to athleisure for
comfort wears, even before Covid cases surged.
The downfall of the jeans can be attributed to our collective
lockdown and work-from-home experience. Pyjamas, loose T-
shirts, and shirt-above-boxers-below became the norm. When
people can wear comfortable clothes at a stretch, the thought of a
body-hugging rough pair of denim seems rather suffocating. For
years, we’ve been wearing jeans not because of their utility or
comfort but because what they’ve come to symbolize – sexual
freedom and rebellion. See any Levi’s or Calvin Klein ad. And
through the years, companies have successfully sold them as the
go-to clothing, world-over.
 51

Boost to online retailers- According to Dupato, the pandemic has

turned even the most reluctant consumers into online shoppers. This
gave a boost to operations of those retailers’ with a legitimate online
presence and able to fulfill orders in a reasonable way.
Patience and focus to guarantee future success
Though this augers well for the industry, rising unemployment is a
huge cause of concern for retailers, as it will drive away millions of
consumers who will now be unable to shop. Consumers’ priorities
will once again shift to essentials as a result of which denim retailers
may have to wait for a few years for demand to return.
This year as individual states reopen on different timetables,
consumers will spread out their purchases across the year. They
expect brick and mortar retailers to focus on sanitization and social
distancing measures in their stores. On their part, retailers expect the
holiday season to be quite dismal in 2020. However, they expect
online sales to accelerate with BOPIS (buy online, pick up in store)
purchases gathering momentum.

4.3) CHALLENGES FACED BY DENIM INDUSTRY IN GENERAL

The Indian denim industry today faces the biggest challenge of
overproduction. It got into hyper mode of expansion without
realizing the consequences. This is causing pain in the industry. The
industry is mostly inward looking, i.e., focused on the domestic
market. This is a big negative trait as it keeps the industry out of
international trends, pressures and resultant innovations.
 52
Organized garment manufacturing in large capacities is missing
in the country, making us weaker in innovations in that field.
We have limited vertically integrated units, which is the need of
the hour for many large buyers. Our human skills have really
not grown the way they should have over the years because of
less global integration. Our costs of production, especially in
apparel, are not very competitive. We really need to focus on
efficiency to reduce costs.

4.4) R E CE N T DE V E LOP M E N TS I N TH E
M A N UFA CT UR I N G T EC HN I Q UE S OF DE N I M

Traditionally the denim fabric is made of 100 per cent cotton

indigo dyed warp and white weft yarn of coarser counts. The
fabrics are woven on projectile, rapier, air-jet and shuttle looms.
Initially the denim fabric was developed as work wear. Now the
scenario is different. Denim fabrics has gained immense
popularity and accepted by all irrespective of gender, age-groups
and profession. So, there is tremendous challenge on the part of
denim product manufactures to innovate and develop products
to suit requirements of different consumers.

Wheeler, M. (2019). Fashion Revolution . Retrieved from Future of Denim:

https://www.fashionrevolution.org/the-future-of-denim-part-4-the-democracy-
of-denim/
 53
The major focus areas of innovation and development are
comfort, performance and environment friendliness of different
processes. Comfort and fit are very important aspects of denim
garments. So, a lot of research has being done to make stretch
denims. elastane fibers are incorporated into the fabric. Lycra and
Spandex are used in weft yarn. Ring and open-end core spun
yarns are also used in denim to provide stretch property. Elastic
ply yarns produced on TFO are also used to make stretch denim
fabrics. Apart from the multi-component, Bi component synthetic
filament yarns are also used to provide stretch.
To improve
performance, synthetic fibers blended with natural fibers are
used. One of such blends is blend of Nylon 6.6 and cotton. This
fabric shows the traditional look and  feel but performance is
better than the 100 per cent cotton denim in terms of better
abrasion resistance. So, the durability of the fabric is more than
the 100 per cent cotton denim. Other synthetic fibers such as
polyester and polypropylene fibers are also used. For making
softer denim fabrics especially for women wear, blend of Cupro,
Modal, Promodal, Tancel, and Rayon are being used. Bamboo
fibers, hemp fibers and their blends are being used to make denim
fabrics.
To impart fancy effect, different kinds of fancy yarns are
being used. The examples of such yarn are slub yarn and multi-
count yarn. The slub can vary in terms of thickness, length and
twist. Such yarns can be manufactured at ring spinning and OE
spinning machines by attaching special attachment. One of such
attachments is Amsler control. Such fabrics give very unique
effect after washing treatment.

Two methods of warping are practiced. These are ball warping and
direct warping. Dyeing of warp yarns is done either by rope dyeing
method or Slaser dyeing method. Rope dyeing is considered better in
many aspects such as higher production, long runs, better dry and wet
fastness and lot-to- lot shade consistency. Indigo dyes are generally
used to dye warp yarns. In some cases sulphur black and blue dye can
also be applied before indigo dyeing to achieve darker shades.
Sometimes, sulphur dyes are also applied after the yarn is indigo
dyed.

 54
A lot of research is taking place to develop dyeing process which
produces low impact on environment. Clariant has developed a
range of low sulphide dyestuff and process to obtain various
indigo shades at low dyeing cycle to reduce the consumption of
water. Dyester has patented Indigo Vat 40 per cent solution. It
offers various shades of blue and claims 60-70 per cent reduction
in consumption of Sodium hydrosulphite
Denim fabrics are
mostly woven on high speed air-jet looms. Various loom
manufacturers are offering a number of modifications to weave
fault free high quality fabric. The modifications are done in the
frame structure of loom to minimize vibrations, pre-winder,
auxiliary nozzles, stretch nozzles, relay nozzles and weft brake
system. Traditionally denim is 3/1 right hand twill fabric.
Nowadays 2/1 twill, broken twill, zig-zag twill, reverse twill,
Herringbone twill weaves are used in denim fabrics.  Desizing of
fabrics is done after weaving. This process can be done by acid
desizing method and oxidative desizing method. But these
processes are associated with a number of disadvantages.

To overcome this, enzymatic desizing is preferred. Alpha- amylase

is used as desizing agent. Enzymatic process are more eco-friendly
than chemical methods.
Washing of denim garments is one of the
most important processes. This process adds a lot of value to the
final garment. In the washing process, fading effect is imparted to
the denim products. There are many methods to impart faded
effects. The traditionally washing is done using any of the
methods or combinations such as stone washing, washing with
strong bleaching agents such as sodium hypochlorite, potassium
per magnet. These processes are not environment friendly.
Alternative methods have been developed. Cellulases enzymes are
used in place of pumice stone to impart abraded effect.
Laccase
based bleaching technique is developed. This enzyme only attacks
indigo dyed yarn bit does affect nature of white weft yarn. It can
also be used to bleach fabrics containing elastane filaments
without losing stretch property. Laser based techniques are used
to give faded effect. Further this technique can also be used to
create motifs on the denim fabrics.
 55
Ozone base denim washing treatments have been developed. In
this process, ozone gas is used as bleaching agent, which attacks
indigo dyes and destroy to create faded look.
Functional finishes
such as antibacterial finishes, UV- protection finishes are applied
on denim fabrics to improve functional performances of denim
fabrics. To enhance the durability of the finished fabric, nano
encapsulation of the herbal extracts were performed and the
results showed good resistance for microbes even after 30
industrial washes. The use of nano-clay is also reported to impart
old look, soft handle, flame retardant and antibacterial
properties to denim fabrics.

1. Sustainable Raw Materials

The buzzword of the decade has surely been ‘sustainability,’
leading makers to invest heavily in clean technologies. In the fiber
stage of making denim, recent technologies that help mills create
more sustainable denim include biodegradable synthetics and bio
elastomers, says designer Stefano Aldighieri.Recycled fibres can be
made from either ‘pre-consumer’ waste (leftovers in fabric
production) or ‘post-consumer’ waste (discarded garments), which
is shredding, turned into new fibres and then (usually) blended
with other fibres.
 56
1.    Denim That Connects to Your Phone
While it’s still quite experimental, the integration of conductors
and other materials into denim—such as the denim Arvind made
for the Levi’s Commuter x Google Jacquard project—can prove
revolutionary.
For easy accessibility, a sensor is planted in  the left cuff of the
jacket which works like a smart watch. One needs to connect the
tag with the device by JACQUARD mobile application. After
activating the Bluetooth, can listen to music, check notes and
calendars, attend and get notified for calls, navigate to the
location and a lot more without actually using the phone. A
gesture can even trigger the camera from the phone. Just rub
your sleeve and access the features without much effort. There is
a light that flashes for any notification received in the mobile
phone, For example, light flashes even on arrival of a cab! Not
only the supporting features, but the tag has not compromised in
the design as it is too small to get noticed.t

(Krueger, 2019)
 57
2. Design by Artificial Intelligence

"While AI design may be in its infancy, the industry is already using

algorithms and data to figure out what consumers want.
Suppliers are already working with real-time measurement guidance
programmes that automatically adapt patterns,” says the head of
design at Hugo Boss, Michael Kampe.
And based on body scans from studies of consumers’
measurements, the software creates super accurate patterns,
resulting in better fits, Maarten Wentholt adds.
AI is ideal for direct-to-consumer retail for jeans makers. As
online retail is continuously gaining ground, ‘bespoke’ denim and
made-to-measure, aided by AI design software, will likely become
more accessible.
Last autumn during the New York Denim Days, designer
Christine Rucci collaborated with Alvanon on a 3D body scanning
software. Working with self-serve 3D body scanners, consumers
are scanned at 200 points. No trained personnel is required! The
data can then be integrated into pattern-making systems to create
made-to-measure jeans that are delivered to the consumer in just
a few days.

(Krueger, 2019)
 58
3. Jeans Sewn by Robots

Ever since jeans were invented, innovation in the cutting and sewing
stage has been gradual and focused on optimization.Assembling a pair of
jeans needs meticulous attention, EbruOzaydin argues. “It’s not just the
sewing but also the preparation for the washing stage,” she adds.
And while some tasks—like sewing pockets—have already be
automated, most processes are still predominantly done by human
hands. That might change in the future.
"Fully automatic pocket and fly machines and semi-automatic waistband
folders have been available for years, and these processes will become
more and more automated,” Maarten Wentholt expects.
In the stitching department, automatic machines, robots and AI are
slowly edging their way in, Giovanni Petrin explains. It’s a
competitive and price sensitive market, and robotisation might be
able to cut costs even further. He expects we’ll see major disruptions
by 2050.
Sewbots, if the technology is established, might change the industry
forever, and relocate production to bring it closer to the markets,”
SandeepAgarwal expects.

But with the automation of production processes, productivity will go

up, and it will be easier for makers to reproduce designs without
‘mistakes’ made by humans. That means more consistency, which
essentially means higher quality garments. Another advantage is
that working conditions will be massively improved.
 59
4. 3D-Printed Jeans
Making jeans is a labour-
intensive business. In the
future, though, there might not
even be factories; the day when
you can produce your jeans in a
store or even in your own
home with 3D printing could
be closer than we think. But,
until that day comes, your
jeans will come from a factory.

5. Robotic Laundry Machines

While the idea of automating the cutting and sewing stage still
stirs up the business, some laundry processes have been more or
less fully automated for years.
Tonello introduced their Brush Robot back in 1990. Today,
almost three decades later, the technology employs spraying
water onto the jeans using high-tech robotic arms.
The German-owned Gonser Group in Tunisia, for instance, is
preparing a fully automated production line with mannequin
laser and robot sprays for finishing applications.
"The robot learns the gestures of a human operator, and it’s able to
reproduce the spraying of a wide range of finishing products,
making everything quicker and easier,” Gonser’s creative consultant,
Alvise Arcaro.
 60

7. CarbonLaze
RevoLaze, LLC (USA) recently launched CarbonLaze, a
breakthrough software tool to automatically convert pictures of
jeans into laser ready files. By greatly decreasing the time to
create a laser file while keeping the authentic look of the denim
standards, CarbonLaze strived to provide a much-needed
solution to the rapidly expanding laser finishing market.

DCC Clothing’s Noman Khan, Manager of Laser Design and

Production, stated that he “observed that this software will be a
solution to eliminate hand touch-ups.”

8. Foam dyeing
This new technique is created by Wrangler in partnership with
Texas Tech University and a Spanish fabric mill , Tejidos Royo in
Valencia.
Denim is being challenged partly because of its enormous
volume and partly because of its dyeing method. Indigo, the
unique colorant for ubiquitous blue jeans, is highly sustainable;
safe enough to be widely used as a food colorant.

(Krueger, 2019)
 61

However, the indigo dyeing process is criticized for poor

sustainability, primarily because sulphur reducing compounds and
large amounts of problematic wastewater are required with
current dyeing methods. Foam dyeing is a watersaving,
environmentally friendly technology that is increasingly used
around the world, primarily for fabrics. Its use for indigo dyeing of
denim yarns has been hindered by the fact that indigo becomes
insoluble in the presence of oxygen. A foam dyeing system is
developed that eliminates the oxygen until the dyeing process is
completed and the yarns are ready to be oxidized. Results of this
process have demonstrated that speed of the dyeing process can be
multiplied, dye uptake and dye fastness improved, water and
energy use greatly reduced, floor space required for dyeing
dramatically reduced, and all without the use of the sulphur
compounds.
 62
4.5) TRENDS RELATED TO DENIM PRODUCTS:

Most of the denim’s appeal comes from it’s worn out, old-world
look. Customers today are shying away from overpowering
washes and raw appeal of pure denim. A hint of preppy but
mostly just plain silhouette denim focus is coming to the fore.
Denim is benefiting from the convergence of tradition and
technology. Munich-based trade show, Bluezone, presented a
collection of denim trends Tuesday that celebrate denim’s past
and future equally. The influence of sub cultures, the catwalk
and commuter lifestyles are evident, yet the classic 5-pocket jean
remains a core, democratizing piece in collections
I. Bigger is better

Mid-weights and 100 percent

cotton fabrications are key in this
oversized, super wide
exaggerated trend story. Jeans
are pumped up, baggy and
balloon-like with pleats and open
edges. Pant legs are super -long,
allowing for deep cuffs or
scrunching. Jeans are lasered
with logos and lettering. Tops and
outerwear, including drop
shoulder tops, indigo fleece tops,
multi-layered jean jackets and
kimono-style jackets offer
versatile, unisex options.
II. Tech talk

Software-based technology, wearable tech and conductive yards are a

reality. Layering pieces act as lightweight protective gear for
citydwellers. Expect to see brands dabble in futuristic fits, yoga looks,
new laser treatments and commuter -friendly designs.

O'Connell, L. (2020, March 11).  Global denim market - Statistics & Facts. Retrieved
from www.statista.com: https://www.statista.com/topics/5959/denim-market-worldwide/
 63
III. Fashion blender
This trend takes the consumer
through decades of denim. Raw
denim and heritage designs collide
in this hodgepodge range of fashion
denim. Fabrics are of the sturdy, 100
percent cotton variety with weights
typically found in retro denim
collections.
Overalls, dungarees, work wear
elements and functional styling are
juxtaposed to punk looks. Here,
stretch fabrics, destroyed washes
and anti-fashion shapes are
amplified with tattoo artwork, sub
culture prints and detailing.

IV. Bestsellers revisited

This theme confirms that the appeal of a white tee and blue jeans
is timeless. For Spring ’19, mills are embracing fabrications and
details that continue to work at retail. Pale gray, dark washes,
vintage distressing and brilliant blue are celebrated. The
bestselling denim fits seamlessly into consumers’ denim
collections.

V. Stretch tech
The practicality of stretch
denim can’t be denied. Mills
continue to invest in elastic
fabrications be it stretch in
the warp, bi- stretch or hyper-
stretch—along with
performance enhancing
technology like Invista’s
Coolmax and Cordura fiber.
 64
VI. Natural romance
The very definition of spring, this trend calls for pastel colors,
semi-transparent fabrics and retro silhouettes. Lightweight
fabrications, extreme high-waists with fluid shapes and
materials create dreamy, bohemian looks. Handmade fabrics,
finishes and trims enhance the fabric’s vintage appearance.
Crochet, lace, ruffles, gathering, eyelets and corduroy add
texture. The theme naturally lends itself to product stories
centered around eco fibers, sustainable washes and circularity
concepts.
VII. Artistic license
Trashy meets high fashion in
this bold and creative story.
Luxury details pulled straight
from the catwalk are paired
with contrasting denim fabrics.
Convertible styles, gathered
hems and rope lacing in
unexpected areas add an avant-
garde look, while dense glitter,
gold foil and tickertape ribbon
speaks to the fast fashion
consumer. Vivid blue washes
with shiny gold hardware are a
standout.
 65
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, denim brands of all
sizes have shifted to mask production to provide both essential
workers and the public with protective gear. And now that some
time has passed, brands are honing their masks to include a
greater focus on comfort and style. They’re incorporating
features like nose clips and tie backs for comfort, and
experimenting with various prints and shapes.
VIII. Citizens of Humanity Cotton Masks (5 pack)
Citizens of Humanity re-purposed its sewing facility to produce
masks for front line responders, and has since made them
available to the public. Consumers can purchase a five-pack,
which includes an assortment of black, raw denim, washed
denim and tan colors, and dual head ties.

Here are the best face masks made by denim brands that include
features for style and comfort—and many also include a
charitable component.

IX. Denim Cow Print Mask

Inclusive denim brand 69 offers
masks with elastic ear loops and
pleated fabric. Masks are available in
multiple prints and colors, including
this tie-dye blue-and-white design.
 66
5) Denim textile industry after Covid-19

Amy Wang, general manager, Advance Denim, China:

'"Among consequences coronavirus will bring in the jeans wear and
fashion market there will be an impact on new fabric requirements,
styles and sales models."  For instance, we have introduced bio-
antibacterial and environmentally safe denim fabrics.
Meanwhile, brands will implement a variety of online sales
methods. In terms of quantity, especially in China, the traditional
offline sales or the sales without features was bleak in the first
half of 2020, while the influence on online sales were much less,
and will gradually improve in the second half of 2020.

AmyWang
General manager,
Advance Denim,
China

Denim Market Segmentation Analysis

The online distribution channel is expected to register the fastest

growth in the denim market during the forecast period (2020-
2025). This can be attributed to the rapidly growing e-commerce
industry around the globe, with the populace inclining towards
online shopping. Additionally, customers now want convenient
on-demand shopping, via a platform that lets them choose from a
variety of products. Owing to this, the online market for denim
clothing is expected to witness robust growth, globally, in the
coming years.
 67
Men category in Denim held the largest share in the market in
2017, due to their high demand for rugged-material and casual
clothing. Male consumers wear denim clothing for various
purposes, such as parties, everyday life, and work.

The Future of Denim: The democracy of denim

Denim is loved across ages, genders, countries and styles and few
items of clothing smash social barriers better like a faithful pair
of jeans. It’s the undisputed champion of garments with work
wear, revolution, and social values woven into its identity. The
demand and the market for denim are not going anywhere.
Rosey Cortazzi, former vice-president at Levi’s and now global
marketing director for Turkish denim supplier Isko, which works
with Topman, Diesel and Guess says “we’re extremely optimistic
about the health of the denim market and have expanded our
capacity to meet increased demand.
We’ve upped our number of looms from 1,700 to 2,000, and
increased our annual production capacity from 250 million
metres annually to 350 million metres.”

Looking forwards, as the market expands it’s imperative that the

practices change at an even faster rate. But a commitment to
sustainability means a commitment to worker welfare as well as
the environment. As a clothing sector defined by authenticity
and heritage, the denim industry would be the first to be called
out for overlooking this responsibility.
Fashion Revolution Week is a week of campaigns and action to
demand greater transparency in the fashion supply chain. Taking
place during the week of 24 April, the date of the Rana Plaza
building collapse, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, it’s the industry’s voice
on redefining how we think about clothes.

Dutch denim brand MUD Jeans, known for allowing consumers

to lease jeans rather than own them, headed to Tunisia in April to
document how it manufactures new jeans from recycled fabrics.
 68
Levi’s, a brand founded on its social principles and work ethic of
its original customers, is similarly dedicated to worker wellbeing.
As brand consultant Emma Mainoo says, “For those simply
painting their storefronts with rainbows, they might look to
Levi’s, which has been supporting equal rights within its
workforce since the 1970s and 1980s.The programme benefits
nearly 100,000 workers in 12 countries. By 2020, 80% of all Levi’s
products will be made in factories that support Worker Well-
Being, benefiting at least 200,000 workers. By 2025, Levi’s plan to
increase that number to 300,000. It’s an incredible example of the
impact which global brands can have on sustainable development
goals.

A 166-year history is testament in itself to success, but the last

few years have been particularly important for Levi’s, as it’s
tapped into its heritage and adapted to reflect values of product
innovation, pioneering sustainable practices and political
engagement before launching on the stock market.

It was the father of jeans as fashion rather than work wear,

Giorgio Armani, who said that “jeans represent democracy in
fashion” and he was right. Sustainable fashion is the story of
democracy communicated through clothing and denim has the
opportunity to lead this conversation, include and support
stakeholders at every level and act as a signifier of social change
for both industry and culture. Considering denim’s role with
fashion industry’s and environment , It’s worth returning to the
central question of circularity and how this ultimately reflects
what the industry is striving for.
It’s not only a question of using less water, producing less waste
and adopting innovative pattern cutting techniques, but a case of
observing the three ‘R’s – reuse, re-pair, re-cycle. The future of
denim looks set to be shaped by society and crafted by culture as
it ever was in 1873. And an awaken society demands dependable
denim brands with authentic values.
 69
5. 2) S u g g es ti on s :

For Customers
• Look out for plastic on the label
Single-use plastic is one of the biggest issues currently
being faced on the planet, but one may not be aware that
plastic has also infiltrated our clothes in the form of
fibres. Indeed, it’s hard to avoid them – polyester, nylon,
and rayon are simply elevated terms for plastic.
Particular offenders include activewear, as these items
are almost entirely made from these fabrics. Luckily,
there are a host of new lines offering natural fibre active
wear alternatives.

• Seek out vintage

There are so many amazing sources of vintage fashion
that offer guilt-free fashion purchases. One mightd have
found silk slips from the Twenties to sleep in, flowy
dresses from the Seventies from your mother’s closet and
a particularly amazing Belstaff biker jacket in pristine
condition.

On the similar lines, Indian Craftsmen and Clusters may

be promoted by coming together with brands for
Embroidery jeans and Intricate silk works on Denim
products to give a flavor of rich Heritage and Culture
from Mughal Times to combine this with rugged jeans for
perfect Indo-Western blend.

• Shop less, Shop better

Invest more in fewer pieces and try to avoid flash-in-the-
pan trends. Estimates suggest more than half of all
clothing purchases are discarded in less than a year.
Landfills burn the equivalent of one garbage truck full of
garments each and every second. Whittling down your
purchases to only those items you truly love will make
you feel more confident, too.
 70

• Upcycling is king
It might not sound cool to some, but this is one of the
best options you have for shopping more sustainably.
You stock the amazing E.L.V. denim/Twirl.com that up
cycles all its denim products – the founder Anna, finds
dead stock jeans and revives them into something new
and wonderfully unique. One may have so much
beautiful and functional material on earth already that
there is almost no need to be creating new materials.
Showing support to designers who talk about things like
closed-loop processes or a circular supply chain – such
as Marine Serre, Stella McCartney and Swedish
Stockings – is also important. As a consumer, the power
is in the Rupee in your pocket.

• Designing for circularity

For brands to be involved, meeting the criteria is a
matter of design — minimizing the number of rivets, for
example, is a style choice, and one way that designers
can plan garments that maximize durability and then,
at the end of their life, be more easily disassembled. The
criteria may also mean, at least temporarily, potentially
limiting the style of jeans a brand can offer under the
project.

• Start with the basics

If you’re new to sustainable fashion, attempting to
completely overhaul your shopping habits can be
overwhelming. Sandra Capponi, co-founder of Good On
You – an app that rates how ethical brands are based
on the impact they have on people, the planet, and
animals. Organic linen and recycled cotton are among
the best rated fabrics, while the worst include nylon,
rayon and wool.

HILTS, C. (2018, November 7). VOGUE. Retrieved from 5 ways to shop more
sustainably: https://www.vogue.co.uk/gallery/sustainable-fashion-shopping-tips
 71
Manufacturer’s Responsibilities:

• Laser technology
The technology that can give a pair of jeans a worn look instead
of sandblasting or hand sanding which can be lethal or
detrimental to workers and the environment.
Distressing jeans by engraving images on the fabrics with lasers
is also possible with lasers. This also eliminates the need of water
to create a distressed look.
Also, printing on denims can be done by Laser technology. The
pioneers in this field have adapted this, yet many other
companies have to do so.

• Nano Bubbles Finishing

In 2011, eflow, a technology that uses air (Nano bubbles) instead
of water to dye jeans and give them properties like softness and
wrinkle repelling was introduced.
Using these innovations, an average pair of jeans requires just a
glass of water to finish when it used to require 300 liters. In
2014, a cleaner dyeing process was introduced that takes indigo
dye and uses electrochemical (Co2 and O2) and no water to make
the colors for their denim.
• Ozone Washing
It is the process of harnessing the natural bleaching capabilities
of ozone gas to give a range of specialty bleached effects with
substantially reduced environmental impact
 72
.Ozone naturally has strong oxidizing capabilities, which can
destroy indigo dyes on the fabric’s surface, creating a bleached
appearance. Denim jeans are dampened and exposed to the ozone
for the treatment, and the desired bleaching level can be
achieved in around 15 minutes. The ozone reconverts to oxygen
and is released safely into the environment. Dry ozone processes
are now also available, removing the need for bleach and water,
to create sustainable denim.

• Chitosan, which comes from the waste of the food industry (it
is the natural derivative of chitin which is the exoskeleton of
shrimp and crab) is being applied to the yarn after dyeing it. It
creates a shell to protect the color so dyes will not rub off and less
dye is needed overall to color the denim. This new process saves
chemistry, water, and energy and is biodegradable. Because there
are no chemicals, the process doesn't create skin problems.

• Disposal: Consumers are looking for sustainability from

production to disposal. Many brands now recycle old jeans,
turning them into building materials or new products. Yet this
step is not universally adopted. Seeing the present situation, this
becomes imperative for any brand to do so and make denim
sustainable in its true sense.
 73

•Organic Denims: With the increasing awareness of

environmental safety, organic clothes are simultaneously
gaining immense popularity. There are some brands that make
sure that their denim is purely sustainable. For example,
Sling and Stones: This is a Japanese brand that uses only
handpicked cotton, dyed with natural indigo and washed in an
environmentally friendly way.
Sharkah Chakra: This brand is sold in the stores in London.
They are 100% organic denims starting from cotton, to dyes
and handloom weaving. The production process is quite long,
but its objective is honourable.

• Boutique denim is becoming more popular these days. Indian

Couture or Fashion houses may hit this opportunity as just
right time.
Like H n M‘s collaboration with SABYASACHI.
 74

• Vegetable Dyes: There

are more than 500 color
giving plants in this
world. Generally, denim
being a cotton fabric
makes it difficult to dye
with natural dyes

• Green Production
Denim may have a durability that makes it more likely to be re-
worn and less likely to end up in a landfill, but the process to
produce it is still an extremely wasteful one that uses massive
amounts of water and dye.
Innovation Leaders are out to change that by employing new
technology and methods that lower the impact of denim
production. However, a lot of other brands still have to adapt to
these changing technology in order to survive in the industry.
Since, the consumers are getting more aware day by day, the
brands certainly need to change themselves to response in a
better and positive way.
• BCI (Better Cotton Initiative)
• Man made Cellulosic Materials
• Following 3 R’s –Reuse, Repair and Re Cycle
Partner up with the waste management sector
Help the waste management sector increase textile collection
from household waste. Too much useful textile ends up as waste,
rather than in recycling system. Involve waste management
sector in product development, because they know what happens
at the other end of the value chain.
 75
LEARNING OUTCOMES & CONCLUSION

It is being nurtured with this assignment that Moving forward

into 2020, Prevailing mood is one of the anxiety and
concern.With the Pandemic giving way to the headwinds,
Denim Industry is busy preparing for the harsh effects.
The three key words that echo loudly for Denim is -
Reuse,Recycle,Repair.
Customers are being hyper aware and need for cleaner
Technologies and cellulosic fibers is more than ever now
Denim and Jeans have entered in our genes such way that
even Pandemic will not let it go anywhere.
Sustainability is not only manufacturer's sole responsibility
but the consumers and other stakeholders have their hands
in it too.
The shift and awareness among people will create demand
for products that go above and beyond traditional eco-
friendly.

In conclusion, it is well accepted that denim is an evergreen

fashion and liked by all irrespective of gender, age and
profession. A lot of innovation and research are to be done on
continuous basis to fulfil requirements of diverse consumers
keeping in mind its impact on society and environment.
Brighter outlook-Casual attire is unlikely to go out of fashion
anytime soon. Hence, the outlook for the denim industry remains
bright. As long as manufacturers deliver consumers demand for
comfort and performance, denim stands a fair chance to be part
of the casual apparel rebound. Echoing the same sentiment,
Cohen noted the denim business is unlikely to see any kind of
decline from consumer usage point of view. It has always
resonated with manufacturers across the world and will continue
to do so.
 ANNEXTURE- TERMINOLOGIES IN DENIM

Arcuate
The arcuate is that unmistakeable V-shaped stitched pattern
on the butt pockets of Levi’s.

Abrasion
Just like the term implies, abrasion is the process of making
jeans look and feel worn and aged by scraping or rubbing the
fabric surface using sandpaper or pumice stones.

Bartack
Tiny bits of thick hand- or machine-made stitches used as
reinforcements in areas like pocket openings, fly openings, or
buttonholes.

Bias Tape
A bias tape is a narrow strip of fabric that is cut against the
grain, making it more flexible to apply to curved lines; it's
used along pockets and hems as reinforcement.

Chambray
This lightweight plain weave cotton is a great alternative to
thick denim in the summer. It’s made with a single-colored
warp and white weft, which gives it that light blue color.

Contour
To fit the woman’s figure, denim is cut to contour at the hips
and side seams and narrow at the waist to help prevent
against gapping in the back.

Crosshatch
Crosshatch is a type of weave where yarns intersect to make a
cross on the surface.
 ANNEXTURE- TERMINOLOGIES IN DENIM

Hemp Denim
This one’s very literal: It’s denim made using the hemp fiber.

Pigment Dye
This is a dying process where dye sticks to the
fabric, but no chemical reaction takes place between the dye
and the fabric.
 
Pumice Stones
These are the stones used in “stone” washes.
 
Rivet
These are small metal accessories that are used
to reinforce stress points and serve as non-functional
ornamentation.
                                                                                                  
Slub
If you’ve ever found denim to have uneven
texture, that’s what the industry calls a slub.
 
Tinting
This is the process of adding a little bit of
color to give a pair of jeans a slightly different shade.
 
Whiskering
The fading of the ridges in creases around the
crotch area and the back of the knees are affectionately known
as whiskers.
 BIBLIOGRAPHY

Works Cited
Admin, D. (2019, February 9). Denim Innovation.
Retrieved from New Denim Trends in 2019:
https://www.deniminnovation.com/2019/02/09/new
-denim-trends-in-2019/

Bojer, T. S. (2018, january). Denim Hunters. Retrieved

from 27 Revolutionary Denim Innovations you need
to know:https://denimhunters.com/27-denim-
innovations/

Department, S. R. (September 2016). Statista.

Retrieved from Number of denim jeans consumed in
India:
https://www.statista.com/statistics/1011918/men-s-
and-women-s-denim-market-value-worldwide/

HILTS, C. (2018, November 7). VOGUE. Retrieved

from 5 ways to shop more sustainably:
https://www.vogue.co.uk/gallery/sustainable-
fashion-shopping-tips

Wheeler, M. (2019). Fashion Revolution . Retrieved

from Future of Denim:
https://www.fashionrevolution.org/the-future-of-
denim-part-4-the-democracy-of-denim/

Hodakel, B. (2020, August 22).  The Remarkable

History Of Denim (How It Became an Icon in
Fashion). Retrieved
from www.sewport.com: https://sewport.com/learn/d
enim-history
 BIBLIOGRAPHY

BRAG. (2019, January 24).  A Brief History Of Denim.

Retrieved
from  www.bragvintage.co.uk:  https://www.bragvintag
e.co.uk/history/brief-history-of-denim

BASS-KRUEGER, P. M. (2019, April 10).  Vogue

encyclopaedia: The history of denim jeans. Retrieved
from  www.vogue.fr:  https://www.vogue.fr/fashion/art
icle/vogue-encyclopaedia-the-history-of-denim-jeans

CHAN, E. (2020, August 14).  5 ways to shop denim

more sustainably. Retrieved
from  www.vogue.in:  https://www.vogue.in/fashion/co
ntent/5-ways-to-shop-denim-more-sustainably

O' Connell, L. (2020, March 11).  Global denim market -

Statistics & Facts. Retrieved
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cs/5959/denim-market-worldwide/