SUSTAINABLE DENIM MARKET REPORT

Market report Kotryna Adomaityte N0744155

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- Isko

About the brand 4-5 Sustainability 6 Products 7

- Market Level 8 - Competitors 9 - Levi’s

Content

About the brand 10-11 Sustainability 12-13 The consumer 14-15 USP 16-17 Price range 18-19 Fabric and details 20-21 Summary 22-23

- Boyish jeans

About the brand 24-25 Sustainability 26-27 The consumer 28-29 USP 30-31 Price range 32-33 Fabric and details 34-37 Summary 38-39

- Outland jeans

About the brand 40-41 Sustainability 42-43 The consumer 44-45 USP 46-47 Price range 48-49 Fabric and details 50-51 Summary 52-53

- Conclusion 54-55 - References 56-57 3

A textile manufacturer and distributor and the world’s largest producer of denim.

SUSTAINABILITY ISKO is a sustainable denim brand, focusing on improving and creatign new denim. ISKO R-TWO™ is the latest sustainable evolution.

Fabrics contain a mix of reused and / or recycled materials, with avoidance of any kind of waste at its heart.

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PHILOSOPHY Performance ISKO™ is the denim specialist, all fabrics are characterized by an advanced technology and the deeply-rooted care for quality, during all the integrated production from yarn to finishing processes.

Innovation ISKO™’s mission is to always keep in touch with the latest trends and also to anticipate times. ISKO’s research center is certified by the Turkish government and it consists of more than 25 textile engineers, specialists in creating new denim products.

Green at ISKO™ rethinks their sourcing strategies and refuses to source more material than needed. Waste management innovations reduce the environmental performance impact from yarn to fabric production, by using reused and recycled materials.

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PRODUCTS Isko offers a wide range of sustainably produced fabrics.

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Newest technology ISKO Vital™ is the innovative fabric and garment technology platform delivering the world’s first woven compression product system. This is the culmination of a two-year development led by ISKO’s research laboratory, combining the company’s expertise in denim and woven technologies with groundbreaking innovation. By applying pressure to the body, it facilitates a pumping mechanism that improves the blood flow in the veins, forcing it back to the heart.

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Market level

The market I am entering is High Street. However, this is a more luxurious hight street as the brands I choose, use higher quality fabrics. The main indicator for choosing my competitors was their approach to sustainability, as this is the main focus of this project. Therefore, I chose Levi’s, Boyish jeans, and Outland deinm, as all their brands use the highest quality sustainably produced denim.

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Competitors High Price

Sustainable

Lower price

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About the brand Levi’s is an American clothing company known worldwide for its denim jeans. It was founded in May 1853 when German immigrant Levi Strauss moved from Buttenheim, Bavaria, to San Francisco, California to open a west coast branch of his brothers’ New York dry goods business. The company’s corporate headquarters is located in Levi’s Plaza in San Francisco.

This brand has set values that they truly believe in. First of them being Empathy. This brand pays close attention to the world around them, meaning they listen and respond to the needs of their consumers, employees, and other stakeholders. Secondly, it’s originality. This brand is authentic and innovative. The pioneering spirit that started in 1873 with the very first pair of blue jeans still permeates all aspects of their brand. Through innovative practices and products, this brand breaks the mold. Thirdly comes integrity, meaning that this brand believes in doing right by their employees, brands, company, and society as a whole. This brand strongly belies in ethical conduct and social responsibility as their way of business. Lastly comes courage. It means standing by their convictions and acting on their beliefs. These four values are represented within the brand.

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Sustainability Sustainability Production techniques used by Levis brand use far less water that traditional methods. Their designers are constantly thinking of new ways to create the same denim you love while cutting back on H2O, such as reusing water during production and creating new finishes that require less water than traditional processes. To date, we use more than 20 water-saving finish techniques, and we share our methods with others to inspire industry-wide progress.

They also promote The Better Cotton Initiative that trains farmers to use less water, pesticides, insecticides and synthetic fertilizer when growing cotton plants. Using new agricultural techniques, farmers can reduce their inputs and increase their yields, leading to higher profits and less of an environmental impact.Levis also expands life cycle of their jeans by recentry launched Levi’s® Authorised Vintage collection and their partnership with RE/DONE, a brand that remasters vintage Levi’s® jeans, they have made it easier than ever to discover original, one-of-a-kind pieces. Not only will you look your best in something unique, but you’ll also help cut back on the environmental impact by buying something that’s already been worn and loved.

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Since 1873, this brand made timeless clothes that are built to endure. But clothes shouldn’t come at the expense of the environment.

The global climate crisis is happening now (and fast). As temperatures and sea levels rise, our designers are radically altering the way our iconic styles are made, and always moving toward more sustainable design practices. The results include Levi’s® most sustainably designed collection to date ‘WellThread’. So the jeans you wear today don’t pile up in landfills tomorrow.

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The consumer

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Levi’s target customers are 15-30 males and females in the middle and upper class. Their ideal customer is someone that appreciated traditions and classic styles. They are willing to spend more on a pair of jeans, as they prefer quality over quantity. Levi’s target customers are social & open-minded, conscious of building a better future they save although they have spending power. They value physical experience and are loyal to brands that add value to their life.

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USP One of the main unique selling points of this brand is that they are the oldest denim brand yet they produce modern designs manufactured with the newest technologies. This brand offers quality and well-designed denim garments, that are meant to get better with time.

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Another unique selling point is their attention to detail. This brand takes pride in manufacturing their garments to perfection. All their garments have personalized details that really reflect the brand’s identity and give a personal touch to their garments.

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Price range Jeans 55 £ - 120 £

Skirts 50 £ - 70 £

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Shorts 35 £ - 95 £

Dresses 50 £ - 95 £

Outerwear 80 £ - 190 £

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Details Made with an extra-relaxed silhouette and elongated hem for an oversized take on our classic Trucker Jacket.

Made with a two-tone, pieced construction for a distinctive look.

MATERIALS 100% Cotton Non-stretch Point collar Front button placket Back waist tabs for an adjustable fit Chest patch pockets with button-flap closures Welt side pockets

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Flatters your waist and holds you in A sleek, comfortable high-rise fit Iconic leather patch at back waist Breathable and moisture wicking UV protection rating of UPF 50+ Product made of transformed recycled bottles into amazingly resistent fiber.

These jeans are made with the Better Cotton Initiative to improve cotton farming globally MATERIALS 75% Cotton, 24% Polyester, 1% Elastane Denim Mid stretch Zip fly 5-pocket styling

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Summary I choose Levi’s brand as one of my competitors as they are the iconic denim brand, that always creates new technologies for denim, they also have adapted sustainability measures to reduce the use of water, while producing their denim and other initiatives that help the planet.

Levi’s is a well-known denim brand, that has stood the test of time.

They produce high-quality classic denim garments, that are meant to last a long time. As I mentioned previously they also apply sustainability measures in their garment production, such as reducing water, they also fix broken garments, to maintain their life cycle.

This brand offers a wide range of denim garments. Mainly their focus is denim jeans, therefore they have a lot of different shapes and fits of them. In addition, they tailor their jeans in stores ensuring that denim fits perfectly.

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About the brand Boyish Jeans is a collection of sustainable women’s denim founded by California native, Jordan Nodarse. Designed in Los Angeles, each collection is centered on vintage silhouettes with a modern update, all available at an attainable price point. Inspired by the stylish women who often describe their personal style as “Boyish”, the brand utilizes men’s fabrics and fits tailored for a woman’s body when creating all collections. Boyish focuses on product quality, fit, and authentic washes to create styles reminiscent of your favorite pair of vintage jeans with an updated, fresh design and feminine fit.

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Sustainability

At the core of all Boyish collections lies a deep commitment to leaving as little impact on the earth as possible. Therefore, Boyish utilizes ethical and sustainable practices when developing and manufacturing its products. All jeans are produced with sustainable fabrics through a completely environmentally-friendly and cruelty-free process.

Boyish Jeans’ efforts in sustainable fashion include working with ethical factories, using less harmful chemicals during the dyeing process, utilizing one-third of the amount of water typically needed to produce a pair of jeans, and working exclusively with recycled fabrics and materials for everything put out by the brand. From hangtags and hardware to the polybags they are shipped in, everything put forth by Boyish Jeans is thought through to ensure there is minimal impact on our environment. Doing its part to reduce waste in one of the most polluting industries in the world fashion, Boyish Jeans aims to set the standard for production practices and encourage others to join in the movement. A brand that feels good to buy and even better to wear, the only impact Boyish leaves on the planet is good jeans.

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The consumer This brand targets young females from 20-30, in the middle or upper class as their garments, are a bit more expensive. The ideal consumer is an outgoing, expressive female with a passion for fashion and arts.

This brand targets people that appreciate quality and fit and are conscious about the environment.

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USP

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One of these brand’s unique selling points is their color, as this brand offers a range of unique pastel colors, that wouldn’t usually be associated with denim. Because their designs are classic and inspired by vintage designs, creating colored denim makes them stand out.

In addition, another USP for this brand is definitely the fact that they use men’s fabrics and fits that are tailored for a woman’s body.

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Price range Jeans 55 £ - 150 £

Jackets 70 £ - 150 £

Overalls 60 £ - 150 £

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Shorts 40 £ - 86 £

Skirts 40 £ - 86 £

Dresses 55 £ - 120 £ 33

Details

The Sydney dress includes safari pockets and short sleeves, perfect for Spring. It comes in a light indigo wash and includes recycled cotton, reducing its carbon footprint and water usage.

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Rigid high waisted wide leg jeans. The Charley comes in a medium light wash with a raw hem and exposed button fly. This jean includes recycled cotton reducing its carbon footprint and reducing water usage.

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The Kirby is high rise rigid straight jean with a clean silhouette and no front pockets. It is reminiscent of classic vintage jeans in the perfect light mint wash with a raw hem.

This jean is made with organic and recycled cotton reducing its carbon footprint and reducing water usage.

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The Corey is a rigid mini skirt in a light stripe wash with a raw hem. This vintage denim skirt includes recycled cotton reducing its carbon footprint and reducing water usage.

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Summary

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To summarise, Boyish jeans are a relatively new sustainable denim brand, that focuses on product quality, fit, and authentic washes to create styles reminiscent of a pair of vintage jeans with an updated, fresh design and feminine fit.

This brand not only uses sustainable methods to produce their denim, but they are also promoting an ethical working environment.

This brand offers a range of garments such as jeans, skirts, tops, dresses, and overalls. Even though they don’t have a wide range, garments that they do have are well designed.

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Brand identity Outland Denim is an Australian denim company. The company started by James Bartle in 2011, was founded with the mission of helping survivors of human trafficking in Asia and now also provides living wages to its seamstresses in small villages in Cambodia. Outland Denim crafts premium denim jeans designed to bring the worlds of our seamstresses and our customers closer together.

They source the finest raw materials from around the world while offering sustainable employment and training opportunities to women who have experienced exploitation. This brand has proven that a sustainable career path and holistic approach to supporting our staff is the key to true social change in not only the lives of our staff but their families and communities.

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Sustainability

Less water. Less Energy. More opportunity.

From responsible stewardship of natural resources and raw materials, to thoughtful design, research and collaboration, as a company we invest heavily into ensuring that our denims make a minimal footprint as they begin their life.

Cleaning up denim’s dirty reputation.

This brands chooses to use organic cotton to create their denims, which is proven to use 91% per cent less blue water (fresh surface or groundwater sources) than conventional cotton.

Their organic cotton is farmed with zero use of agrochemicals, such as pesticides, Which is known to reduce soil quality, contribute to water pollution, and severely affect the health of farmers.

Tradition meets innovation.

This brands stand-alone wash and finishing facility, equipped with industry-leading water and energy reducing technology, represents a new standard of sustainability.

Classical production style, combined with state-of-the-art finishing techniques, result in premium finished denims with less impact.

This brand sources the finest, most sustainable raw materials from suppliers who share in their mission and excel in social and environmental responsibility.

Every button, rivet, and stitch is selected by our designers with intention to minimise impact on the environment and ensure that there is zero exploitation in our supply chain.

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The consumer This brand targets a high income, upper-class people aged 23-40, as their garments are premium quality and higher price.

Their consumer appreciates good quality and the right fit as for them jeans are the foundation to a wardrobe that you build upon. This brand’s ideal customer wants to invest in brands they believe to be doing the right thing by people and the planet.

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USP This brand’s UPS is definitely the fit and quality of their garments. All denim pieces they offer are sustainably produced and made to fit perfectly. In addition, their attention to detail is impeccable. Every pair of jeans, on the pocket lining, has a message from the people that manufacture denim garments. I thought it’s a very nice initiative to show people who make their clothes, and that people who work in Outland Denim are treated ethically.

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Price range Jeans 145 £ - 180 £

Dresses 200 £

Jackets 170 £ - 210 £

Skirts 40 £ - 86 £

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Shorts 120 £- 130 £

Shirts 140 £

Overalls 220 £

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Details

Materials 43% Lyocell 40% Recycled Cotton 17% Organic Cotton Cotton: Organic Wash: Zero harmful chemicals Pocket lining: Zero harmful chemicals Zippers: Chrome-free Thread: Zero harmful chemicals Buttons: Zero harmful chemicals Brand patch: Vegan, jacron patch Labour: Fair wages and safe conditions

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Materials 98% Organic cotton 2% Elastane Cotton: Organic Wash: Zero harmful chemicals Pocket lining: Zero harmful chemicals Thread: Zero harmful chemicals Buttons: Zero harmful chemicals Labour: Fair wages and safe conditions

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Summary To conclude, Outland is a very young denim brand, however, they have set their name in the industry, by producing sustainable fabrics and manufacturing techniques to produce high-quality denim garments.

This brand doesn’t have a wide range of garments, however, they have well-designed wardrobe staples that are meant to last a long time.

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Conclusion To conclude, researching all these denim brands gave me an insight into the denim industry, as before I had no experience with that.

Few things that these brands: Levi’s, Boyish jeans, and Outland jeans have in common are their approach to sustainability. This was my main criteria for choosing my competitors. All these three brands promote sustainable methods to produce their denim, by reducing water waste, harsh chemicals, and dyes.

Researching that really made me think about how can I design responsibly, to waste as little water and fabric as possible, which helped me to make better design choices in my collection.

Another thing between these brands is the quality and fit. Because denim is quite harsh fabric, it is very important that it is tailored and manufactured perfectly. As denim is meant to get better with time, garments have to be made to last. Researching the details and fits helped me to further understand how denim garments are constructed and made.

Overall, all this research improved my understanding of denim fabric production and garment manufacture, which helped me to design a sustainable denim collection.

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References https://www.outlanddenim.co.uk https://iskodenim.com https://www.levi.com/GB/en_GB/ https://www.boyish.com https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Levi_Strauss_%26_Co. https://www.livefrankly.co.uk/directory/outland-denim/ https://www.vogue.co.uk/article/boyish-new-sustainable-denim-label-2019

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