Back in Action Denim for Good

BACK IN ACTION DENIM FOR GOOD

SOURCINGJOURNAL.COM NO. 12 / JUNE 2021 Angela Velasquez Executive Editor, Rivet

EMPIRE STATE Peter Sadera Editor in Chief, Sourcing Journal

Jessica Binns Managing Editor OF MIND Arthur Friedman Senior Editor Vicki M. Young Executive Financial Reporter As I write, 140 million individuals in the U.S. are fully vaccinated against Covid- Jasmin Malik Chua Sourcing & Labor Editor 19 and thousands, perhaps even millions, more will be by press time, includ- Kate Nishimura Features Editor ing yours truly. But it doesn’t take data to sense that people feel safer, at least Glenn Taylor Business Editor not in New York City where subways are filling up, lunch joints are packed with Liz Warren Staff Writer office workers and pandemic politeness has checked out—all signs that nature is 102 restoring itself in the City That Never Sleeps. Victor Vaughns Jr. Rivet Market Editor 1 It’s enough to warm the heart of any New Yorker because the city had Chuck Dobrosielski Staff Writer indeed descended into a bleak state one year ago. New Yorkers don’t easily accept Sarah Jones Business Reporter defeat, but even the most steadfast recognized that the city—as the U.S. pan- Tonya Blazio-Licorish Contributor, Fairchild Archive Assistant demic epicenter with sirens wailing every few minutes and temporary morgues lining our streets—was far from its brashly dynamic self. ART DEPARTMENT It takes a real New Yorker to admit that. We New Yorkers, after all, famously Celena Tang Associate Art Director wear our New York-ness like a crown atop our inflated heads. The last time I Arani Halder Designer was in Las Vegas for Project, a stranger at Starbucks said they could tell I was from New York. It was one of the best compliments I ever received, even after a SOURCING JOURNAL ADVERTISING colleague (and fellow blunt New Yorker) pointed out that it was a polite way of Edward Hertzman Founder & President, Sourcing Journal & Rivet saying, “you look like an [insert expletive].” Executive Vice President, Fairchild While people tend to wax poetically about New York’s resilience, what they Caletha Crawford Publisher say is true: The city always bounces back—oftentimes new and improved. Opti- Lauren Parker Branded Content Manager mism is in the air. The plywood that shrouded the city’s stores last summer is Eric Hertzman Senior Director of Sales & Marketing down. People are dressing for destinations other than their couch, and denim, Deborah B. Baron Advertising Director once again, has returned to the urban landscape. The city serves as the backdrop Allix Cowan Client Services Coordinator to our fashion editorial “The Big Green Apple” on pg. 44, in which we shine a Sarah Sloand Executive Sales Assistant spotlight on the new denim wardrobe that is more sustainable and stylish than ever before. PRODUCTION I would argue that the denim industry is a lot like New York. Both are gritty, Kevin Hurley Production Director classic, cool and tough. Both are always reinventing themselves with unabashed John Cross Production Manager swagger and confidence, and both know how to defy greatly exaggerated claims Therese Hurter PreMedia Specialist of its so-called demise. And like New York, it’s the will, passion and talent of the people working in the denim industry that help safeguard its staying power.

This issue celebrates the progressive steps denim companies are taking to FAIRCHILD PUBLISHING LLC IS A DIVISION OF PENSKE MEDIA CORPORATION ensure that they are not only conducting business responsibly, but also having JAY PENSKE CHAIRMAN & CEO a positive, long-lasting impact on both the planet and the people enmeshed in their supply chains. From programs that help elevate the voices of underrepre- GERRY BYRNE VICE CHAIRMAN sented groups, to initiatives put in place to provide healthcare, education and GEORGE GROBAR CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER SARLINA SEE CHIEF ACCOUNTING OFFICER financial assistance to those in need, the denim industry is leaning into the fab- CRAIG PERREAULT CHIEF DIGITAL OFFICER ric’s democratic allure. The hardships of the past year serve as a reminder that TODD GREENE EVP, BUSINESS AFFAIRS AND CHIEF LEGAL OFFICER we’re all connected—be it by industry, zip code or experiences—and it’s this MARK HOWARD CHIEF ADVERTISING AND PARTNERSHIPS OFFICER sense of community that leads me to believe that the best is yet to come. PAUL RAINEY EVP, OPERATIONS & FINANCE TOM FINN SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, OPERATIONS DEBASHISH GHOSH MANAGING DIRECTOR, INTERNATIONAL MARKETS JENNY CONNELLY SVP, PRODUCT & TECHNOLOGY JUDITH R. MARGOLIN SVP, DEPUTY GENERAL COUNSEL KEN DELALCAZAR SVP, FINANCE Executive Editor, Rivet LAUREN UTECHT SVP, HUMAN RESOURCES NELSON ANDERSON SVP, CREATIVE RACHEL TERRACE SVP, LICENSING & BRAND DEVELOPMENT COVER: DL1961 COTTON AND LYCRA DRESS; COTTON CITIZEN RIBBED KNIT DRESS; EDITOR’S EARRINGS.

RIVET NO.12 / JUNE 2021 RIVET NO.12 / JUNE 2021 TABLE OF CONTENTS

GREEN MARKET 05 The latest denim collections usher in a new era of sustainable design and manufacturing.

IGNITING CHANGE 20 Transformers Foundation is rallying the denim industry to foster meaningful change.

EQUAL GROUND 2 24 The Women In Denim is on a mission to promote 3 gender equality throug the supply chain.

IN IT TOGETHER 28 The pandemic underscored the need for employee hardship funds like Levi Strauss & Co.'s Red Tab Foundation.

GOOD BUSINESS 35 Leaders in the denim supply chain step up to support their employees and local communities.

THE BIG GREEN APPLE 44 The new denim wardobe is as sustainable and stylish as ever.

DON'T CALL IT A COME BACK 54 New York City's fashion and retail sectors are ready to navigate life after the coronavirus.

WORDS INTO ACTIONS 66 Has the industry kept its promises to last year's Black Lives Matter movement?

PUBLIC CRITIQUE 74 To cancel or not to cancel? Consumers feel more empowered than ever to take brands to task.

PEOPLE + PLANET 82 Intersectional environmentalism—what does it mean for the denim industry?

BE GOOD 88 In an age of conscious consumerism, B Corp RAG & BONE T-SHIRT; KSENIA certification has become the standard to strive for. SCHNAIDER JEANS; JIMMY CHOO BOOTS; AGMES NECKLACE; GLO-CAL KNOWLEDGE MILAMORE NECKLACE; PAMELA 94 Can global producers usher in L.A.'s denim revival? LOVE EARRINGS; LADY GREY EARRINGS AND RINGS; KELTY PELECHYTIK RING.

RIVET NO.12 / JUNE 2021 RIVET NO.12 / JUNE 2021 4 GREEN MARKET

The latest denim collections usher in a new era of sustainable design and manufacturing. SOURCING GREENSOURCING MARKET

FRESH START COLOR SCIENCE Spring 2021 will go down as the year Gap released Sustainable dyes are the latest focus for H&M’s try. Colorifix, a U.K. biotech company that uses a its most sustainable collection to date as well as Innovation Stories, a series of capsules collectively natural, biological process to produce and fix pig- its first circular jeans. The brand launched Gener- aiming to promote the use of sustainable materials, ments onto textiles, is launched worldwide with ation Good, a sustainable line of women’s, men’s, technology and production processes across the the H&M collection. We aRe SpinDye, a recycled kids’ and baby apparel that address issues related garment industry. polyester that is pigmented before being extracted to water usage, sustainable materials, waste, CO2 The Swedish clothing giant’s Color Story for into yarn, is also featured in the line in the form of emissions and workers’ rights. The collection spring centers on women’s separates dyed using a terra-cotta pant and matching top. The process includes jeans and denim shorts made with recy- techniques such as biotechnology, plant-based uses 75 percent less water during the entire color- cled polyester and post-consumer recycled cotton. pigments and digital textile printing. The result is ing process and requires 90 percent less chemical Gap also debuted its first line of denim that fol- a collection rich with color spanning warm shades consumption. lows Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s Jeans Redesign of yellow and orange, deep indigos and blushing Defined by draping, delicate silhouettes and 6 program. Items in the five-piece women’s collec- pinks, as well as on-trend tie-dye prints that bring prints, the Color Story collection covers a range of 7 tion are 100 percent derived from natural fibers, the palette together. skirts, slouchy jeans, ponchos, T-shirts, trousers use chemicals that abide by the ZDHC guidelines The collection includes several sustainable and more. The collection also includes jewelry and include removable hardware for easier recy- firsts for H&M as well as for the apparel indus- made from recycled glass. —LW cling at end-of-life. The Jeans Redesign products are part of Gap Inc.’s Washwell program, a denim washing process

that uses 20 percent less water than conventional ___H&M processes. The company reported that 91 percent l of its total denim range is part of the program, _____ASOS DESIGN _____ASOS

beating its original goal of 75 percent. The Wash- l well program has been essential to Gap Inc.’s water conservation efforts. The company said it has saved 11.2 billion liters of water since 2014. —Liz Warren RESPONSIBLE EDIT To get post-pandemic consumers out of their sweatpants, denim needs to check new boxes according to comfort and sustainability. Asos Design’s latest denim drop presents both. The U.K.-based online retailer debuted its Spring/Summer 2021 denim collection with an edit that uses responsibly sourced cotton and 50 percent less water during washing and finishing compared with conventional jeans. The brand _____LEVI'S MADE & CRAFTED _____LEVI'S

l reports that, while conventional methods typically use 60-70 liters of water per jean, its responsible denim collection uses under 33 liters per jean. Asos Design’s denim collection showcases a VACATION VIBES variety of fits for women, ranging from the tried The Spring 2021 Levi’s Made & Crafted collection the Column, a high-rise jean with a straight fit and and true high-rise skinny jeans with contouring navigates the complexities of pandemic consum- wide leg opening. Loose silhouettes are carried properties to more fashion-forward silhouettes ers’ wants and needs with the level of ease you into jackets, including the Oversized Tide Trucker such as high-rise slouchy mom jeans and “over- might come to expect from a heritage brand with jacket made with a cottonized hemp and the sized skater” throwback baggy styles. The line also 140-plus years of expertise. Resort Trucker, a cropped silhouette with billow- includes the dad jean, a straight leg that’s the same With sustainability at the fore, the collection ing sleeves. width from waist to ankle. offers modern utility garments made with soft and For men, Levi’s centered its attention on soft, The collection also spans men’s denim and loose constructions in calming sea-inspired colors. streamlined styles, authentic finishing and “artful includes classic rigid options that are slightly More than half of the collection includes a sustain- sail mending-inspired details.” Key denim items cropped and tapered, and straight fits to accom- able component such as Tencel x Refibra, cotton- include the 551Z Authentic Straight, a straight-fit- modate the demand for loose denim. The line also ized hemp and organic cotton, which the brand ting jean with a wide leg opening, and the Loose includes more directional garments like an ultra- _____G A P

l incorporates into denim jeans, jackets and tops. Straight, a jean with a more relaxed shape that is baggy jean that nods to the ’90s, and body-hugging The women’s range offers looser fits such as idea for summer layering. —Angela Velasquez skinny jeans —LW

RIVET NO.12 / JUNE 2021 RIVET NO.12 / JUNE 2021 SOURCING GREENSOURCING MARKET

CLEAR VISIBILITY to adopt FibreTrace, which will be used on fabric MODERN SENSIBILITY Reformation upgraded its denim selection with made with Good Earth Cotton from the world’s Though the designs are minimal, the concept a new collection featuring FibreTrace, a technol- first climate-positive farm in Australia. The behind Non, a new London-based denim brand, ogy that embeds traceable, scannable pigments farm’s operations absorb more carbon than is is thoughtful and considered. Founded by Pete directly into the fabric of its jeans. released into the atmosphere, therefore facilitat- Hellyer during London’s first Covid-19 lockdown Each denim product made using FibreTrace is ing a net reduction in carbon emissions, it said. in 2020, the non-gendered, non-branded, con- tagged with a scannable QR code, allowing con- “This enables customers to view the denim’s sciously made line represents a modern approach sumers to access their denim’s pedigree with their entire lifecycle from fiber to production to fin- to luxury streetwear. fingertips. With a simple swipe on their smart- ished garment, to when they finally take their The collection is made from an exclusive phones, shoppers can track a garment’s entire jeans home,” said Kathleen Talbot, Reformation 12-ounce selvedge fabric that was developed in lifecycle, with each audit—from the cotton farm, chief sustainability officer and vice president of partnership with Isko. The fabrics are part of to production, to the finishing stages—securely operations. The digital ledger “really goes back 8 Isko’s R-Two line, made with 50 percent certified recorded on the virtual blockchain. to the start, right down to the farm where the 9 organic cotton and 50 percent recycled cotton that The project was born of a desire to provide cotton bale was harvested,” she added. is reclaimed from the Turkish mill. Four finishes more visibility into its supply chain, and specifi- Reformation is already looking to incorpo- are available for all styles; raw, lightly rinsed, an cally, its rigorously maintained fiber and produc- rate the technology into other fabrics and future eco-stonewash and raw poppped with white con- tion standards. The company is the first in the U.S. collections. —Kate Nishimura trast stitching. Non’s debut collection includes jeans in straight, relaxed and wide-leg silhouettes with sizing from 25-36. As the “uniform of the world,” Hellyer said denim has the potential to alter fashion’s course for the better. “If the whole industry changed their _____MUD JEANS _____MUD

approach we would see a really positive impact on l _____REFORMATION

the planet and socially,” he said. —AV l NATURAL WONDER Dye is overrated. Mud Jeans unveiled its Undyed denim collection, a range of existing styles made with fabrics consisting of 60 percent organic cotton and 40 percent recycled denim. No new dye is added to the process, meaning the recycled denim and organic cotton fibers come together to produce the collection’s unique gray-blue shade. “The nice thing is that the trends of the past years are reflected in the jeans,” said Dion Vijge- boom, Mud Jeans’ denim innovator. “Most of the old, recycled jeans were blue; the new cotton is white; hence this mixed denim color.” Though Mud typically uses Cradle 2 Cradle-certified indigo dye, by skipping the dyeing process— and, in turn, the wash process—the brand is able to use 92 percent less water per pair compared to industry standard. The omitted process also allows the undyed jeans to only consume 6.12 kg of CO2, reducing CO2 consumption by 74 percent compared to the industry standard. The Undyed denim collection includes women’s relaxed, straight and flare jeans, a denim jacket and a denim skirt. The men’s range offers a straight _____N O N

l jean, chino, shorts and denim jacket. —LW

RIVET NO.12 / JUNE 2021 RIVET NO.12 / JUNE 2021 ADVERTORIAL SOURCING

WEKO NON-CONTACT footprint through continuous process and development. WEKO’s new generation technology SYSTEMS OPTIMIZE FINISHING aims toward 70 to 80 percent savings of water, 50 to 80 percent of chemistry and 70 to 80 percent drying energy.

INCE 1953, WEKO has been devel- increases machine speed and decreasing drying HOW CAN THE DENIM SUPPLY CHAIN oping and producing contact-less energy. WEKO’s adjustable penetration level WORK TOGETHER TO CREATE AN INDUS- application systems for product op- also reduces chemical cost, increases production TRY THAT VALUES AND PROTECTS ALL 10 timization and surface finishing with speed, lowers drying energy and lessens the load WORKERS? different types of fluids and powdery on washing and wastewater treatment. During this Covid-19 pandemic with businesses Ssubstances. The key has always been to use the shut and squeezed cash flow, there’s an increas- fewest possible resources to mitigate waste, thus HOW DO YOU INCORPORATE SOCIAL IM- ing concern that the denim supply chain’s pace providing a more sustainable and environmentally PACT INTO YOUR ESG INITIATIVES? towards developing sustainable alternatives has friendly industrial production. Spraying without We are a European manufacturer with a multi- slowed down. A committee should work with contact is a solution. national work and sales force. Even after strictly brands, retailers and manufacturers to promote Woven, knit, denim and terry sectors are following the German and European regulations and market the alternate sustainable technologies adapting WEKO’s sustainable technology of on social and environmental aspects, our ESG is to reduce the manufacturing cost, maintain work- spray application for functional finishing such continuously reviewed by company management er dignity and achieve the price benchmark. as water repellence, flame retardance, softening, and recognized by our global stock exchange-list- hydrophobic/hydrophilic, resin finish, antimicro- ed partners. For climate action, we utilize nu- IN WHAT WAYS SHOULD GOVERNMENTS bial (including the new technology of anti-viral merical goals and benchmarking tools such as INTERVENE TO ENACT SOCIAL REGULA- chemistry) with minimal application and reduced science-based targets. On the social side, by re- TIONS THAT PUT ALL COMPANIES ON AN cost. Treatments include denim slasher yarn dye- ducing the amount of chemicals our clients use EVEN PLAYING FIELD? ing, WEKO spray topping, bottoming, chemical and shortening the processing duration, we im- Governments should support the manufacturers oxidation, fixation, single- or dual-side fabric prove the health of their workers. by sharing the investment to adapt more sustain- overdyeing and tinting. able techniques and practices through new gener- Here, Jayanta Sanyal, head of technical sales HOW ARE YOU UTILIZING TECHNOLOGY TO ation technologies. This will ensure that required and processes, textile industry at German-based HELP MANUFACTURERS ACHIEVE BETTER funds are distributed to the entire manufacturing WEKO, explains the benefits for mills who utilize SUSTAINABILITY? sector. At the other end of the spectrum, brand their textile processing machines. Climate change is one of the biggest challenges and retailers can present the complete supply today, and technology providers must also con- chain to the end customer, making them aware of HOW IS YOUR SYSTEM MORE SUSTAIN- tribute to achieve the aims of The Paris Agree- what they`re buying and how it is produced. Only ABLE? ment. The target is to provide a technical solu- in this way will healthy competition drive adapta- WEKO’s rotary spray applicator (WEKO-SIG- tion to the manufacturers to lower the carbon tion of new sustainable techniques. MA, WEKO-ProTec or WEKO-NEO) uses a low add-on application technique. As the running web

_____U N S P U N receives exactly the required amount of the liquid, l there’s no excess squeezed off like in the padding process. The low spray volume also means there’s no CUSTOM JOB on-demand jeans. The loose-fitting jeans are made Cheung, who was an Unspun customer need to drain the dipping bath at every changeover, How can a jean be made for all but also fit for one with organic cotton and dyed using a zero-water before becoming a collaborator, says the com- saving dye/chemical bath and wastewater treatment. unique wearer? Unspun launched Un-labelled, a process and environmentally friendly finishes. pany is “onto something” with the “self-learn- custom unisex jeans designed by former Levi’s Consumers can choose stretch or non-stretch con- ing, pattern-cutting, body recognition AI” it WHAT ARE THE SUSTAINABILITY ADVAN- head of design Jonathan Cheung, who joined the structions. The loose fit is also a style that Cheung is developing. TAGES TO WEKO’S SINGLE-SIDE DYEING company’s advisory board in September. noted is missing in Unspun’s current collection. The Un-labelled collection cements the compa- PROCESS? Un-labelled jeans align with Unspun’s zero Creating the jean was a test for the company’s ny’s ethos by finding a fit solution that’s agnostic A conventional pad-steam overdyeing process dyes inventory production model. The company uses AI capabilities. “Making skinny fits is theoretically to gender, ethnicity and body type. Cheung added both sides of the fabric, but WEKO’s single-side AI and 3D modeling—accessible to consumers simple,” Cheung said. “You scan the body and wrap that once the traditional paradigm of fits—be it spray-steam overdyeing technique just dyes the through its app or at one of its three locations in the jeans close to the body scan. I wanted to see if athletic, plus or petite—is eliminated, designing side needing coloring, at nearly half the amount the U.S. and Hong Kong—to create custom and the AI could learn a sense of looseness.” returns its focus on the individual. —AV of prepared dyebath. For spray-on overdyeing in the stenter drying oven, our single-side process

RIVET NO.12 / JUNE 2021 DESIGNER TEA DESIGNER TEA

Demand for

upcycled denim has dress the astronauts going to Mars, maybe never been hotter. dents that didn’t have a lot of money, but we wanted some sort of smock with big pockets for our clothing to make a statement. We would often collecting rocks. words_____ VICTOR VAUGHNS JR. shop at local thrift stores and on eBay to find UP, UP cool gems. It was around this time we EVERARD BEST, FOUNDER fell in love with thrifted and upcycled denim garments. In fact, it OF WHO DECIDES WAR is because of how we embel- RIVET: What inspired you to want to use lished upcycled denim that upcycled denim? 12 the name Jeantrix was Everard Best: We believe that every piece of 13 created. We would often fabric or every pair of denim we utilize should have say that our embellished multiple lives—denim reincarnation. Just because jeans were ‘doing tricks.’ something like a vintage pair of jeans has served AND AWAY Cheesy, I know. its intended purpose by its creator doesn’t mean its usage has to end there. There is always room RIVET: Who is the customer you to create something new. We utilize this approach

keep in mind when designing? ____69 when it comes to our own products as well. We are l N+H: Jeantrix is a brand for always saving pieces to repurpose into new textiles, anyone and everyone, whether patches, puffer fill and more. ith its innate dura- Gabriella Meyer: I wear denim items for high-profile they are flashy or modest. bility and time- every day and I wanted to work clients, we are seek- Depending on the garment in exclusivity. We also plan to bring RIVET: Who is the customer you less appeal, with a material that I had a ing to reach a wider question, we keep those two our artwork to platforms other than keep in mind when designing? jeans are personal relationship to. audience and encour- types of customers in mind. clothing, such as furniture, art and EB: We design with the youth the per- By entering an industry age all consumers to Our customer base is diverse. NFTs, for example. It is through our and energy of New York City W fect gar- that is one of the world's shop sustainably. They are the quirky individ- art and our brand’s core message that in mind. New York, and the ment to deconstruct and upcycle biggest pollutants, I felt uals who like to go out to art we also plan to inspire the fearless creators within it, have into new pieces, not to mention responsible as a designer RIVET: Where do you see shows and be expressive. They individuals of the next generation birthed so many of the serve as the backbone of several to reduce my carbon foot- yourself and your brand in don’t care what people think to go after their passions and follow trends and cultures that independent apparel brands. print and create a narra- five years? about what they’re wearing. We their dreams. the world gravitates to, Designers are taking upcy- tive for my customers GM: We’re amid a transition. also have customers who want to so we’re continuing to cling to a whole new level to understand what As of this June we are relocating make a statement without being too A, FOUNDER OF 69 design with this strong by giving fabrics that were they are investing in [from Chicago] to Los Angeles. flashy. Therefore, we have a balance RIVET: What inspired you to want to history in mind. otherwise destined for the when they choose As we gain more traction, we are of wearable art pieces that are for use upcycled denim? landfill a second, and often to purchase a prod- trying to upscale our sustainable the bold individuals and ready- A: We source deadstock denim, but we RIVET: Where more stylish, lease on life. uct. The Denimcratic practices without compromising to-wear pieces such as T-shirts don’t ‘upcycle’ denim in the traditional do you hope to Here, the designers brand utilizes repur- our brand’s mission. I plan on con- that are for the everyday cus- sense, as in taking vintage garments see your brand behind upcycled collec- posed denim, sustain- tinuing to expand in both denim tomer. Everyone can get a piece and augmenting them. Los Angeles has within the next tions dish on the endless able new denim, and and knitwear, as well as explor- of Jeantrix. a wealth of deadstock fabric warehouses. five years? creative and environmen- digital fabrication to ing new areas that can help bring EB: We hope tally friendly opportu- elevate streetwear with us a step closer to becoming a RIVET: Where do you hope to RIVET: Who is the customer you keep in to be your nities that come with an insurgent aesthetic. lifestyle brand. see your brand within the next mind when designing? new go-to repurposing denim. five years? A: We try to cast as wide a net as possible denim RIVET: Who is the NYCE (DERIC CRAWLEY) N+H: Our goal is to make Jeantrix with our customer. Our designs are out- brand. GABRIELLA customer you keep in a household name—one that is there, so that results in a self-selecting group. mind when designing? AND HOMM (MUHAM- comparable to the big fashion If you can pull it off confidently, 69 is for you. MEYER, GM: Our custom- brands of today that paved the MAD ABDUL-BASIT), _____JEANTRIX FOUNDER OF ers are ones that can l way for people like us. We plan RIVET: Where do you hope to see your brand

_____DENIMCRATIC appreciate both a good FOUNDERS OF JEANTRIX to get our garments in many within the next five years? DENIMCRATIC l design and quality RIVET: What inspired you to different retail and A: In five years, we hope to improve our wash tech- RIVET: What inspired construction. As we want to use upcycled denim? department stores niques and sourcing methods—secure denim that you to want to use expand past creating Nyce and Homm: When we cre- while still staying is less impactful on the environment, and wash _____WHO DECIDES WAR _____WHO

upcycled denim? custom one-of-a-kind ated Jeantrix, we were college stu- true to our brands’ techniques that use less water. We would also love to l

RIVET NO.12 / JUNE 2021 COLLABORATION

encouraging consumers to engage in the activity remains a challenge. It’s a hurdle, however, that Blue Jeans Go Green is actively working to overcome. “I think the model we put together was ahead of its time and I didn’t envision that one day, in one 14 AHEAD OF year we would collect almost one million pieces of 15 denim,” Sambler said. “That’s so amazing to have seen and where it’s come in 15 years, I’m super proud of that.” Blue Jeans Go Green collects any type of denim apparel item made from at least 90 percent cotton year-round through in-store collection points at retailers like Madewell, American Eagle and Levi’s. THE PACK Retailers often incentivize consumers to donate their denim by providing a discount on their next purchase. of which is contributed to Habitat for Human- In 2019, the program made it even easier to Cotton Incorporated’s Blue ity affiliates and other building organizations. donate denim by partnering with Zappos. The Jeans Go Green program has Since 2006, the program has provided insulation arrangement allows consumers to mail in old to more than 40 Habitat for Humanity affiliates denim to Blue Jeans Go Green via a Zappos For urged consumers to recycle around the country. Good prepaid shipping label that is available to cus- By diverting denim waste from landfills, the tomers with a Zappos account. Now, all prospec- their jeans for 15 years and program helps to close the loop on cotton sustain- tive recyclers have to do to discard their old denim counting. ability and bring the environmental gains that cot- is simply pack it up into any size shipping box, ton growers have made in the field full circle. print a label and drop the parcel at a UPS location.

words_____ ARTHUR FRIEDMAN “The impact the program has made from an Though some retailers halted their collection of environmental standpoint and the fact that it res- jeans during the pandemic, denim giants such as onates with organizations and people within our Levi’s have begun to accept donations again. And industry and outside, that retailers and brands use with quarantine becoming a prime time for con- rom DIY TikToks on how to re- it as a way to speak to their customers about their sumers to organize and purge their closets, there’s new old jeans, to the growing commitment to cotton sustainability, has been no shortage of donations to come. The average number of brands introducing very rewarding,” said Amber Sambler, director of American owns six pairs of jeans and 10 pieces of upcycled denim capsule collec- consumer marketing at Cotton Incorporated. denim, according to Cotton Incorporated’s 2020 tions, the awareness to reuse, The program’s mission to inspire more sustain- Lifestyle Monitor survey. The Monitor survey F reduce and recycle unwanted able living by educating people on cotton’s natural showed 71 percent of consumers are equally inter- denim has never been greater. life cycle and encouraging denim recycling is tak- ested in the clothing recycling programs that recy- That is music to the ears of the team behind ing shape. What began as an initiative on college cle old clothing to new garments as well as those Cotton Incorporated’s Blue Jeans Go Green denim campuses now has a footprint in major retailers that reprocess old apparel to new products other recycling program, which for 15 years has been a across the U.S. The program just achieved four than wearable garb. call-to-action to recycle denim and transform it million pieces of textile waste collected, including “The biggest accomplishment has been to see into something new. one million pieces in 2019 and 500,000 pieces in the retail community harness the power collec- Blue Jeans Go Green collects donated denim 2020 during Covid, Sambler noted. As a result, Blue tively for the common good of creating a greener through retailers, schools and other organizations, Jeans Go Green has diverted 1,950 tons of material world and doing something responsible—the cir- and then transforms the material into UltraTouch from landfills. cularity of taking something at the end of its life Denim Insulation by Bonded Logic Inc., a portion While the benefits of recycling are widely known, and making it into something good,” Sambler said. _____BLUE JEANS GO GREEN HAS DIVERTED 1,950 TONS OF MATERIAL FROM LANDFILLS FROM OF MATERIAL 1,950 TONS JEANS GO GREEN HAS DIVERTED _____BLUE l RIVET NO.12 / JUNE 2021 RIVET NO.12 / JUNE 2021 SOURCING COLLABORATION l_____CAPTION ON WHITE

l_____HOWEVER, WE REALIZED VERY EARLY THAT WE NEEDED TO ADAPT AND SHIFT HEADLINE Eseque et omnienti ut laut autectio corrovid quodit que essitatur, simet et magnis Lenzing’s Carved in Blue celebrates five years of sharing the simagni cum rat venis aut liquatiam volorest repedicid qui denim industry’s unique stories.

words_____ ARTHUR FRIEDMAN

16 words_____ NAMETK NAMETK 17

he success of Denham the Jean- n the five years since Lenzing’s are so many companies that are multigeneration, maker is a lesson in staying true Carved in Blue blog launched, it has either mills or brands.” to your core. Founder and Chief become a multimedia darling of the With sustainability ingrained deeply into Len- Creative Officer Jason Denham denim scene. zing’s business, it has naturally become a hot topic launched the Amsterdam-based Along with amplifying the stories on the blog as well. “SDG: Decoded,” a content T label in 2008 with the goal to I of partners that use Lenzing’s fibers series about the United Nations Sustainable Devel- create a premium quality product that pays hom- such as Tencel and Tencel x Refibra in their collec- opment Goals, shines a spotlight on the many ways age to Japanese denim’s tradition and attention to tions, the platform has been a transformative B2C that companies have incorporated the goals into detail. and B2B communication tool that now encom- their sustainable and social responsibility platforms, Ten years later, the brand is sold in more than passes news articles, social media, videos, webi- while a video series called “Modern Definition of 20 countries, offering men, women and children nars, ecommerce, a YouTube channel and most Denim” examines the category’s past, present and full range collections that capture denim’s unique recently, a podcast series called Blue Cast. future through the lens of industry influencers. ability to be simultaneously traditional and inno- In 2020, Carved in Blue was awarded “Best Topic The blog is certainly strategic to Lenzing’s own vative. Specific Blog” by the Content Marketing Institute, marketing initiatives. It allows the company to Denham shares with RIVET how embracing an annual award by the content marketing edu- tell the stories of its latest innovations like Tencel new fabric technologies and establish- cation and training organization. The accolade— Modal with Indigo Technology and collaborations, ing the right partnerships has evolved along with the industry’s positive response—are including one with the U.K. design consultancy the brand into the decade-old globally affirmation of what Carved in Blue creators Tricia Endrime which birthed the “Tencel Mini Jean”—a recognized label it is today. Carey, Lenzing director of global business develop- bite-sized jean that people in the industry photo- ment for denim and Michael Kininmonth, global graph in faraway places à la the roaming gnome. RIVET: You launched the brand in denim development manager for Lenzing, believed “Along the way we try to weave in the benefits 2008 with 14 oz. Japanese selvedge. in 2016: the denim sector, rich with stories and of Tencel, but we try to do it in a way that is natural Today stretch and super stretch styles "QUOTE TO GO HERE QUOTE TO personalities waiting to be shared, lacked a central to the story,” Carey said.

are among the brand’s most popular community-building platform that bridged the Though Lenzing’s involvement in the sector styles. What was the turning point? GO HERE QUOTE TO GO HERE” supply chain with brands and consumers. is primarily through Tencel, Carved in Blue is JD: It’s true we started the brand at the Despite some naysayers at the beginning who also about community. It’s a quality that became height of the ‘heritage trend’ which —nametk nametk, title company were skeptical that a fiber producer could sustained apparent when the global pandemic shutdown the was great because it educated consum- a media platform, early on, Carved in Blue became in-person meetings and events that the close-knit ers about quality. However, we real- part of the denim media landscape to the point global denim industry has grown to rely on. ized very early that we needed to adapt and shift that now people and companies pitching their During this period of crisis, Carey said Carved from heritage quality focus in to performance and own ideas, Carey said. “We’re never at a loss for in Blue pivoted to videos and webinar series to help Asustainability, whilst alwaysNICHE maintaining quality stories—at all.” the industry stay connected. “With pandemic, it materials and a modern aesthetic. Some of its most read articles are about brands was wonderful to have this digital platform to keep The turning point was seeing how well the like Boyish, Guess and Kings of Indigo and inter- in touch with the people and companies in the skinny silhouettes were performing for women views with industry veteran Adriano Goldschmied. industry when nobody could travel or meet any- which was credit to the technology and develop- The blog is also home to several popular content where,” she said. ment by the denim mills. Then, the same demand series such as “All in the Family,” a collection of 25 The community responded. The blog’s traffic came for skinny silhouettes for men and it was a profiles on family-owned denim businesses. increased 30 percent during the pandemic. natural move to adapt the same technology in “Denim is different from other markets because “[Carved in Blue] has continued to evolve to men’s denim. That said, we have always stayed it has a sense of family to it,” Carey said. “It’s also meet the needs, the stories and the conversations l_____THE TENCEL MINI JEAN Vetements: Pixelformula/SIPA/REX/Shutterstock; Faustine Steinmetz: LAURENT BENHAMOU/SIPA/REX/Shutterstock; BENHAMOU/SIPA/REX/Shutterstock; Faustine Steinmetz: LAURENT Pixelformula/SIPA/REX/Shutterstock; Vetements: Balmain: Pixelformula/SIPA/REX/Shutterstock; Ralph Lauren: Pixelformula/SIPA/REX/Shutterstock; true to our brand values and Japanese selvedge Dolce and Gabbana: Pixelformula/SIPA/REX/Shutterstock; Morello: Simona Chioccia/IPA/REX/Shutterstock; Frankie Pixelformula/SIPA/REX/Shutterstock Versace: DSquared: sicki/IPA/REX/Shutterstock; a part of the business that’s different because there and the needs of the market,” Carey said. IDEAdenim has remained in collection since the first season until today. Only the balance and consumer RIVET NO.12 / JUNE 2021 RIVET NO.12 / JUNE 2021 demand has shifted. COLLABORATIONSOURCING SOURCING

Denim Deal is making recycling the new industry standard. BIG DEAL words_____ LIZ WARREN

18 rom homegrown brands like 19 Scotch & Soda and Kings of In- digo, to a roster of international mills opening satellite offices, the city of Amsterdam has emerged F as a global hub for the denim industry in recent years. And now, with the intro- duction of the Denim Deal, it’s a region driving significant change in the industry. Last fall, the City of Amsterdam, the Amster- dam Economic Board, the Ministry of Infrastruc- ture and Water Management and the Municipal- ities of Haarlem and the Zaanstad, in partnership with denim brands, committed to the Denim Deal, _____FROM LEFT: IMOGEN NULTY, SCOTCH & SODA DENIM DESIGNER; DENIM DESIGNER; & SODA SCOTCH IMOGEN NULTY, LEFT: _____FROM

a three-year sustainable denim initiative. l HOUSE OF DENIM CO-FOUNDER; HANS BON, VEENHOFF, JAMES OF WIELAND TEXTILES AND FIBERSORT DIRECTOR Signatories of the plan commit to a standard of using at least five percent recycled fibers in all ducing’ countries and textile ‘consuming’ countries In addition to the deal’s requirements, Scotch towards a circular fashion system gives us the denim products, and producing at least three mil- possible,” he said. “We can finally close the loop & Soda is committed to furthering its own aggres- opportunity to create an even greater impact,” lion pairs of jeans with a minimum of 20 percent and make our linear industry circular.” sive targets. Currently, 41 percent of all of the said Koen Warmerdam, Aware’s brand director. post-consumer recycled (PCR) content. According The deal became a reality during a meeting with brand’s styles feature 20 percent recycled mate- “[Our technology can] increase the use of traceable to James Veenhoff, founder of House of Denim, a The Netherlands’ Prime Minister and Minister for rial. By 2024, it aims to increase its offering to 70 recycled materials, validate environmental impact foundation that promotes sustainable innovation, Infrastructure and Innovation. To-date, 30 denim percent of all styles. Similarly, Mud Jeans already reduction claims and eliminate greenwashing at and co-initiator of the Denim Deal, the idea is to brands, including Scotch & Soda, Mud Jeans and produces denim featuring 20-40 percent PCR the same time.” make making recycling the new industry standard. Kings of Indigo, are a part of the deal, with new cotton. According to Laura Vicaria, Mud Jeans’ Scaling the initiative will be largely dependent “For a long time, [House of Denim co-founder companies continuously joining. corporate social responsibility manager, the goal on other governments. Mariette Hoitink] and I have been intrigued why The City of Amsterdam is ensuring goals are for 2023 is to have 90 percent of all styles feature “I believe that [government] involvement is post-consumer recycling, with its high potential for met through a “steering committee” led by rep- between 20-40 percent PCR cotton. It’s also com- what has motivated so many key players to form savings in water and emissions, never really caught resentatives from each part of the denim making mitted to achieving its Road to 100 initiative, in part of this initiative,” Vicaria said. “They have on,” he said, adding that, after a series of related con- process. Imogen Nulty, Scotch & Soda’s director which it aims to produce a denim fabric made from been proactive about understanding the bottleneck versations with individuals throughout the denim of denim and committee member, outlined the 100 percent PCR cotton. issues, and very verbal about being there to support supply chain, “an idea emerged. Everybody seemed steps organizers are taking to make sure the initia- But in the age of greenwashing, how can any- us. I believe they will play a key role in driving poli- to want and believe the same thing, but needed the tive stays on track. The first step is to record each one be sure that the items they’re using are truly cy-related change.” other steps in the chain to make a move.” brand’s current figures in terms of recycled cotton. made of recycled materials? Turns out, there’s The City of Amsterdam is actively promot- One of the major steps he was referring to was a The next is to meet regularly to share wins and fail- technology for that. ing the project in media and is helping to identify textile recycling system that was both efficient and ures across the supply chain and brainstorm poten- Aware, a tracer and blockchain technology partners and subsidies. It also plans to support the scalable. When Dutch textile experts developed tial new projects. At the end of each year, a third from Dutch company The Movement, can distin- recycling stage of the process by collecting old tex- Fibersort, an automated sorting machine, Veenhoff party will calculate the total achievements and guish false material from genuinely sustainable tiles from residents and ensuring as many people as said “the game changed.” The machine’s ability to determine appropriate next steps. fabric with a simple scan. Makers of the technology possible recycle their denim correctly. sift through some 900 kilograms (1,980 pounds) “We are committed to making a positive partnered with the Denim Deal in March to help “We truly believe that as many companies as of post-consumer textiles per hour and separate impact, which is why we’re part of a forward-think- drive the initiative and verify that companies are possible should join and sign the Denim Deal,” according to color, fiber and construction is exactly ing denim community here in Amsterdam,” she making a real impact. Nulty said. “We hope that our collaboration what was needed to initiate real change. said. “And that community and spirit is at the heart “Working together with international lead- inspires other entities across the world so we can _____FIBERSORT

l “This makes collaboration between textile ‘proof the Denim Deal.” ers within the denim supply chain to accelerate make a bigger, global impact together.”

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20 IGNITING 21 CHANGE Transformers Foundation is rallying the denim industry to foster meaningful change.

words_____ LIZ WARREN

ith a history that spans cen- wasn’t enough for an industry of this size. What turies and a presence not began as a half-day denim forum in Amsterdam in seen diminishing, denim is 2014 and evolved into spin-off events in New York a key fixture in the apparel City and London in 2019 ultimately became the business. And with busi- Transformers Foundation in 2020. W ness data platform Statista “At the end of each Kingpins Transformers estimating the industry at $105 billion by 2023, event, we had a roundtable discussing possible denim has an overwhelming responsibility to do solutions, and each event ended on a sad note,” its part. As the world scrambles to combat the cli- Olah said. “We all knew what could be done, but mate crisis and undo a history of environmental nothing was happening. We decided to make a and societal damage, the industry’s actions have an foundation that would act—that would do some- outsized impact on the planet and its people. thing and not just talk about acting.” And that’s exactly the task Andrew Olah, founder of Olah Inc. and global denim trade show Taking action Kingpins, took on last January when launching the To turn the concept into a reality, Olah tapped a Transformers Foundation, a nonprofit entity that team of industry leaders to create a action road- aims to drive sustainable action throughout the map for 2020 and 2021 and began planning events, denim industry. annual reports, white papers, consumer testing Though Olah’s event businesses Kingpins and and industry honors for outstanding achievements Kingpins Transformers had been successful in in denim. While the Covid-19 pandemic threw a bringing industry leaders together and educat- wrench in scheduling and forced its first event to _____TRANSFORMERS EVENT IN AMSTERDAM _____TRANSFORMERS

ing audiences for six years prior, he noted that it occur digitally, it also inspired one of its first proj- l

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BOOSTING DENIM’S

ects, “Ending Unethical Brand and Retailer Behav- giving special notice to what Olah calls “non-ac- ior,” a report that “exposed how deep the cracks in tion” and negative commentary. SUSTAINABILITY STARTS the supply chain go.” To compile the report, the team surveyed denim suppliers and jeans factories "WE DECIDED TO More to come and outlined their experiences, ending with action- Up next, the foundation is planning a global expan- WITH EMPLOYEES able solutions to enact long-term change. sion program for Transformers: ED—its student- 22 According to Tricia Carey, Lenzing’s director MAKE A FOUN- and consumer-facing denim education series—and of global business development for denim and just collaborated with education institution Centro HARABATI DENIM SEES sustain- far we’ve come. We are even considering recycled a Transformers Foundation founding director, DATION THAT Mexico to bring a Spanish-speaking denim event ability and corporate social respon- versions of third-party materials. responsible business practices require collabora- to Mexico May 4-8. The event will be held online, sibility as inexorably linked. “Sus- tion from all players throughout the industry, no WOULD ACT...” with all panels and presentations free and open to tainability and CSR can never be WHO IS PUSHING MOST FOR THE DENIM matter how small. all, underscoring the foundation’s mission to make detached from each other,” says mar- INDUSTRY TO BE MORE RESPONSIBLE TO “The specific calls to action from supplier to credible industry information more accessible. Sketing specialist Asaad Mamelly. “The initiatives PEOPLE AND THE PLANET? —Andrew Olah, brand to consumer relate to the fact that everyone Now in its fourth edition, Transformers: ED taken to lessen the denim industry’s effect on the Most denim sustainability innovation is top-down, can impact solutions,” she said, adding that Len- Transformers educates upcoming designers and denim profes- ecological world have a direct impact on the hu- but the pressure that consumers and country laws zing’s role in the foundation was a natural fit. “As Foundation sionals before they enter the workplace. man side of the industry, starting with the stake- have been applying on the world’s biggest brands a fiber producer and ingredient brand, we collabo- “The response to our past Transformers: ED holders closest to each company: the employees.” to curb their ecological footprint has been at the rate widely with the supply network of our indus- events has been extremely motivating, with stu- heart of the industry-wide upheaval towards green try, and as such, encounter the ingenuity, expertise dents from 30 universities and fashion programs WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR COMPANY’S production methods. Many countries have begun and dedication of our fellow collaborators. We across Europe and the U.S. attending to receive an MOST RECENT EFFORTS ON THE ‘HUMAN enshrining into law the rulebook with which recognized that it is about time that the contribu- in-depth and unvarnished crash course on the state SIDE’ OF DENIM? brands can utilize. Is it because climate change tion of the supply chain should be given fair rep- of the denim supply chain,” Olah said. “Our goal Our most important community-focused project, has become a pressing social-justice issue around resentation, as it contributes much of the research is to prepare students all around the world to enter which will be completed soon, is the building of a the globe? Or because lawmakers have found it and development and intellectual property to our industry and hit the ground running with a school in the immediate vicinity of our employee in their interest to impose these sanctions? Both? the final product.” clear understanding of the opportunities and chal- apartment compound. This will improve the qual- We won’t fully know until later. Supply chain representation was also the driv- lenges facing the jeans industry.” ity of life in the community where we are based in ing factor for Alice Tonello’s participation on the Transformers: ED has plans to expand events, Sadat City, Egypt. HOW ARE YOU HELPING YOUR BRANDS Transformers Foundation founding board. As the but they are just one small part of the foundation’s OPEN A WINDOW INTO YOUR SUSTAIN- research and development and marketing direc- agenda for 2021. It will also partner with the Inter- ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL SIDE, WHAT ARE ABILITY AND CSR EFFORTS? private organizations do not have enough influ- tor at garment finishing technology company national Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC) to SOME OF SHARABATI DENIM’S ACHIEVE- We have been open with all brands, accepting all ence to affect actual change within the production Tonello, she also works closely with profession- produce a cotton report, and will launch an envi- MENTS? external audits to our company, with a full view lines of the global south. It is imperative to under- als throughout the supply chain and is attuned to Last year, the foundation also developed The ronmental tool which it calls its “star project,” with We have made great strides in switching to green of how their fabric has been made. That is not take a global decentralized response. their challenges. Truth Series, bringing together trusted experts more details available later this year. alternatives in all aspects of our production. to mention the many certifications we have com- “The foundation aims to re-create a relationship to demystify the heaps of information circulat- Olah also teased the 2022 launch of the Ethical We recently introduced post-consumer cotton pleted such as ISO 45001, OEKO-TEX Standard WHAT ASPECTS OF SOCIAL COMPLIANCE of equity between suppliers and brands in order to ing the denim industry. Topics have included Council, a nonprofit organization that will be a as well as post-consumer polyester, adding to 100, GRS, and GOTS, among others. We are also MOST CONCERN CONSUMERS? avoid power imbalances in the supply chain,” she dispelling buzzwords and sifting through the mediation system for factories to use when seeking the pre-consumer cotton we were producing in in the process of applying for the Life Cycle As- The hottest topic within the international com- said, adding that the foundation’s mission aligns market’s unsupported claims, as well as tackling resolutions to customer problems. our state-of-the-art recycling factory. We also sessment standard. munity when it comes to workers rights is the with Tonello’s and provides the industry with an greenwashing and unpacking the importance of “No such tool exists today, and had one been switched our entire denim dyeing process from conversation around minimum wage, and more opportunity to share experiences that lead to pro- regenerative agriculture. in place, it would have assisted many factories traditional to our ‘Sahara’ dyeing, a 40 percent HOW CAN EVERYONE ACROSS THE DENIM importantly livable wage. Directly after that are fessional growth. “We will continue to work to bring transpar- that were harmed during Covid,” he said, adding water-saving project we pioneered ourselves. We SUPPLY CHAIN WORK TOGETHER TO working conditions. Most of the supply chain in Following the report, the foundation cre- ency in the denim industry, to note and comment that the foundation can serve as a community are most excited about our upcoming biological CREATE AN INDUSTRY THAT VALUES AND the global south has been blighted by news of pov- ated “Eight Ethical Principles for Purchasing,” a on sustainable production and be on guard for gre- that helps the industry navigate global issues like water-treatment plant encompassing our entire PROTECTS ALL WORKERS? erty-level wages, and a production infrastructure code of conduct that enforces ethical business enwashing and false claims,” Olah said. the ones it experienced in 2020. “The supply chain production that recycles 40 percent of water used The difficulty of this task is compounded most by that could collapse on the heads of line workers at relationships throughout the supply chain, and The foundation will measure the success of has an important voice that needs to be expressed, back into the process. the ever-changing, extremely different national any moment. Consumers have been paying more submitted an EU Policy Submission calling for its initiatives by monitoring accomplishments and we have the ability to do this. The challenge We had an earlier version of our recycling laws across the globe, which seek to protect work- and more attention to how brands have been sustainability to be embedded into corporate throughout the industry and taking note of the is only that there are too few of us and too little factory back when we were in Syria in the early ers rights. The International Labor Organization handling crises, none more so than the Covid-19 governance framework. information gathered from its reports and projects, time in the day.” 2000s, but to introduce recycled material into our and other workers unions certainly have a role to pandemic, which hit the factory workers of Ban- collection at such a pace as we are now, shows how play. Western states where brands are based, and gladesh severely last year.

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The Women In Denim is on a mission to promote gender equality throughout the global supply chain.

24 words_____ ANGELA VELASQUEZ 25

efore the 2020 loungewear trend set in, the NPD Group reported that 364 million pairs of women’s jeans were purchased in the U.S. during the 12 months end- B ing February 2019, or 22 million more units compared to the prior year. Now, one year into the pandemic, the women’s denim category is brimming with opportunity once again as female consumers shift their spending from skinny jeans to trendy loose fits. Despite women buying more jeans than men— not to mention on average paying 10 percent more for a pair of jeans compared to men according to a NYC Consumer Affairs report—women working in the denim industry share common stories about being overlooked, doubted and treated unfairly by colleagues. Enter The Women In Denim (TWID), a grassroots effort to promote gender equality throughout the denim supply chain. The idea for a female-lead industry group was born in 2019 at the biannual Munich-based trade show, Bluezone, when Lucie Germser, a creative consultant for the event, decided to host a panel discussion about the lack of female representation in the industry. EQUAL Though women in the denim industry often hold roles in the marketing and PR side of business, Germser saw an unbalanced number of females at the event who were in high-paying, decision-making roles. “A crushing majority of denim companies were—and still are—led by men,” she said. Prior to launching her own communication stu- dio, Sphynx, Germser had experienced firsthand how the “patriarchy of the denim industry” keeps women in the shadows. Working as a co-manager of a design consultancy with a man for years, she said people almost always chose to talk business with her male counterpart, despite being an equal GROUND PRESS Credit: ASSOCIATED partner in the business. RIVET NO.12 / JUNE 2021 RIVET NO.12 / JUNE 2021 SOURCING SOURCING

26 27 _____THE WOMEN IN DENIM EVENT NYC _____THE l

After the initial talk at Bluezone, Germser said a questionnaire and submit their headshot, which is appeared in the 1930s and only became popular in she realized that she was far from being alone in shared on TWID’s Instagram page as an “introduc- the 1960s. Though there are more jeans produced her experience. “All of our guests had crazy stories tion” to the denim community. “Once this is done, for women today, she said the authentic jeans to share, from inequality to pure sexism,” she said. members can get involved by attending to our meet- image is still well connected to men. “We are evolv- “So, we decided to push our community by buildings and share their story,” Oudard said. “We also ing in an industry where men tend to feel more ing a real supportive crew.” encourage everyone to suggest events and actions entitled—this shouldn’t be relevant,” Oudard said. Simply put, TWID was created for women to to promote and support The Women in Denim.” Companies in the denim supply chain can show help one another, whether it be a woman at the Maternity leave, workplace childcare, the gen- their support, Germser said, by understanding top of their career or just beginning, said Anne der wage gap and harassment are some of the TWID’s message, applying it to their own teams Oudard, a denim designer and developer and topics TWID addresses, as well as what Oudard and building on those actions. Companies can TWID community organizer. The group’s mission described as “a glaring gender disparity between also assist in organizing and sponsoring events. is based on three goals—to connect, empower and the top and the bottom of denim supply chain.” “We are all volunteers, so we need help with travel support—by providing a global network of women The higher you climb up a company’s workflow expenses, on-site organization for events and mar- a safe platform where they can openly share advice chart, the fewer women you find, she said. keting,” she said. and lessons learned, uplift one another and provide “This is not just in the denim industry, it is a Support from companies like Munich Fabric mentorship to its youngest members. systemic issue and the reasons are complex and Start, Lenzing and Artistic Milliners have been Today, TWID membership spans 14 countries deeply rooted in our society,” she added. key to TWID’s events held in Munich, New York across various parts of the denim industry and One story that is redundant in TWID discus- and Milan. includes CEOs, sustainability experts, R&D manag- sions is the difficulty women encounter to be heard In-person events help foster TWID’s sense ers, garment workers, designers, editors, marketing in factories, especially those located in patriarchal of community and spark new ideas—Germser executives and more. societies. “Many of us lost hours if not days just said more are international events are planned as “By putting any forms of hierarchy or rivalry to get men to take them seriously… and when soon as industry events are allowed and boarders aside, we’ve built a strong bond between each it comes to technical expertise, we need to fight reopen—but the group is also adamant about put- other,” Germser said. “There’s a true will to support 10-times harder to prove that we know what we’re ting words into action by participating in NGOs’ one another. Our amazing ambassadors are grow- talking about,” Oudard said. actions that help raise funds and awareness. ing our community in their home countries and While these inequalities are not limited to “While around 80 percent of garment workers these powerful women are generously giving their the denim sector, Oudard points out that what is are women, only eight percent are CEOs,” Oudard precious time to help our community growth.” unique is denim’s male dominated roots. Denim said. “We strongly believe in empowering all Individuals can participate by subscribing to was originally intended as a men’s garment made women in our industry, making sure their rights TWID’s newsletter. From there, they can complete by men for male workers. The first women’s jeans are respected.”

RIVET NO.12 / JUNE 2021 RIVET NO.12 / JUNE 2021 COMMUNITY COMMUNITY IN IT TOGETHER 28 29 The pandemic underscored the need for employee hardship funds like Levi Strauss & Co.’s Red Tab Foundation.

words_____ ANGELA VELASQUEZ

he legacy of Levi Strauss & Co. vide short-term emergency financial assistance Spring 2020 compared to the prior year, averting a (LS&Co.) doesn’t begin and end to employees past and present from around the total of 1,442 emergencies, according to the foun- with creating the original blue world. The foundation is funded by the generos- dation’s annual report. jean. The San Fransisco-based ity of employees and retirees, descendants of Levi More work remains, however. Here, Calvert company and its executive lead- Strauss and other company shareholders. Rodriguez shares RTF’s goals for 2021, how it T ership have famously logged de- Since its inception, RTF has given close to $40 is helping other companies establish their own cades’ worth of advocacy. Each year the company million in direct support to the LS&Co. community foundations and how a supportive network of col- invests a portion of its profits into community-ori- of employees and retirees when they need it most. leagues can have a positive effect on a workforce. ented efforts that support voting engagement, gun Widely considered to be the original employee violence prevention, education and equality. It’s hardship fund, assistance is need-based and typ-

work through the Levi Strauss Foundation advanc- ically provided following a recent, unexpected OF GRANTS IN 2020 PERCENT _____41 es the human rights and well-being of underserved financial emergency that threatens their ability to l EMPLOYEES TO WERE PROVIDED people in places where it has a footprint, and its provide basic necessities of life, including but not commitment to environmentalism is executed in limited to, medical emergencies, evictions, elder- a roof over one’s head in the face of an eviction almost immediate wave of need. We adapted our working shoulder to shoulder. In the initial uncer- its industry-leading climate strategy, water-saving care needs, home repairs and funeral expenses. notice; a flat tire from becoming the beginning of a guidelines to better support employees affected by tainty around the pandemic, we were predicting average technologies and new fiber and fabric programs. The foundation’s work has largely evolved as grant predatory debt cycle; or an unexpected medical bill store closures and limited hours or by job loss of that our fundraising would trend down signifi- This sense of community and responsibility LS&Co. has and maps to the needs of the company given from becoming a bankruptcy. other household earners. For instance, we provided cantly, but have been happily surprised to see our echoes in its workforce as well. Founded in 1981 employees, said Jenny Calvert Rodriguez, Red Tab $425 Case managers spend hours working with cli- support for distance learning tools, pandemic-re- employees, shareholders and retirees step up in a to provide financial support for U.S.-based retired Foundation executive director. In addition to the ents to understand not only their immediate needs, lated childcare costs, and other pandemic-specific huge way to meet the increased need. manufacturing workers, LS&Co.’s Red Tab Foun- financial hardship program, RTF has a matched but the underlying causes of the hardship. We then needs. We also spun up a no-interest loan program And it’s not just the big dollars, but the little dation (RTF) has grown into a global effort to pro- savings program that incentivizes hourly workers customize financial support, educational resources for employees who were facing delays in unem- ones that have filled the void. We’ve seen a ground- to create their own short-term emergency savings RIVET: Explain Red Tab Foundation’s model of and referrals that help people get back on their feet. ployment benefits. Finally, this year we expanded swell of grassroots support this year helping us and provides wrap-around services with its grants personalized support. the group of people we help. We now offer support raise close to $1.75 million from our global com- that help tackle some of the systemic issues under- JENNY CALVERT RODRIGUEZ: We want Red RIVET: What kind of impact did the pandemic to former employees who were with the company munity with an increase of 400 new donors over lying each hardship. Tab Foundation to be there when the biggest issues have on the level of support that RTF provides for 10 years, down from the 20 years it previously the previous year. I believe this crisis has brought In short, RTF is built on the belief that no of the day meet our people’s every day. Society’s employees and former employees? took to be a retiree. us closer to our values. Empathy and kindness not LS&Co. employee or retiree should be without a most complex issues don’t exist in the abstract— JCR: Last year was the biggest in the history of the only embody who we are as a company, but as indi- % financial safety net—a value that has been put to they are personal, intersectional, and show up in foundation—we gave more grants to more indi- RIVET: What affect has the pandemic had on viduals. In the face of uncertainty, employees are of grants in 2020 were the test since the start of the pandemic that trig- myriad ways in the lives of LS&Co. employees. RTF viduals in more countries than ever before in our donations? stepping up to help other employees, with RTF just provided to retirees gered unprecedented demand for assistance. In provides personal, empathetic support to help deal 40-year history. We delivered $2.1million in grants, JCR: One of the things that’s so special about the acting as the connection point. 59 2020, a team of five case managers and 20 grant with these issues one person at a time. We help a 59 percent increase over the prior year. RTF’s model is that our donors and grantees are partners, fulfilled 300 percent more grants in keep food on the table during a global pandemic; When the world shut down in 2020, we saw an within the same organization, sometimes even RIVET: RTF recently created a playbook to help

RIVET NO.12 / JUNE 2021 RIVET NO.12 / JUNE 2021 COMMUNITY

30 37.5® TECHNOLOGY IS SUSTAINABLE THERMOREGULATION™ _____THE FOUNDATION MADE $422,980 IN MADE $422,980 IN FOUNDATION _____THE l HARDSHIPS. HELP WITH COVID-19 GRANTS TO PROVEN TO INCREASE other companies establish their own foundations. RIVET: What are the foundation’s goals for 2021? What has the feedback been like from companies? JCR: As we look ahead to the long-lasting impacts COMFORT & PERFORMANCE JCR: Many companies are stepping up efforts to of the pandemic, there’s more that we can—and take care of employees however they can during “IN THE FACE OF must—do to alleviate hardship and empower Denim made with 37.5 this time of crisis. They are seeing what we’ve better financial futures for our LS&Co. community. always known—that hardship funds are a great UNCERTAINTY, We’re focused on two tracks: both strengthening Technology dynamically mechanism to provide immediate relief to current our program impact to drive the greatest possible adapts to your needs to help or former employees who experience a disaster-re- EMPLOYEES ARE outcomes for our grantees, and also to continuing lated or personal financial hardship. There's not a to expand our program access and awareness to lot of good information out there about the nuts employees and retirees in every part of the world control temperature and and bolts of how to operate a hardship fund, so we STEPPING UP LS&Co. operates. wanted to help. humidity levels, expanding Our Employee Hardship Fund Playbook has RIVET: What is it about the LS&Co. community been downloaded nearly 600 times by orga- TO HELP OTHER that makes individuals want to support one your comfort range nizations large and small from Fortune 500 another? companies to schools to public institutions, all EMPLOYEES...” JCR: I think they understand that the only way regardless of the activity. over the world. through the year we were facing ahead was —Jenny Calvert Rodriguez, together. We’re lucky to work at a company that RIVET: Why do you believe it is good business for doesn’t just say that—we look out for our own. At companies to establish foundations? Red Tab Foundation Red Tab Foundation they know that every dollar JCR: Many long-tenured employees of LS&Co. donated goes directly to helping an employee or tell us that one of the reasons they stay so long retiree facing hardship. We were started by employ- is because they feel supported by the company many ways that the company ensures that. When ees, for employees. It’s the way we embody our through resources like RTF. Simply put, when peo- employees know that other employees are looking company value of empathy, and provides a sense ple’s basic needs are met, they can put their best out for them, it helps build a stronger, more sup- of security, solidarity and refuge for the members TO LEARN WHY YOU NO LONGER NEED TO CHOOSE BETWEEN foot forward as employees, and RTF is one of the portive culture within the organization. of the LS&Co. community, current and past. SUSTAINABILITY AND COMFORT, CONTACT US AT [email protected] RIVET NO.12 / JUNE 2021 OR VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT THIRTYSEVENFIVE.COM ADVERTORIAL

environmental impact. As a part of our 2025 FUELING SUSTAINABILITY Targets—achieving a 60% use of organic, recycled or BCI Cotton in production and boosting traceability—we partnered with AWARE’s block- ACROSS THE INDUSTRY WITH chain tracer technology. In addition, our new RE/J textile, produced by the open-end spinning method, is a 100% recycled concept consisting of post- and pre-consumer waste, offers vintage, au- EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS thentic denim looks with desired elasticities. RE/J also uses value-added fibers during production, namely recycled fibers such as ECOLycra and Re- prieve PES. The concept also stands out with the applicability of our conscious technologies such as Dyepro and Washpro. These offer superior features and performance regarding water and energy consumption and chemical waste during the indigo dyeing and end-user washing phases. Another notable concept is our E-Denim, specially developed to increase the recycle content rate in denim and to maintain the sustainable structure of the final product until end of life. Calik Denim’s Dyepro stands out for reducing water consumption, chemical waste and energy during the indigo dyeing stage. It also features different elasticity levels such as rigid, super stretch and power stretch. More than a product family, Dyepro is also a conscious technology that can be applied to demanded denim fabrics. Parallel to this, we developed the Transpar- ency Monitoring System (TMS) to harness the power of digitalization. Focusing on measurable NOWLEDGE IS POWER and the agers and brand employees across the industry, targets, we plan to measure the inputs to produc- more the industry is aware of what examines every stage of denim production, then tion and optimize the use of resources throughout needs to be done, the closer it is to sends participants to the Calik Denim Malatya the production process. The System will increase achieving such goals. Premium den- Factory to learn about the denim production pro- our resource use efficiency and lower the demand im producer Calik Denim spends cesses and have the opportunity to receive ITÜ on precious natural resources. TMS, which was Kconsiderable resources to educate not just its own certificates. Other notable projects include the installed in 2019, will also have additional contri- employees, but the industry as a whole and the Malatya Education Foundation, where 266 chil- butions to the textile industry by building a trans- next generation. Here, Tolga Ozkurt, deputy gen- dren of Calik employees received scholarships, parent and more sustainable production line. eral manager of sales & marketing of Calik, walks plus 100% Support to Education, where Calik us through the company’s push toward sustain- helped build the Mahmut Calik Education Com- WHAT ASPECTS OF SOCIAL COMPLIANCE ability and corporate social responsibility. plex Anatolian High School in 2012. MOST CONCERN YOUR CUSTOMERS? The questions we receive most regard whether WHAT ARE SOME CURRENT EDUCATIONAL WHAT SEEMED THE MOST RADICAL WHEN we operate under a social compliance certificate INITIATIVES AT CALIK DENIM? INTRODUCED BUT IS NOW STANDARD? such as SEDEX, SA 8000 or Wrap, or if we get a Focusing on the next generation, in 2017 we part- For a long period, traceability and adoption of cir- third-party audit. Forced labor, ethical business, nered with Parsons School of Design in New York cular economy models were seen as radical step child labor, and work environment health and 100% Recycled Denim that to add a denim department. The two-part curric- in the denim industry, but Calik Denim has taken safety issues fall under social compliance certif- ulum—Building Blocks of Denim and Prototype action to transform our manufacturing towards a icates. To ensure safe, non-discriminatory work Development and Realization—covers sustainabil- circular and more sustainable model. environments that value human rights, we coop- Consists of Post and ity and design, and Calik Denim provided techni- Our sustainability strategy “Passion for Den- erate with business partner and cotton supplier cal equipment, fabrics and access to our team. im, Passion for Life” aims to increase sustainable Calik Cotton. Together, we support local devel- Earlier, Calik launched the Denim Anato- raw material use and raw material traceability. opment and creating shared value on larger scales Pre-Consumer Waste my program with Istanbul Technical University Each year we increased use of recycled raw ma- through farmer training and contracted agricul- (ITÜ). The two-day training program, for man- terial such as cotton and polyester, lowering our ture models.

RE_J.indd 1 27.04.2021 12:11 SOURCING WEKO-NEO REVOLUTION IN DENIM DYEING AND FINISHING

YOUR BENEFITS • No tailing 35 • Less no. of dye and

washing bathes MILLINERS ____ARTISTIC l • Non-Stop change over GOOD • One or both side application • Multi-color application • Up to 95 % reduced fresh and waste water • Up to 80 % reduced heating energy BUSINESS • Up to 65 % less auxilliary orporate social responsibility of women to its own business and reading research cation during the pandemic, BSR and Bestseller CREATE NEW FASHION EFFECTS! isn’t just a buzzword or a de- showing the financial impact of diverse leadership, introduced app-based coursework dubbed Her- flection to ward off industry Artistic Milliners made a more purposeful push Essentials, which targets the additional need for watchdogs. For many compa- toward gender equity at the top. “It was part of the digital literacy. “It is very important to partner with nies in the denim industry, en- company's DNA, but now that we see that it will expert organizations and also with brands, because C gaging in philanthropic activi- also directly align with our bottom line, it makes we do not have all the answers,” Ahmed said. ties that provide financial, health and educational sense to pursue it even more strongly,” said Murtaza Education comes with an investment and a support to employees and local communities is at Ahmed, director of Artistic Milliners. financial tradeoff, since women are stepping away YouTube Video FASHION EFFECT TINTING / OVERDYEING the very heart of their business. Here, six leaders in To support women and empower them to reach from production tasks to learn, but Artistic Milli- the denim supply chain share how they are mak- leadership roles, Artistic Milliners has established ners feels a commitment to its workers. “If a woman BOTTOMING ing a positive impact on the lives of others through a “gender sensitized” workplace. Services include is spending half of her day at our facility, we need to SOFTENER, LUSTRE TOPPING purpose-driven initiatives. employer-supported daycare and their own can- think about her overall well-being,” said Ahmed. teens, recreation areas, prayer rooms, commutation Artistic Milliners’ initiatives extend upstream into COLD SIZING HYDROPHOBIC and on-site doctors. Recognizing the importance its supply chain. Through its Milliner Cotton Initiative, of safety and security, the company established a it helps women cotton pickers establish businesses CHEMICAL OXIDATION ANTIMICROBIAL dedicated department to field any concerns. and supplementary sources of income for the months Women also receive training in production between the annual harvesting work. COLOR FIXATION SINGLE SIDE OR BOTH SIDE ARTISTIC MILLINERS’ processes and life skills. Given the gender literacy Currently, most of Artistic Milliners’ female gap in Pakistan, teaching reading, writing and basic workforce is employed at its tier-one manufactur- math gives women a chance to advance to manage- ing sites. But the company aims to bring the same PU-/ACRYLIC COATING RESIN AND FLAT FINISHING WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT rial roles and improves quality of life. Women are culture upstream to its mills by adding women PROGRAMS FOSTER EQUITY also taught about finances and legal rights. First- workers at these facilities. WEKO-NEO could be placed on any section of a time workers are given paid training in basic man- While Artistic Milliners was an early mover, it is slasher or loop dyeing range as well as on diverse Within the garment industry, it’s still rare to see ufacturing techniques. hopeful after seeing other companies reach out for women in leadership roles, but Artistic Milliners Artistic Milliners was the first Pakistan partner advice. “We don't want to just be the only company nishing lines like stenter, sanfor or Pad-Steam. The reached 50/50 gender parity in its top management for Gap Inc.’s P.A.C.E. program, which focuses on in the world that is breaking in on gender equality compact design leads to an easy implementation. by prioritizing women’s empowerment. improving self-esteem. In another brand collabo- initiatives,” said Ahmed. “We want to make all these At its founding, the manufacturer’s workforce ration, Artistic Milliners worked with Bestseller to programs and these systems more mainstream.” BE UNIQUE, PROFITABLE AND SUSTAINABLE! www.weko.net was largely female. After seeing the contributions introduce BSR’s HerProject. To continue this edu- —Sarah Jones

RIVET NO.12 / JUNE 2021 SOURCING AGI DENIM BRINGS FREE HEALTH CARE TO WOMEN WORKSHOP WORKERS WITH ‘SMART CLINICS’

With more than two million female factory workers in Pakistan not having access to affordable health care, AGI Denim has fought to ensure that its own employees have everything necessary to get Sustain- the treatment they need. In partnership with DoctHERs, AGI launched a SMART Clinic within its Karachi factory to offer 36 employees free health care and to give more oppor- 5 tunity to an underemployed community of nurses who connect employees to female doctors via tele- medicine applications. Upon a successful trial in Karachi, AGI Denim decided to expand the SMART ability Clinic concept across its other facilities in Pakistan. Through the partnership, the denim manufacturer offers annual health checkups and preventa- tive health education sessions for the workers in an

____SAITEX effort to boost productivity and overall wellbeing. l The SMART Clinics have gotten acclaim from influential outsiders as well, winning first place in SAITEX GIVES DISABLED Home furnishings giant Ikea has placed its first the Tommy Hilfiger Social Innovation Challenge, a FAQs orders with Rekut for a range of home and lifestyle global initiative supporting entrepreneurial startup JULY 15, 2021 COMMUNITY EMPLOYMENT goods. The initiative has also expanded into other and scale-up stage businesses that are developing categories with a bakery partnership, and Saitex is solutions with a positive social impact on the fash- OPPORTUNITY exploring adding jewelry to mainstream individu- ion value chain. Hilfiger himself described the award als with vision impairment. as “an opportunity to shine a spotlight on incredible Fashion’s inclusivity efforts often revolve around One focus for Saitex is driving profitability with ideas that could change the lives of people through a Sustainability mandates, goals & aspects such as racial, gender or size representa- this venture to prove the potential to other com- more positive and inclusive fashion landscape.” expectations are mounting. tion, but Saitex founder and CEO Sanjeev Bahl panies. “I’m hoping this will encourage others to “Ensuring the wellbeing of our teams and saw a need to extend this discussion to those with follow suit, because this is a huge problem,” said communities has always been at the forefront of disabilities. “Considering that there are 1.5 billion Bahl. “Governments haven't really created the right AGI Denim’s philosophy,” said Ahmed Javed, AGI people on this planet with different abilities, who infrastructure to include people with different abil- Denim executive director. “We have been invested Join us to get up to speed on do not have equal opportunities or even the ability ities, and I’m just hoping this is the start of some- in the health of our teams even before the pan- to have self-esteem in society, it makes this conver- thing which can grow universally.” demic began; AGI’s award winning and innovative circularity, net zero, sation of inclusivity very exclusive,” he said. Bahl said Saitex is on target to reach its goal of health programs, ensure that all our employees Responding to the employment needs of this creating 1,000 Rekut jobs by 2025. By the end of have quality and accessible health care.” inventory reduction and significant segment of the population, Saitex created 2021, the company plans to have 200 employees AGI Denim also partnered with JLI (Jubilee transparency. Rekut, a program that mainstreams individuals with in the program, with an eye toward scaling up as Life Insurance) to provide hospitalization needs disabilities in production roles. Currently, Rekut is more classes are trained. to employees and subsidize hospital costs for their operational at Saitex in Vietnam with 100 employ- Saitex started slow in part to mitigate the behav- families. Additionally, the denim manufacturer is ees, and the company plans to expand the project to ioral risks that can come with mainstreaming. “The dedicated to reaching out to rural areas with sub- its recently opened Los Angeles facility later this year. major risk or challenge that we faced in the past sidized medical services in partnership with health Eventually, the Certified B Corp aims to have 20 per- and any other organization will face in the future partners such as Patients’ Aid Foundation and the cent of its total workforce come from this community. would be acceptability and equal compassion,” Child Life Foundation. Through these partnerships, VISIT SOURCINGJOURNAL.COM It costs about $3,000 to onboard each worker in said Bahl. After training its existing workforce on more than 90,000 patients have been treated at the program. This includes six months of paid train- the importance of this initiative, Saitex has seen AGI-funded clinics. ing. To make Rekut possible, Saitex also invested in strong support. “It's proving to me every single day AGI also teamed with the Indus Hospital to modernizing facilities with features such as ramps that our culture is rock solid and our people are power the TB Initiative, which provides tubercu- and accessible bathrooms. Within the production extremely empathetic,” he added. “So, it encour- losis screening and treatment to patients. Roughly floor, sewing machine heights had to be tweaked to ages me in more than one way to go back to work 8,000 AGI employees have been screened within its cater to individuals’ ergonomic needs. the next day.” —SJ different units, Javed said. —Glenn Taylor

RIVET NO.12 / JUNE 2021 SPONSORED BY SOURCING SOURCING

NAVEENA PUTS WHY ‘RESPONSIBLE INNOVATION’ MEANS SUPPORTING EDUCATION AT THE EMPLOYEES FOR ISKO

FOREFRONT WITH THE While “Responsible Innovation” is an approach provided an additional financial contribution to that Isko lives by to deliver environmental and all 14,000 employees as further support in order CITIZENS FOUNDATION social responsibility within its denim manufactur- to provide some relief from the economic pressure ing operation, the mindset only is authentic if it due to the outbreak. Naveena Denim Mills has an annual budget allo- extends to the people working for the company. As “It is this mindset and values system that allows cated for its employees to empower them in the a family-owned business, Isko functions under the us to create improvements and drive change,” areas of healthcare and financial support. Educa- idea that its employees are part of that family. Osborne said. “With many people devoting a large 38 tion, however, is also a top priority for Naveena, “Training and development support our people part of their career to Isko, we believe we are succeed- 39 in fact so much that the Pakistani denim manu- to achieve their professional and personal ambi- ing. An example of this is our work with our on-site facturer set goals to step in line with the United tions, and this is provided throughout individuals’ union to increase starting salaries and to ensure our Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal No. 4, careers at Isko,” said Kate Osborne, responsible workers are at the center of our business at all stages.” Quality Education. innovation marketing specialist at the firm. “Induc- With the help of the union, additional benefits While the UN outlines the goal as ensuring tion and role-based training ensure employees have employees have seen include rest days and pay for inclusive and equitable quality education and the essential skills and knowledge to carry out their overtime and vacations. Isko employees also receive promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all, roles. We also offer development opportunities additional benefits such as incremental increases to Naveena embodies this by targeting its social proj- and external courses to help our people progress.” vacation days, bonuses, family and seniority premi- ects to raise the next generation of well-educated, In 2020, at the start of the pandemic, Isko not ums, compassionate and parental leave and child healthy and productive citizens. only maintained its workflow but ensured that education support. Additionally, the company has an “We know that a brighter future starts with edu- none of its employees were laid off, with no delays on-site medical team available and ready to support cation and giving children the tools and support in paychecks. Parent company Sanko Group also immediate health and safety needs. —GT they need to find success in school and in life, but also for our country to develop a qualified workforce,” said Aydan Tüzün, executive director of global sales and marketing at Naveena Denim Mills. As such, Naveena has been among one of the largest supporters of The Citizens Foundation (TCF) Schools system since 2014, running all expenses of more than two schools housing 1,500 Future indigo total students. The company plans to expand this network “in the near future,” according to Tüzün. is here. Before disbursement of annual payment, the mill thoroughly reviews the annual performance of each ™ school. According to Tüzün, the school buildings TENCEL Modal with are well-equipped with airy and well-lit classrooms, as well as an administrative block, playground, Indigo Color technology. library, computer and science labs to provide students with a stimulating learning environment. Another significant Naveena is contributing to education in other ways, internally starting its own program to edu- step towards a more cate illiterate workers in collaboration with Lit- erate Pakistan Foundation (LPF). Classes for the responsible denim industry. Adult Literacy Program for Factory Workers are held in the HR training room and usually include 20 students per session. The LPF provides a trained teacher to lead the classes, while TCF is responsible for overall program management, monitoring and program improvements. “Our future depends on the youth of today,” Tüzün said. “The more we can provide them, a bet- contact us at ____ISKO ter future we will have.” —GT l [email protected] TENCEL™ is a trademark of Lenzing AG RIVET NO.12 / JUNE 2021 RIVET NO.12 / JUNE 2021 SOURCING

SOORTY’S NEW PRISM PROJECT TARGETS AN INCLUSIVE AND DIVERSE WORKPLACE

The global denim supply chain is not as democratic as the products it produces, but one major player in the sector has an action plan to change course. 40 Pakistani vertically integrated denim manufacturer Soorty recently launched the Prism Project, a program designed to create an inclusive workplace that embraces disabilities and diversity in the workforce. The project serves to deepen Soorty’s core values of innovation, education and sustainability in the denim and fashion industry, while uplifting the local community. “Denim is not just the most democratic fabric, but [it] also holds the potential for real impact on the values and, consequently, quality of life of both its wearers and its creators,” said Mobeen Chughtai, Soorty corporate communica- tions and corporate social responsibility manager.

While “most of the world’s denim is manufac- one from this community is disabled,” Chughtai tured in the developing world,” Chughtai said there said. “More often, people suffer from a mismatch are “real consequences” in fostering innovation and between their abilities and their circumstances.” jobs such as tax money that eventually finds its way The next step in the Prism Project will be a focus towards providing education, health, safety and on hiring employees from the transgender com- more to local citizens. Through the Prism Project, munity, which Soorty stated is perhaps “one of the Soorty aims to see underserved populations on the single most misunderstood and underappreciated receiving end of those benefits. groups in Pakistan.” The company is reaching out The Prism Project will be rolled out in four to members of the transgender community for vari- stages, beginning with a new denim finishing facil- ous projects including vocational training and orga- ity built on the Karachi campus of the Network of nizational hiring as well as health interventions. Organizations Working with Persons with Dis- The final two parts of Soorty’s project include abilities, Pakistan (NOWPDP), an initiative that a collaboration with the United Nations Develop- promotes disability inclusion through holistic and ment Program on its Leading Diversity initiative sustainable endeavors in the areas of education committed to adopting worker-friendly values that and economic empowerment. There, NOWPDP is enhance organizational inclusivity and diversity. training 35 people with hearing and speech impair- The company is also in the process of redesigning ments to work in high noise finishing departments its organizational policy to facilitate more female such as grinding, distortion and airing that typically hiring, family-friendly policy framework and better pose a risk to people with no hearing problems. maternity leave. The project is intended to “flip the circum- “Now that we understand the value in diversity, stances” and turn a disability into a strength we want to [make it] a business strategy, not [only] that works in the employees’ favor. “Not every- an altruistic gesture,” Chughtai said. —AV

RIVET NO.12 / JUNE 2021 ADVERTORIAL X TENCEL™ MODAL

BALANCING CIRCULARITY GOALS WITH SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

T ARTISTIC MILLINERS, circu- Our value chain must change to protect the up- larity is a top priority—the com- stream players like factory workers and farmers. pany’s ultimate goal is to operate Whenever a crisis hits our industry, this is the as a completely closed loop, ensur- group that bears the brunt of the situation. As an ing no waste in the manufactur- industry, we should be more cognizant of the im- Aing process. But knowing social responsibility, pact our decisions make, especially on these mar- both within its own business and across the in- ginalized groups. It’s high time that we shift from dustry, is just as important, the manufacturer fast-moving fashion to more sustainable fashion. has been developing CSR programs with part- Consumers are demanding more sustainable jeans ners like the Business for Social Responsibility and are willing to pay more to ensure fair wages (BSR), Fair Trade and the International Finance are paid to the factory workers. Corporation (IFC). ‎Omer Ahmed, CEO of Artistic Milliners, HOW DOES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION gives a peek into how Artistic Milliners is further GO HAND-IN-HAND WITH THE WELL-BEING creating circularity initiatives, all while prioritiz- OF YOUR EMPLOYEES? ing the well-being of its employees. Adapting more eco-friendly processes throughout our facility leads to a healthier work environment. WHAT HAVE BEEN SOME OF THE TOP IN- Case in point, we’re eliminating the use of harsh NOVATIONS OR DEVELOPMENTS BREWING chemicals from the manufacturing process and AT ARTISTIC MILLINERS LATELY? preventing workers from breathing in harmful We recently partnered with Browzwear, a leader dust by taking stones out of the finishing process. SUSTAINABILITY IS AN OFTEN-DISCUSSED of 3D technology in fashion, which lets us design We make these decisions based on research that TOPIC WITHIN DENIM NOW, BUT WHERE true-to-life digital garment renderings, while le- suggests employees are more loyal when employ- DO YOU FEEL BOTH YOU AND THE DENIM veraging data to boost efficiency, increase speed ers demonstrate—through actions—that they care INDUSTRY AS A WHOLE NEED TO STEP UP time to market, and reduce our resource footprints about the social and environmental impact. IN 2021? throughout the product development process. Greenwashing is a big problem because a few bad Besides that, we’ve announced the creation of HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR BRAND actors can damage the credibility of the entire in- Circular Park, a 70,000-square-foot factory de- AND RETAILER RELATIONSHIPS IN 2021, dustry. It’s critical to show quantifiable actions, signed from the ground up that will be the central AND DID THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC CHANGE which can be traced to the source using block- collection point for all our soft and hard waste, YOUR APPROACH TO ANY OF THESE PART- chain because of the complexity of the fashion and will help us phase out waste and pollution. NERSHIPS? value chain. A third major development is our new virtu- Our partner relationships are deeper and stronger Though the industry is making strides toward al showroom eMilliners, which lets customers— than ever before, and are more hands-on despite clean energy, that shift must further accelerate, wherever they are—experience our latest projects remote meetings. The pandemic has obviously especially if we’re looking to meet standards such and products through hi-res 3D images via our meant a shift in physical presence, but somehow as the U.N.’s Business Ambition for 1.5°C. In that online portal. it has made us more connected to our clients. Our same vein, we need to lessen our overall planetary virtual showroom has been a big benefit, as well as impact, particularly when it comes to waste gener- HOW CAN EVERYONE ACROSS THE DENIM our international manufacturing presence in Los ation. That’s why technologies and practices that SUPPLY CHAIN WORK TOGETHER TO Angeles with Star Fades International. The new help us close the loop, putting what we produce ALL NATURAL | BIODEGRADABLE | PRE-DYED USING ECO COLOUR TECH CREATE AN INDUSTRY THAT VALUES AND L.A. facility has been a boon too, letting us reach back into our production chain, are the need of PROTECTS ALL WORKERS? our clients where they are. the hour. SUPER FLEXIBLE | REMARKABLY DURABLE | UP TO 2X SOFTER THAN COTTON PRODUCED RESPONSIBLY BIGTHE GREEN APPLE Denim is back – more sustainable and stylish than ever. photography_____ LEXIE MORELAND styling_____ WWD TEAM R13 CARDIGAN; CALVIN KLEIN TANK TOP; AG JEANS SHORTS; EDITOR’S HAT (WORN THROUGHOUT); MILAMORE NECKLACES, AGMES NECKLACES, LADY GREY RINGS AND EARRINGS; PAMELA LOVE EARRINGS, KELTY PELECHYTIK RING, ESTABLISHED RING (WORN THROUGHOUT). THIS PAGE: LEE COTTON, RECYCLED POLYESTER AND SPANDEX DRESS; GANNI TOP.

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OPPOSITE: LEVI’S COTTON JACKET; GRACE LOVES LACE SLIP DRESS; R13 PLAID SHIRT; JIMMY CHOO BOOTS. Photographer: Lexie Moreland; Fashion Director: Alex Badia; Market Editors: Victor Vaughns Jr., Emily Mercer, Luis Campuzano; Fashion Assistant: Kimberly Infante; Emily Mercer, Jr., Editors: Victor Vaughns Badia; Market Moreland; Fashion Director: Alex Lexie Photographer: Amanda Wilson Agency; Makeup: Watson Model: Madison Johnston/Wilhelmina; Hair: Rebekah Calo/Julian Editor: Angela Velasquez; ew York City is high on optimism, buzzing from the more DON’T CALL IT A than 7.5-million-and-counting Covid-19 vaccine doses admin- istered across its federal and N state-run facilities. As of May 19, the nation’s cultural capital lifted most pandemic-related capacity restrictions that plunged offices, retailers, dining establishments, salons, gyms and more into some version of dormancy over the past 15 months. Broadway stars and their supporting casts have restarted rehearsals with hopes of 54 returning to full houses in mid-September, and the 55 New York City subway is back to chugging along around the clock with 24-hour service. MTA New York City Transit officials recorded 2,009,025 subway trips on April 8, the first time that ridership has breached the two-million mark since the pandemic upended city life. In other words: NYC is open for business. It’s a stirring reversal from where the city was COME one year ago: the early epicenter of America’s Covid-19 crisis. Approximately 203,000 confirmed cases were reported in NYC during the first three _____ JAY Z AT THE WORLD TRADE CENTER Z AT JAY _____

months of the pandemic, during which images of l an eerily empty Times Square and Grand Central Station devoid of travelers captivated the world. As of the end of May last year, more than 940,000 resi- ples throughout the outbreak’s darkest days, serv- dents had contracted the virus, resulting in approx- ing clients like Belstaff and DiResta Make Wear by imately 33,000 deaths, NYC Health reported. utilizing the Jeanologia technology at New Jersey’s Despite the palpable excitement of regaining nearby BPD Washhouse. some sense of normalcy, the weight of endur- As the owner of Brooklyn Denim Co., the Wil- ing such a trying and uncertain period lingers on liamsburg outpost for denim brands like Tellason New Yorkers’ psyche. The city’s fashion and retail and First Standard Co. and its own eponymous sectors—and the people who power them—are label, Frank Pizzurro saw firsthand how the Covid bound to emerge from the pandemic changed. crisis, along with growing climate-change con- “During the lockdown all my vendors pivoted cerns and a “general feeling of having to connect in a week’s time and made masks, gowns, laser- more with life,” is changing the way people view cut shields and even used 3D printers to make air fashion. “Consuming has been a sport in the U.S. BACK mask nozzles,” said Christine Rucci, president and for the past three decades, but people are waking creative director of Godmother NYC Inc. and a up to the fact that there is more to it than just own- Strong-willed and unflappable, New York’s fashion and retail sectors are member of Made in NYC, an initiative of the Pratt ing things,” he said. “They will still consume but I Center for Community Development that supports think wiser and with more thought and purpose.” ready to navigate life after the coronavirus. thousands of local manufacturers and makers. Despite the short-term economic pain that comes PPE demand that cropped up virtually overnight with consumers buying less but better, the change ultimately helped save many factories from going will be “a good thing” in the long run, Pizzurro said. words_____ ANGELA VELASQUEZ under, Rucci said, and underscored the city’s manufacturing capabilities at a time when both local REALITY BITES makers and brands desperately needed a lifeline. Fashion, retail, entertainment and hospitality— Marred by factory shutdowns and canceled NYC’s heart and soul—number among the city’s orders, the pandemic pushed the global denim hardest-hit sectors. Despite retail rents cratering supply chain into a state of turmoil, but Rucci said to historic lows—as much as 25 percent off from the companies that tapped into a local network of 2019 levels, the Real Estate Board of New York NYC makers were the ones that persevered. Rucci reported in January—the empty storefronts lining _____ ANDY WARHOL ANDY _____ l developed small runs, prototypes and sales sam- Fifth Avenue, Lexington Avenue and Broadway Onassis, Jackie Kennedy Z: Courtesy of Jamil GS/ Rolling Stones; Andy Warhol, Credits: Jay The Mega Agency Jennifer Lopez: Jessica Parker, Sarah Calvin Klein: Fairchild Archives;

RIVET NO.12 / JUNE 2021 RIVET NO.12 / JUNE 2021 I NY

29.9 percent compared to 2020’s final quarter, Meanwhile, the city’s hotel sector is not expected Unacast reported. to recover until 2025. Hotel occupancy levels were As restrictions slowly fade, Brian Trunzo, head just 30 percent in 2020, and two-thirds of those of brand at Informa Markets Fashion, said New rooms were attributable to government contracts Yorkers are already beginning to poke in and out of accommodating homeless residents and healthcare retail establishments again. “New Yorkers are ready workers at below-market rates, the NYC Depart- to hit the shopping circuit again. We treat retail like ment of City Planning said. For comparison, NYC a sport—lord knows we put in the miles on our Fit- typically has an annual 85-90 percent occupancy bits as we traipse around the city from one destina- rate—one of the highest in the nation. tion to another,” he said. “Tourism is one of the pillars of our economy, Though Brooklyn Denim Co.’s business has there is no recovery without it,” said New York City perked up a bit, Pizzurro said sales are 70 percent council member Paul Vallone. 56 off versus pre-Covid levels ever since the store par- In April, NYC & Company announced its larg- 57 tially reopened in June 2020. “In the last month it est-ever initiative to lure tourists back to all five bor- has picked up some but we’re still at least 50 per- oughs—a $30 million effort kicking off this month cent down,” he said, adding that he’s banking on called “NYC Reawakens.” The campaign’s goal is to the return of tourism to help recoup lost traffic and show that NYC is not only ready for tourists, but sales. “New York is a tourist town,” he said. “Until it’s also “a fairer, better, and more vibrant city than they are back in full swing, it’s going to be tough.” ever before,” New York City’s marketing organization said. Part of this plan includes flexing the city’s VISITORS WELCOMED wokeness by promoting multicultural guides cen- Indeed, tourism-related revenue forms the back- tered on Black-owned businesses as well as Latino- bone of many industries. Last year, the city wel- and AAPI-themed content. comed just 22.3 million visitors—a precipitous And if culture isn’t enough to draw tourists to drop from its 2019 record of 66.6 million. NYC, maybe protection from Covid-19 is. The city The NYC Hospitality Alliance reported that has set up vaccination centers in tourist destina-

92 percent of eateries in the “restaurant capital of tions like Times Square and Central Park where KLEIN _____CALVIN l the world” could not afford their December rent. out-of-town walk-ins can get a one-and-done John- son & Johnson jab. _____THE RAMONES _____THE

l NYC & Company is predicting 36.4 million peo- tion and the businesses located just east of Macy’s ple will visit the city this year, with 69.3 million at Hudson Yards. Billed as a “new neighborhood” speak volumes about the health of the city’s retail a great landlord who has worked with us to defer tures in other states or indefinitely extending work- expected in 2024. by real estate development giants Related Cos. and sector. Retail accounts for 12 percent of businesses rent, we would not be here,” Pizzurro said. from-home policies—will be a factor as well. In Tourism, in large part, is what’s driving Macy’s Oxford Properties Group, the office, retail and arts and nearly 9 percent of NYC’s private-sector jobs, The pandemic’s impact on retail has been most January, Forbes described Florida as a “second Inc., owner of arguably the most famous store complex marked its one-year anniversary just as but the Office of the New York State Comptroller obvious in Manhattan, where the state comptrol- home for Wall Street” as NYC firms, tempted by in NYC, to plunk down $235 million to not only the coronavirus battered the city. While marquee reports that the pandemic unevenly affected the ler said foot traffic in “key corridors” plummeted low taxes, affordable real estate and a purportedly improve its sprawling flagship anchoring Manhat- tenant Neiman Marcus vacated last summer after industry. While online retailers and essential busi- a steep 90 percent in the wake of tourist-crimping better quality of life, pulled the relocation trigger tan’s Herald Square but also to revitalize the sur- filing for bankruptcy, and wooing new tenants has nesses experienced growth, revenue evaporated at travel bans and the mass rise of remote work—not during the pandemic or planted satellite offices in rounding neighborhood. It’s a move that signals been a challenge, the mall remains home to denim other large retail segments, ultimately plunging the to mention the privileged elite’s exodus to suburbia the Sunshine State. Avison Young, a commercial “the city is set to come roaring back,” said Melva M. retailers like AG Adriano Goldschmied, Aritzia, weakest into bankruptcy. and second homes. real estate firm, reported that Manhattan’s office Miller, CEO of the Association for a Better New York. Levi’s and Madewell. The city lost retail institutions like Century 21, Though some were temporary relocations, vacancy rate reached a record high of 15.9 percent Macy’s two-pronged plan involves building a Elsewhere in the city, Frame opened new loca- though plans are reportedly in the works to revive nearly twice as many people bolted from Manhattan at the end of the 2021’s first quarter, up from 10.9 900-foot glass office tower above the department tions during the pandemic. Along with an Upper the beloved discount chain after its September than from any other American city, the U.S. Postal percent a year ago and 14.2 percent in the prior store and upgrading the street-level pedestrian area East Side pop-up shop, the premium lifestyle brand bankruptcy. The U.S. arm of Dutch-owned G-Star Service’s 2020 data shows, though Brooklyn—the quarter, with Midtown, Midtown South and Down- as well as the Herald Square subway station with opened a 3,324-square-foot store in Meatpacking Raw Retail Inc. filed its own voluntary Chapter 11 second-most-fled locale—didn’t fare much better. town suffering the most. accessibility-minded features. Describing the flag- on Gansevoort Row. Designed to embody Frame’s bankruptcy in August, leaving its corner Fifth Ave- By the end of 2020, “migration flow in New But as the city embarks on its reopening, there ship as one of the city’s “most iconic institutions,” “California-chic aesthetic,” the store features cus- nue flagship store vacant. Chains like H&M, Old York City, which typically experienced net popula- are wins to be had in the apparel sector. Unacast Macy’s Inc. CEO Jeff Gennette said the company is tom furniture designed by Atelier de Troupe, nat- Navy, Express and Gap also all shrank their NYC tion flow gain of about 85,000 through 2019, saw found that foot traffic is increasing for some family “doubling down” on its commitment to New York ural fir plywood tables and brass fixtures. The store footprints in 2020. Overall, the number of chain human migration flow turn net negative in 2020,” apparel stores, particularly those centered on value. City, which includes notable events like Macy’s also includes a handcrafted gridded denim wall stores in NYC declined by 13.3 percent—with 2 said Unacast, a location data service. This popula- As of April 21, Old Navy’s foot traffic climbed 23.5 Thanksgiving Day Parade, Flower Show, 4th of July that displays Frame’s signature and best-selling percent closing temporarily and 11.3 percent not tion shift, it added, will likely factor into the deci- percent compared to the end of last year’s fourth Fireworks and Santaland. styles, while a subtle play on color and textures indicating whether the closures are permanent or sion-making about new infrastructure, commer- quarter. T.J. Maxx, Forever 21, Burlington and serves as the backdrop for the brand’s growing temporary, the Center for Urban Future reports. cial development and retail site selection this year. Marshalls also saw gains. Denim-focused retailers, RETAIL RENAISSANCE accessories range. “We survived by cutting hours and our own The loss of high incomes—the result of finance however, remain in the red. American Eagle’s NYC A revamped Herald Square will serve as a comple- “We’ve been expanding our retail footprint _____SARAH JESSICA PARKER _____SARAH

salaries by 60 percent, and honestly if it wasn’t for and technology companies seeking greener pas- foot traffic sagged 12.9 percent and Gap’s slumped l mentary bookend to the newly renovated Penn Sta- in recent years, placing Frame stores in the most

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ness, he said. Multi-brand stores like his own might tion, severity and level of uncertainty, Trunzo antic- and businesses alike are collectively optimistic and “Overall, I think there’s a real sense of increased have the greatest uphill battle in assimilating to ipates a smarter way of conducting business. “The ready to make the bounce back happen.” appreciation for many things we only now realize the new world. In the case of Brooklyn Denim Co., past year was a lesson in diversification, nimbleness, were so fundamental to our lives—both personally Pizzurro said the brands that his store helped build and the importance of a future-forward mindset,” BACK TO BUSINESS and professionally,” she said. “Conducting business up over the years are now reaping the benefit of his he said. “I think what’s different in this instance, That new and improved business acumen has yet and involvement in our live events is no exception: customers shopping on their websites. “Stores will particularly for NYC-based retailers and businesses, to be displayed at an apparel trade show in NYC, from touching fabrics and spotting new talent, to FASHION NOTES: have to be smaller and interactive with a company is that we do have abundant optimism in the air. but organizers are hoping to host in-person events making connections with new customers and din- NYC DENIM STYLE website going forward to survive,” he said. While these businesses will be moving forward later this year, though they may be smaller and ners out with longstanding partners.” Given what the apparel and retail industries likely with a shapeshifted strategy, leaned-out bud- have a more local flavor as guidelines for interna- No matter the occassion, when the denim com- experienced over the past year in terms of the dura- gets, and a bit more conservativeness, consumers tional travel continue to be in flux. Texworld New munity finally reunites, a roaring good time can be NYC denim style is a combination of upcy- York City will host a modified version of its event expected. “From what I hear people can’t wait to cled denim, vintage and fashion styling. July 20-22 at the Starrett-Lehigh Building. The chil- re-engage with their denim brethren,” Olah said. “All Many New York-based fashion designers 58 dren’s apparel trade show Playtime New York will of us have been cooped up too long. I imagine the have denim in their collections, and they 59 return Aug. 1-3 at the Metropolitan Pavilion, and best parties we ever had will be the ones post-Covid.” take much of their inspiration from the city the women’s apparel event, Coterie, remains on streets. It’s one-part punk, rockabilly, hip- Informa’s schedule for Sept. 19-21 at the Jacob K. THE NEW NEW YORK hop, rock ‘n’ roll—sometimes it’s the full kit Javits Convention Center. Indeed, New Yorkers’ prowess at throwing parties, and other times [it’s a combination of influ- The next Kingpins New York, the U.S. denim and the city’s unique brand of glitz and grit, may ences.] —Christine Rucci industry’s main supply chain event, will take be the antidote to staid quarantine hobbies such place Dec. 6-7 at its usual venue, Pier 36. Kingpins as gardening and baking. It will likely be that win- New Yorkers have the most versatile style founder Andrew Olah said the group had been ning combination that silences critics who’ve ques- in the world: we are used to fighting the ele- _____ JENNIFER LOPEZ _____

l waiting to hear what the laws for public gatherings tioned if New York City was “over.” ments, trekking from one area of the city would be to understand the changes they would “Anyone who says New York is over hasn’t a to another, and transitioning in and out of need to make in their shows. While Pier 36, refered clue,” Rucci said. “We will always be resilient and disparate situations. We lean on denim to _____JACKIE KENNEDY ONASSIS OUTSIDE ONASSIS OUTSIDE KENNEDY _____JACKIE

desirable neighborhoods in the country, and Meat- l HOME OF HER FIFTH AVENUE to as “Basketball City” by locals, often felt too spa- the center of everything, including fashion and make this possible. It bridges every style— packing is a key part of this strategy,” said Jens cious for the intimate trade show, it is now the ideal even denim and manufacturing. Name me one it can be dressed up with a sport coat or Grede, Frame co-founder and creative director. space for social distancing. other city so good they named it twice.” worn with a simple T-shirt and sneakers. Frame’s New York City-centric growth spurt The first trade shows will also serve as a litmus Olah urges anyone who thinks NYC is over to As we emerge from the era of lockdown, I was in the works prior to the pandemic, before test of whether the apparel sector is addressing the “get 19 boxes of popcorn” and watch Ken Burns’ believe New Yorkers will be eager to swap there was even an inkling of how retail would be issues that 2020 brought to light, including top- “New York, a Documentary Film” to understand their sweats for something slightly more disrupted. As construction slowed down in 2020, ics on sustainability, diversity and the questions how the city grew into what it is today through all polished, and denim is going to anchor the Grede said Frame had to press pause for a few raised about the industry’s seasonality. Retailers types of adversity. “I laugh when people say the city whole look. —Brian Trunzo months to take the necessary precautions and are understandably now more interested in shorter is over—this is New York City,” Olah said. ensure that the store “could be a destination for our buying cycles that allow for a nimbler approach to While Pizzurro claims NYC “is never over,” New York City style—whether it’s denim, customers for years to come.” The brand, Grede style selection and order commitments, according the city’s current state does remind him of the late music or not—is about doing whatever peo- added, pushed forward with plans because the to Courtney Bradarich, vice president of events, ’70s, when the wealthy decamped for the safety ple want to do. That is what makes New York “store offers an incredible opportunity to deliver a contemporary women’s—Coterie and Project. “We of the suburbs—giving young creatives space to special: the ability to be yourself and live true Frame experience.” will likely see more brands establishing core pro- move in. Though it marked a dark moment in the where there are so many choices. In denim Creating immersive retail experiences was all gramming that is trans-seasonal and evergreen, in city’s history, as economic and political instabil- there is trendy, there is vintage and vintage the rage prior to the pandemic, but the verdict is addition to creating capsule collections with spe- ity ravaged the quality of life, it theoretically cata- replicas. —Andrew Olah out on how much in-person engagement socially cial drops throughout the year,” she said. lyzed new ideas and talent. “It was scary, exciting starved consumers will come to expect. Consum- Similarly, Bradarich said brands are now “more and creative,” Pizzurro said. “I think that will be NYC denim style has always been a little ers may also be met with a less-is-more approach empowered with amazing technology which eases the new cycle.” cleaner, faster and more styled. With the to merchandising as retailers work to mitigate the so many planning and logistical woes, such as With the recent slew of announcements herald- shutdown, we have seen it get more casual risk of overbuying, navigate e-commerce (and the enhanced data-driven direction, resulting in better ing the return of in-person events, including New and comfort-driven over the last year. We are flood of competition that comes with it), and the margins as well as improved forecasting on collec- York Fashion Week, which will culminate with the seeing a move to looser cuts and more wash delays that continue to plague the supply chain. tion performance, resulting in less unnecessary Sept. 13 Met Gala, Trunzo asks how anyone can say interest. Streetwear seems to be driving a lot “The biggest challenge at this point has been overproduction.” With sustainability’s rising in NYC is over. “People can move upstate or out of of retail today and you can even see it in the getting product,” Pizzurro said. “With reduced importance, both in terms of ethical production state, but fashion’s not going with them,” he said. major design houses. —Frank Pizzurro cash flow it has made it very hard to get goods.” and the environment, she said seasonal pre-book- “New York City is fashion; it’s taste, culture, hustle, Pizzurro foresees a retail landscape that is per- ings will remain very relevant. inspiration and all of things that drive our indus- manently changed, particularly by consumers’ While there are new considerations in play, such try. Following a time of total upheaval in tradition, dependence on e-commerce during the pandemic. as enhanced safety measures needed in a post-pan- this would be the time to break tradition and start Though there’s a place for brick-and-mortar stores, demic world, Bradarich said everyone’s real focus anew, and yet the entire industry is gearing up for a they’ll have to be built to support an online busi- is on getting back together with the community. return to New York.”

RIVET NO.12 / JUNE 2021 RIVET NO.12 / JUNE 2021 EQUALITY EQUALITY UNTAPPED TALENT

Are companies’ efforts to worldwide, has historically struggled with oppor- 60 tunities and pipelines for Black and Brown talent,” 61 promote diversity, equity said CaSandra Diggs, CFDA president. “We need to and inclusion falling flat? collectively address and change this.” While 77 percent of surveyed white employees said their fashion industry employer was “doing

words_____ KATE NISHIMURA what it takes” to improve DEI, 20 percent fewer Black employees said the same, suggesting that while both groups observed significant action, they were not aligned on how much progress was being made. What’s more, 62 percent of white staff said n overdue period of awakening they believe opportunities go to the most deserv- has overtaken the fashion ining employees, and just 47 percent of Black respon- dustry. Following calls for so- dents agreed, underscoring the idea that ensuring cial justice across the country, inclusion doesn’t end with hiring. brands have begun to examine A their own roles in perpetuating practices that have led to a longstanding lack of diversity and representation across the sector. But these movements are in their infancy. While brands are taking the preliminary steps to promote equality, employees believe there is considerable Latinx work to be done. employees report the lowest rates of having someone % frequently advocate for them. of employees of color report that a career in One-quarter of employees of color said they felt the fashion industry is they were judged by different performance stan- not equally accessible to dards than their white counterparts, and 16 percent 50 all qualified candidates. said they felt they were less likely to be promoted to first-level manager roles because of their race.

A McKinsey study commissioned by the Coun- cil of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) and % PVH Corp. showed that while the majority (60 per- of Black employees cent) of fashion industry employees believes their report feeling less companies have engaged in efforts to promote prepared for their first job search vs. 19% of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), employees of white employees. color insist they’re falling short. 38 _____ REBECCA MINKOFF F/W 20 F/W REBECCA MINKOFF _____

“The fashion industry, both in the U.S. and l

RIVET NO.12 / JUNE 2021 RIVET NO.12 / JUNE 2021 62 63 ____NEW YORK'S GARMENT DISTRICT YORK'S ____NEW l MIAMI LAS VEGAS TOKYO veyed in the report said a career in the industry isn’t that Black fashion students waiting to enter the equally accessible to all candidates, and 68 percent market are feeling less than hopeful about their JUL 10-12, 2021 AUG 9-11, 2021 SEPT 7-9, 2021 of Black employees said they felt fewer opportuni- futures in the industry. Many expressed a belief + ties were available to them. that brands are capitalizing on a potentially fleet- LGBTQ While CFDA and PVH’s research revealed ing trend toward wokeness because of the current mixed reviews from Black employees on their cultural climate, and said they were skeptical about learn more employees report greater employers’ efforts to promote DEI, most respon- entering the fashion sector when its motivation to inaccessibility to the dents said they believe that small and medium-size include them could potentially fade later on. www.projectfashionevents.com fashion industry. brands offer the best environments for success. The majority (68 percent) of Black employees at small companies reported that they believe hiring A demographic breakdown of 10 leading Amer- at their company is based on fair and objective ican fashion and apparel companies showed that criteria, while over half (55 percent) said the same the only three Black C-Suite-level employees were about their medium-size employers. That number Asian chief diversity officers who were part of human dropped by more than percent when large compa- resources departments, not tasked with leading nies were assessed by their Black employees. employees report the lowest likelihood of receiving advice business functions. Amid public proclamations While new scholarship and mentorship pro- during a challenging time. from brands insisting they promote Black lead- grams have been put in place, the report indicated ership, this sparse showing at the top has raised questions about whether their actions are actually Fashion schools play a “critical role” in creating leading to more representation in decision-making a pipeline into the industry—but analysis of six top roles, the report said. % U.S. institutions showed missed opportunities for Less than 44 percent of employees believe that of Black employees representation, the research showed. Less than 10 the actions their companies are taking now to found a job in fashion percent of the 2020 undergraduate student body advance DEI will result in permanent change, how- through friends or family at these colleges is Black, and nearly two-fifths of ever, and the current state of affairs at American members vs. 26% of Black respondents also reported feeling “not at all total respondents. fashion brands paints an inauspicious picture for 11 equipped” for their first job search upon complet-

incoming candidates. Half of all employees sur- ing their studies. PRESS Credit: ASSOCIATED

RIVET NO.12 / JUNE 2021 RIVET NO.12 / JUNE 2021 ADVERTORIAL

İ s t a n b u l b o r n & S u s t a i n a b l e j e a n - m a k e r

HOW CAN YOUR BRANDS SEE INTO YOUR HAPPY, HEALTHY WORKERS SUSTAINABILITY AND CSR EFFORTS? Strom offers complete transparency when working with our customers, on all levels. We offer DRIVE COMPANY SUCCESS opportunities to work with companies like Fi- bretrace or Retraced, a CSR software which allows our customers to efficiently manage their sustainability right through the supplier chain from cotton farms to delivery.

CAN THE DENIM SUPPLY CHAIN BETTER WORK TOGETHER FOR AN INDUSTRY THAT VALUES AND PROTECTS ALL WORKERS? The current reality of the pandemic has highlighted the social impact and the fragility of the denim supply network. All brands, suppliers and mills need to extend responsibility to their entire supply network. We also understand the financial restraints the pandemic has caused that will lead brands to concentrate on price, but to pay our workers a fair living wage we need to make sure this wealth gets through the supply chain to our most vulnerable workers that we can all support.

HOW CAN TRANSPARENCY IMPROVE THE HUMAN SIDE OF DENIM? 2020 highlighted the social impact and the fra- SUSTAINABILITY gility of the denim supply network, and unfortunately 98 percent of garment workers do not make enough to meet their basic needs. Modern slavery is a prominent issue in the garment-making sec- TROM DENIM DOESN’T separate recipes. We’re trying to adapt the latest technol- tor. We need to improve transparency and wages IS NOT A CHOICE the health and welfare of its work- ogy in sustainability for a healthier earth, while along our supply chain and be very open about this ers from the health and welfare of at the same time providing a clean and safe area at both a brand and retail level. This is necessary the planet. Case in point: not only for our workers. For example, we’re not using to achieve in order to protect our garment work- Strom takes the responsibility does the Turkish vertical factory and PP spray anymore. Cancelling this chemical and ers. Without them, we do not have an industry. Slaundry send employees to programs to further its process to yield a greener product has been their education, it also plants trees for their birth- a huge step. HOW DID STROM ENSURE EMPLOYMENT by using sustainable solutions. days—a present for them and the Earth. STABILITY DURING THE PANDEMIC? “Sustainability isn’t just about our environ- STROM HIGHLIGHTS EMPLOYEE HAPPI- Providing a safe place for workers was a top prior- Are you in? ment, it is also about the amazing people we work NESS A LOT ON SOCIAL MEDIA. HOW HAS ity. Luckily, our new 15,000-square-meter factory with on a daily basis and ensuring they are happy THIS CONTRIBUTED TO A HAPPIER WORK- in Istanbul, opened just before the pandemic, of- and healthy in what they do,” says Baris Izcimen, ER, AND MORE LOYAL CUSTOMERS? fered space to socially distance on the production Strom stands for social, enviromental and economical sustainability which are all managing partner. We strive every day to make sure every individ- lines. In our laundry, we worked in three shifts reflected throughout both our factories and sustainable laundry. Here, Izcimen explains why Strom’s sustain- ual is enjoying and learning from their job. Our with fewer workers. We didn’t have many Covid ability can only be achieved by an environmental, company is very transparent, and our customers cases and didn’t shut down until last April. Even We are constantly innovating new ways to make product more sustainably; economic and social balance. are welcome to visit and work with us at our fa- during Covid, we increased business—no one lost cilities. We recognized that our loyal customers their job and and we hired more people. The lev- using the best technologies and professional know how. HOW DO STROM’S HEALTHY PRODUCTION and happy employees enjoy spending time at our el of our premium product matches our level of METHODS CONTRIBUTE TO A HEALTHIER company, and we decided to promote this via our environmental and social sustainability. We pride FACTORY WORKER? social media. We have employees who have been ourselves at being at the forefrot of social and Under our Blue Drop line, we are trying to cancel with us since we founded in the ’90s, and some of environmental sustainability within the premium all harmful chemicals and processes in our wash their children work with us too. denim sector. /stromdenim www.strom.com.tr [email protected] SOURCING EQUALITY

overwhelming majority were filled by individuals who identify as white. LS&Co.’s leadership team is BIG-TICKET SUPPORT CHANGE FROM WITHIN 73 percent white, 16 percent Asian and 6 percent New York-based Christopher John Rogers experi- But to determine if a company is actually commit- Latinx. Black/African-American employees repre- enced an influx of 22,503 followers, a 15.5 percent ted to making change, Solomon Russell, owner sent just 2 percent of the leadership workforce. growth rate year-to-date. The designer appeared of vintage store Lefthand Twill, said it’s key to To make progress within, the company com- in 7,500 average weekly searches, up 209 per- look internally. mitted to publishing annual updates on employee cent compared to last year, Trendalytics reported. “We know the importance of being transparent demographics and diversity statistics as well as wage Rogers was a key figure in the beginning of 2021 in this industry. We rely hard on information about equity audits every other year and establish a candi- when he dressed Vice President Kamala Harris how clothes are made, down to where the cotton is date pool of at least 50 percent minorities. In Novem- 66 in a purple dress and coat on the history-making coming from,” he said. “We need to be just as trans- ber, the company appointed Elizabeth A. Morrison 67 Inauguration Day. parent about how diverse a company might be on to chief diversity, inclusion and belonging officer. The designer recently unveiled a dress collab- a corporate level. Real change starts from within, PVH Corp.-owned Tommy Hilfiger is also fol- oration with Target as well. The big-box retailer whether you’re a singular person or a brand.” lowing through on its promises, and last summer announced in April it will invest $2 billion in Black- Levi Strauss & Co. (LS&Co.) initially responded launched the People’s Place Program, a plan to help owned businesses over the next five years. As part to the height of the movement with a $100,000 increase opportunities for underrepresented com- of this effort, it will add products from more than grant to Live Free, which organizes local commu- munities within the global fashion industry. The 500 Black-owned vendors. nities to curb gun violence and promote racial and program’s first partnerships included the Fashion _____NORDSTROM

l To further help entrepreneurs, Target also intro- economic justice, as well as a $100,000 grant to the and Race Database (FRD), an online platform com- duced Forward Founders, a virtual, eight-week American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) for work mitted to challenging misrepresentation within the program that will help Black entrepreneurs early toward criminal justice reform. fashion system, and Harlem Fashion Row (HFR), a in their startup journey navigate ideation, product The heritage brand, however, published demo- New York-based agency focused on the advance- development and scaling for mass retail. How- graphic representation data in a diversity and inclu- ment of people of color in the fashion industry. WORDS INTO ever, the move faced backlash from the 15 Percent sion report last June that found the majority of its Since then, the brand has made internal strides, Pledge, an initiative that calls for multi-brand retail- management positions were held by men, and an and launched mandatory unconscious bias train- ers and corporations to shift 15 percent—which is ings for all associates globally, with the goal of hav- the size of the Black population within the U.S.— ing all associates trained by the end of 2022. It also Has the industry kept its of their shelf space to Black-owned businesses. offers an internal program to support diversity and The organization pointed out that, not only inclusion efforts and partnered with the CFDA to promises to last year’s Black did Target mirror its branding, but the retailer also co-author the State of Diversity, Equity and Inclu- failed to disclose crucial information that would sion in Fashion report, a research piece that sug- Lives Matter movement? help measure its efforts and hold it accountable. gests next steps for the U.S. fashion industry to be The organization also highlighted that the $2 bil- more representative and equitable in its workforce, ACTIONS words_____ LIZ WARREN lion investment represents less than 1 percent of talent pipeline and consumer base. Target’s 2020 revenue, but added in an Instagram post that “any commitment to invest in Black peo- t’s been over a year since the mur- the form of internal reorganization and many in increase in demand for Black-owned fashion ple is a step in the right direction.” der of George Floyd, a moment that the form of a viral black square circulating through brands including Pyer Moss (+50 percent), Heron Another major retailer, Nordstrom, launched sparked one of the largest civil rights social media to show quiet support. Preston (+29 percent), Wales Bonner (+87 per- Black Founders, a pop-up shop at its New York MENTORSHIP PROGRAMS outcries in history. The movement Today, it can be difficult to differentiate between cent) and Mowalola (+139 percent). The label City flagship featuring products from eight Black- Another firm working closely with Black talent, elevated conversations about the the companies that were serious about their efforts that came out overwhelmingly on top was Tel- owned companies from across the fashion, acces- technology company Resonance last year unveiled I impact of systemic racism across all and the ones that simply went through the motions far, a Black-owned brand that has always stood sories and beauty categories. Sustainable denim its beResonant program, a four-month initiative industries, including fashion, which has benefitted for fear of being canceled, as one year is a drop in for inclusivity. Demand for the brand’s sig- brand Oak & Acorn—Only for the Rebelles, that provided 11 Black creators with financial, from Black talent for centuries but had fallen short the bucket when considering the systemic oppres- nature faux-leather shopping bag spiked 270 founded by Miko Underwood, was included operational, educational and marketing support of promoting equality. sion that has plagued American society. percent in Q3 2020 and became one of the in the initiative. including $50,000 in cash, products, and services, In the days and weeks following Floyd’s death, What is certain is that the BLM movement, world’s 10 most-wanted products, according to the Underwood said the label became the No. 1 sell- to operate their sustainable fashion businesses fashion companies pledged support to help estab- and fashion’s response to it, has had an effect shopping platform. ing brand at Nordstrom’s location at the Atlanta “without having to worry about the crippling lish a more inclusive future. The Black Lives Mat- on consumers. Along with demand, Black-owned brands Phipps Plaza, thanks in part to its dedicated retail effects of inventory.” By using Resonance’s plat- ter (BLM) movement called on brands to be active “We’ve seen our customers come to Lyst look- saw a spike in Instagram followers over the past team. “Sales associates and stylists championed form create.ONE, designers were able to tap into a in the fight against discrimination, and many ing for powerful brands with a clear identity and year. Product intelligence company Trendalytics Oak & Acorn, which immediately translated into made-to-order model that allowed them to get to throughout the denim industry responded with big purpose,” said Bridget Mills-Powell, content direc- reported that Rihanna’s Savage x Fenty, Telfar and organic ambassadorship via store socials, strategic market in the span of eight weeks. promises—some in the form of financial contributor at the global fashion shopping platform. Fear of God experienced the most growth in Insta- visual merchandising, styling boards and direct “It is our responsibility to address fashion’s _____MIKO UNDERWOOD _____MIKO

tions to support Black-owned businesses, others in Over the past year, Lyst data indicated an gram followers. customer transactions,” she said. l failure to include and support Black creators,” said

RIVET NO.12 / JUNE 2021 RIVET NO.12 / JUNE 2021 ADVERTORIAL EQUALITY

as adopt established methods to reduce water con- Franklin Aririguzoh, beResonant’s general man- PLANNING FOR THE YEAR sumption needed for production. ager. “You can’t reimagine fashion without reimag- JP: There is also a huge consumer focus on upcy- ining who is making fashion. We are not looking cling and love of vintage pieces that is having a re- for a reactionary quick fix; we are looking to do our AHEAD: NEW INSIGHTS naissance moment. Being one of the most classic part to level the playing field.” categories within apparel, the denim category is The company is continuing its progress with also homing in on full product lifecycles as a fo- the beResonant Store, in which it digitally show- MEANS NEW CONTENT cus area to offset waste. Many brands are stepping cases the 11 brands in an effort to better drive out with secondhand incentive programs as part traffic and exposure. While it’s always welcoming of their larger sustainable initiatives. new Black-owned brands to the platform, it plans S DENIM CONTINUES to innovate, GIVEN THE OVERVIEW AND INSIGHT YOU on opening applications for a second beResonant Informa Markets Fashion is taking a HAVE IN THE INDUSTRY, HOW ARE YOUR HOW WILL A HYBRID APPROACH TO LIVE 68 class in Q3 of this year that will once again support customer-focused approach to meet EXHIBITORS ADDRESSING SOCIAL COM- AND DIGITAL B2B COMMERCE ENABLE Black talent creators. the industry’s ever-evolving needs. PLIANCE WITH THEIR PRODUCTS AND DENIM BRANDS TO BETTER SHOWCASE Trade show organizers are also fulfilling their The organization is diversifying and MESSAGING? UPCOMING COLLECTIONS? promises to do better in terms of diversity and Aexpanding its live event opportunities, continually CB: The social compliance component of sustain- JP: We will continue to complement our live inclusion. Last year, Informa Fashion Markets, enhancing its digital offerings and placing an empha- ability comes with an expectation of transparency events with digital opportunities for our commu- the organizer of Project and Coterie, and whole- sis on advanced content through education, trend as well—from the buyer and the consumer. Brands nity. There is such a natural extension between sale e-commerce platform NuOrder partnered to and market insights. These efforts are all geared are establishing ways to truly report on topics like these platforms, giving both brands and buyers launch the Informa Markets Fashion for Change to position original content as a larger business re- fair wage pay and they’re doing so through their greater flexibility and additional avenues to con-

(IMFC) incubator program, an initiative that sup- EAGLE _____AMERICAN source for its customers. websites, social media, seasonal assets and now nect and conduct business. With geographic lim- l ports emerging designers within the Black fashion Courtney Bradarich, vice president of events for through our digital offerings. Informa Markets itations removed, brands can connect with buyers community and provides 10 brands with opportu- to brands,” he said. “These social issues aren’t going investments we can make is in our people,” said contemporary women’s at COTERIE and PROJ- Fashion will continue to spotlight these important worldwide at any time. This true globalization in nities for representation and mentorship. away, so the key here is continuous support. It’s a Jay Schottenstein, AEO executive chairman of the ECT, and Jason Peskin, vice president of corporate attributes and stories when sharing brand infor- commerce, through bridging digital with physi- The program selected designers to receive two marathon; not a sprint.” board and CEO. “The Real Change Scholarship for development and events for contemporary men’s at mation with our retailer community. cal events, better assists brands in capturing new full seasons of complimentary access to Informa Social Justice demonstrates AEO’s commitment PROJECT, share with Sourcing Journal how the leads and new partners. Markets Fashion digital events, as well as a digital to help end racism, discrimination and inequality Informa Markets Fashion team is providing tools HOW ARE YOU SEEING DENIM BRANDS This leads to greater ordering opportunities showroom page on the NuOrder platform and while providing educational support for the next and resources to better serve the industry in 2021 REACTING TO INCREASED DEMAND FOR that can start before or even after a live event con- access to its digital wholesale market tools, along generation of leaders. Together we are making and beyond. SUSTAINABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY? cludes. As we saw from our past digital event edi- with one-on-one mentorship from a member of SUPPORTING THE YOUTH real—and lasting—change to build an even stron- CB: Consumers, and therefore buyers, will con- tions, they also offer incredible storytelling oppor- IMFC’s advisory board throughout the duration Beyond fashion, companies are stepping up to sup- ger, more diverse workplace that provides opportu- HOW HAVE INFORMA’S EVENTS SUCH AS tinue to call for business transparency and we’ve tunities. We know that the contemporary buyer is of the event. Further, through the IMFC Incubator port Gen Z, a cohort known for actively pursuing nities for our associates to continue to develop and PROJECT AND COTERIE PREPPED FOR A seen the denim brands in our contemporary more tuned in than ever to a brand’s narrative. Grant Program, four of the 10 incubator program positive change and equality. grow within our AEO family.” 2021 REBOUND AS WELL AS FACILITATING community meet that expectation with creativity We’re really excited to help our brands and designers were selected to receive $10,000 each in AEO Inc., the parent company to teen denim According to Donwan Harrell, founder of Art- A SUCCESSFUL YEAR AHEAD FOR DENIM? and boldness. Brands are considering moves to retailers get back to business this year with our grant funding. specialty brand American Eagle, organized a schol- MeetsChaos, working with young talent is an espe- CB: 2020 really gave us the runway to innovate, include deadstock fabric, use organic cotton, dis- upcoming hybrid and live events in Miami, Las According to Don Pietranczyk, vice president arship fund that it recently awarded to 15 individ- cially impactful service to the Black community. respond to updated market needs and evolve our continue use of harsh chemicals and dyes, as well Vegas, Tokyo, and New York. of education and experiences at Informa Markets uals from underrepresented communities who are Harrell has a long-term vision to launch an incu- baseline products and services. Since we’re an Fashion and IMFC advisory board member, these actively driving anti-racism, equality and social bator for young minorities to learn the ins and outs important connection platform for the contem- efforts are ongoing and will be continued for years justice initiatives. The AEO Real Change Schol- of the fashion industry and provide them with a porary market—of which denim is a foundational to come. arship for Social Justice recipients each receive a platform for creative experimentation. component from large companies to small inde- “The IMFC initiative will be woven throughout $10,000 scholarship for the 2021/2022 academic For Harrell, Floyd’s death was “a clear indica- pendent labels—we’ve taken a deeper, more con- all of our platforms where we connect and engage year and are assigned an AEO Inc. mentor to help tion that helping our youth can’t wait.” Though sultative approach with our brands and buyers. with our fashion community, be it live or digital,” them advance their career development and social he wasn’t ready to start building his long-awaited JP: We’ve launched more high-touch services he said. “We are also launching an IMFC Shopping justice efforts. mentorship hub, he began mentoring a student like a retail concierge, increased production of Guide which highlights must-see brands within In addition to the scholarship, the company through youth art program Art Start, and encour- advanced original content—featuring fresh indus- categories such as Minority-owned, LBGTQ+- made a $500,000 pledge to the NAACP Legal ages everyone to get started in a small way. try voices within our educational programming— owned, and women-owned to name a few.” Defense and Education Fund to support their educa- “Although I am the mentor in this scenario, I and brought forward an entirely new way for our While equal representation in fashion still has a tion equity work and scholarships for Black students am pleased to say that the young man I meet with brands and buyers to connect and do business long way to go, the progress it was able to achieve and matched up to $100,000 in donations made by weekly is a source of inspiration, and we both learn with digital opportunities. These elements will in just one year’s time has many hopeful for the AEO associates to organizations fighting against and appreciate the relationship,” Harrell said. “Sys- be woven throughout our future events, deliver- long-term. The focus now, according to Russell, is racism and for social justice. It also implemented a temic racism is a behemoth, tightly intertwined in ing higher value experiences for both brands and staying the course. program with the National Retail Federation to pro- the fabric of this country, but if everyone did their buyers. We are excited to be getting back to pro- “‘Ally fatigue,’ in which non-Black and Brown vide retail career education for students attending part, it would be dismantled in due time. Every step ducing live events that serve this category in more people feel the weight of supporting this uphill bat- historically black colleges and universities. in the right direction counts towards progress and targeted ways, and by virtue of that, bolster suc-

tle against discrimination and racism, also extends “We have always believed that one of the best equal justice.” cess in the year ahead. Howard Credit: Hailley

RIVET NO.12 / JUNE 2021 DESIGNERSOURCING TEA SOURCING

SHEILA RASHID, FOUNDER OF SHEILA RASHID, LLC

RIVET: What made you want to create a denim brand? Sheila Rashid: I wanted to create a denim brand because initially, I wanted to wear my own denim BUILDING and have my own fits since I couldn’t find what I was looking for elsewhere.

Meet the Black designers behind RIVET: Who is your customer and what do you keep in mind when designing for them? 70 some of the most creative SR: My customers are people that appreciate the 71 independent jeans brands. art of denim. I tend to make staple pieces that you can essentially wear every day. I like to call it luxury words_____ VICTOR VAUGHNS JR. denim. I tend to pay attention to details and the LANES flexibility and durability of fits and styles.

RIVET: What does being a Black fashion designer rom shopping guides that high- express themselves. This creates room for inclusiv- a message that can advance Black art and challenge mean to you? light Black-owned businesses, to ity and freedom of expression. My jeans are for all others to think outside of the box. Extracting inspi- SR: Being a black designer means to be a blessing. I retailers curating products made people. As a bespoke designer, during the design ration from my experience as a queer Black man is get to do what I love for a living. by Black designers, players from process, I intentionally make sure no two pairs of at the heart of what I do. across the fashion industry have denim are the same. This encourages my customer RIVET: Where do you hope to see your brand F made various efforts during the to recognize [what] sets them apart from others. RIVET: Where do you hope to see your brand within the next five years? past year to bring Black-owned companies to the within the next five years? SR: In the next five years, I see my brand reaching forefront of fashion. But sometimes it’s better to RIVET: What does being a Black fashion designer AA: My goal is to be in a position where I am releas- new and recurring customers through e-com- know more about the person behind the product. mean to you? ing collections without constantly taking long merce, social media and word-of-mouth. I see

And what garment is more personal than jeans, AA: For me being a black fashion designer is about hiatuses. As a creative working a 9-5 job, life gets RASHID _____SHELIA more collaborations and new collections. l after all? creating for a bigger purpose. Everything I do is overwhelming. Often times, I tend to take a step Here, three Black designers share why they’re centered around storytelling. It’s all about creating back for an extensive amount of time to regroup. drawn to denim and how the enduring fabric is a Having my brand fully sustained without these RIVET: Who is your customer and what do you platform for self-expression, creativity and fulfill- long breaks is where I want to be. keep in mind when designing for them? ing their dreams. I also want to give a voice to those coming up AC: I create for individuals—not the masses—so after me. One thing I’m big on is creating oppor- my customer is someone who likes to stand out. AALIM ABDUL, FOUNDER tunities for other young Black creatives who may Someone who likes unique pieces that are [one- feel pressured to go to a school or institution in of-a-kind]. When creating, I make sure to push the OF AALIM ABDUL order to groom their natural creativity. My current envelope and think about what I haven’t seen been RIVET: What made you want to create a denim experience as a self-taught designer is proof that done with denim and execute from there. brand? it’s possible on your own. Whether it’s on the front Aalim Abdul: Denim was my canvas for self-ex- or back end of my brand, curating a space in the RIVET: What does being a Black fashion designer pression during a time that I was beginning to future for these kids is a huge part of why I do this. mean to you? figure myself out. As a young teenager searching AC: It means creating my own mini-world in the for comfortability in his sexuality, free-styling ALEXIS COLBY, FOUNDER OF BIT OF world of fashion. Let’s be honest, this industry isn’t and customizing my jeans was my way of out- built for black designers to succeed, so it’s up to all wardly expressing those colorful feelings. It slowly DENIM Black creatives including myself to work hard and became an outlet for me to unapologetically be RIVET: What made you want to create a denim push our creativity to the fullest potential. We need myself. I knew this was an experience I wanted to brand? to build our own lanes. share with others. Alexis Colby: I’ve had a love for denim since college. I had a brand back then, VampedCo, where RIVET: Where do you hope to see your brand RIVET: Who is your customer and what do you I would make shorts and hand stud and tie-dye within the next five years? keep in mind when designing for them? them. Once I moved to New York City, I got back AC: In the next five years, I see Bit of Denim tap- AA: Because I don’t live under gender norms, my into denim and made a denim rug for my room. It ping into footwear, expanding into retail in Japan customer is just a fashion-forward individual with was so fun creating with denim, I stuck with it and and Europe and expanding our creativity in the art _____AALIM ABDUL _____AALIM COLBY _____ALEXIS

a strong sense of self who’s not afraid to loudly l Bit of Denim was born. world with installations. Big things on the way. l

RIVET NO.12 / JUNE 2021 RIVET NO.12 / JUNE 2021 ADVERTORIAL

A worker spends a third of their day in their work MAKING A DIFFERENCE FOR environment. As human beings, it is our right to want to feel encouraged and work in safe environments. It is imperative to our mental health and our ability to function optimally. As a business, THE NEXT GENERATION we must not just be aware of our workers’ mental health, but have these conversations and work towards an environment in which employees thrive. The better our employees function, the more successful we will all be.

SUSTAINABILITY IS AN OFTEN-DISCUSSED TOPIC WITHIN DENIM NOW, BUT WHERE DO YOU FEEL BOTH YOU AND THE DENIM INDUSTRY AS A WHOLE NEED TO STEP UP IN 2021? Traceability and transparency are critical. AFM is among several companies who are doing the right thing. Unfortunately, it’s too easy for companies to get away with fake claims. We must be willing to hold each other accountable and look at the bigger picture. For example, it is not enough to say that a jean is 50 percent sustainable. How can we validate this claim? How can we continue the research to reach closer to 100 percent? How can we collaborate to push the boundaries at every step of the process?

WHAT KEY DIFFERENTIATORS IN THE DENIM MARKET TODAY DO CONSUMERS RESPOND TO MOST? DENIM BRANDS TO BETTER SHOWCASE UPCOMING COLLEC- ARTISTIC FABRIC MILLS (AFM) to make a difference in the world around us. From TIONS? may have its sights set on its upcom- supporting organizations that champion inclusiv- As a manufacturer, we need to be able to honest- ing Fall 22 Sustainable Vintage col- ity—investing in our youth through education or ly answer the questions related to how apparel is lection, which includes biodegradable providing world-class healthcare to the under- made and where it is made, while still excelling in fibers such as recycled cotton, Refi- privileged communities of Karachi, Pakistan—we quality and being mindful of price points. The key Abra, Repreve, CiCLO and ROICA, but the compa- feel honored to do our part in making the world a differentiators are evident between brands who ny’s purpose goes beyond denim production. kinder and safer place for all. target Gen Z vs. brands that target millennials. Upon setting up the Artistic Cares Foundation in We also launched the Hajra and Ahmed Umer Gen Z cares about the planet, has brand loy- 2017, AFM works with organizations like the Child- Centre, named after the company’s founders, to alty, likes to feel they are part of the design pro- life Foundation, The Citizens Foundation Schools, provide free or subsidized medical care to approx- cess, are willing to pay more but purchase wisely. The Indus Hospitals and more to support better ed- imately 1 million people of Jummah Goth and the Brands that cater to them respond to this fluidity ucation and healthcare for Pakistani citizens. neighboring remote towns of Karachi. AFM funds and conscious lifestyle, hence offering sustainably In a chat with Sourcing Journal, AFM’s global and operates the clinic under the expertise of Sina made clothing that is personalized and nostalgic design director Towonda Vaughns and Susan Law- Welfare and the Childlife Foundation. of eras past. rence, vice president of marketing and sales, discuss It stands as a testament to the values that AFM Millennials want someone to save the planet, how tackling social, environmental and economic was built upon and our continuous efforts to give but sustainability is not as high a priority for them issues is in the textile manufacturer’s DNA. back to the communities that have supported us. when it comes to their clothing purchases. They are concerned about price and quality more than HOW IS AFM TAKING STOCK OF AND RE- WHAT IS THE BUSINESS IMPACT OF IN- where it was made or if it has organic or recycled PORTING ITS OWN CSR PROGRESS? VESTING IN YOUR EMPLOYEES’ WELL- cotton. You’ll see the brands that have captured Through the Artistic Cares Foundation, we aim BEING? their loyalty focusing on these preferences more. PUBLIC CRITIQUE 74 75 To cancel or not to cancel? Consumers feel more empowered than ever to take brands to task.

words_____ CHUCK DOBROSIELSKI

ancel culture” had its mo- site, came on the heels of several similar controver- even higher, reaching a level unmatched who for whatever reason have a fear of ment last summer. sies, including in the days directly leading up to its until this winter, when the Conservative being canceled—quote-unquote ‘can- Perhaps the most prolific publication. The essay itself references a December Political Action Conference used “Amer- celed’—that this is not legitimate crit- wielder of the now heavily incident as the writer’s “fourth or fifth cancellation.” ica Uncanceled” as its rallying cry. icism, that this is mob behavior, that politicized term was then Meredith D. Clark, an assistant profes- it’s something that is both a threat, "C President Donald Trump. sor in the University of Virginia’s Depart- but also something that should be Following the murder of George Floyd and nation- ment of Media Studies, published a five- ignored or ridiculed,” Clark said. wide protests and unrest than ensued, Trump and "BRANDS CAN GET page article on the etymology of “cancel The messaging works. A Har- his fellow conservatives time and again categorized culture” in October. The piece—drawn from vard CAPS-Harris Poll survey calls for change—whether successful or unsuccess- a chapter of a book she’s writing on Black made headlines in March when ful, real or overblown—as “cancel culture.” OUT AHEAD OF PR Twitter—in part responds to the Harper’s let- it declared that 64 percent of At the same time, however, cultural elites— ter, then little more than three months old. Americans view “cancel culture” long a foil to Trump—also pushed back on the con- NIGHTMARES IF THEY “The problem with so-called ‘cancel cul- as a growing threat to freedom. cept. Following a wave of high-profile firings and ture’ does not rest with the formerly disem- Responses to the question—“Do resignations within the worlds of journalism and powered, seemingly faceless public that the let- you think there is a growing academia, Harper’s Magazine published a missive SOLVE THEM WHEN ter critiques, but with the signatories and their cancel culture that is a threat critical of what it called “an intolerance of oppos- peers, ‘... the institutional leaders,’ who, ‘in a to our freedom or not”—were ing views, a vogue for public shaming and ostra- THEY ARE HR spirit of panicked damage control, are delivering largely uniform across gen- cism, and the tendency to dissolve complex policy hasty and disproportionate punishments instead der, age, locale, income and issues in a blinding moral certainty.” of considered reforms,’” Clark wrote, in a direct education. The only major Some 153 academics, authors, journalists and PROBLEMS.” reference the wording used in the Harper’s letter. outlier arose when tabulating other public figures endorsed the 532-word “Let- —Margot Bloomstein, author for political party and ideology, with Democrats ter on Justice and Open Debate,” including “The What is cancel culture? does anyone voluntarily opting for “not a threat” by a margin of 52-48 and Handmaid’s Tale” author Margaret Atwood; lin- Clark distinguishes “being canceled” from “cancel identify with the phrase “cancel cul- Republicans choosing “a threat,” 80-20. guist and social critic Noam Chomsky; and CNN culture,” describing the former as “a matter of digi- ture.” When one does use the phrase, it is meant By those metrics, it would seem there is a gen- host Fareed Zakaria. Within this explosive environment, interest tal accountability practice.” “pejoratively,” Clark said. “It’s essentially pathol- eral, though not absolute, consensus on cancel cul- Also on the list was J.K. Rowling, author of the in “cancel culture” soared last summer. The week “So where people who otherwise wouldn’t directly as possible,” Clark told Rivet. ogizing people who are using digital and social ture. However, a study from public relations giant world-famous “Harry Potter” series and—less than Rowling published her essay, Google searches for have an opportunity to hold, say, a brand, a celeb- In voicing that experience, she added, others media to make their voices heard.” Porter Novelli complicates the matter a little—at one month earlier—a more than 3,600-word essay the term shot to a then all-time high, according rity, a public official accountable—their email can join in, share similar stories and bring further “The difference between canceling someone least for brands and corporations. expounding her thoughts on “trans issues.” Writer to Google Trends. Harper’s published the “open gets discarded or not even read, they don’t have a attention to the issue. Vindication—the ideal out- and cancel culture is that the language of can- and social commentator Roxane Gay described the debate” letter four weeks later, days after Trump phone number where they can call that person and come—can take the form of an apology or even celing a person has been extracted from online What do consumers want when they lengthy work as a “spectacle of transphobic bigotry decried “cancel culture” as the “very definition of complain and even if they did complain, nothing just acknowledgement, she said. communities—primarily queer, Black, digital cancel? under the guise of feminism.” totalitarianism.” Though it made no mention of would come of it—people are able to take digital Where someone may choose to use the term communities—and it has been exploited, so that Porter Novelli’s report—based on its December The piece, posted on Rowling’s personal web- “cancel culture,” searches for the phrases bounded and social media tools and address that person as “canceling” to describe their own actions, rarely it becomes this messaging that signals to people online survey of 1,004 U.S. adults and weighted

RIVET NO.12 / JUNE 2021 RIVET NO.12 / JUNE 2021 ADVERTORIAL

HOW DOES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION GO HAND-IN-HAND WITH YOUR NEIGH- HOW LENZING MAKES BORS’ WELL-BEING? PB: The Lenzing Group seeks a balance between AN IMPACT BY BEING the needs of society, the environment and the economy. Lenzing takes on this responsibility, particularly with respect to potential effects of its operations on neighbors of the production sites ‘NATURALLY POSITIVE’ and vis-à-vis society as a whole. 76 We use Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a beacon because they reflect our so- OOD-BASED FIBER manu- Group also motivates partners along the value chain cietal challenges globally. Within our materiali- facturer Lenzing’s sweeping to be changemakers and drivers of sustainability. ty analysis, we find areas where we have positive l_____STREETWEAR sustainability strategy goes impact and influence that overlap with the SDGs. BRAND CHINATOWN beyond aggressive ecological WHAT TARGETS HAS LENZING SET TO We consequently pinpoint these topics for further MARKET, RETAILER EMPOWER PEOPLE? OLD NAVY AND LUX- targets. In addition to aims improvement by setting targets and measures and URY LABEL GUCCI Wlike cutting carbon, its “Naturally Positive” plan PB: One, to have a continuously valid third-par- reporting on them according to GRI standards. HAVE ADDRESSED focuses on encouraging and empowering people, ty audited accredited social certificate for every Environmental protection leads to clean MISTAKES WITH plus enhancing community well-being. Lenzing Group production site by 2023. Two, to drinking water and air, and thus certainly has a di- APOLOGIES AND ACTION ADDRESSED With production sites across the globe—from enable a good life for people amplified by prod- rect influence on the quality of life and well-being MISTAKES Austria to Asia and America—Lenzing’s social ef- ucts offered by Lenzing, and by respecting human of our neighbors and communities. However, it forts cater to localized needs. “As a good corpo- rights, employee well-being and diversity. And goes far beyond local vicinities. As a leading com- rate citizen, the Lenzing Group promotes benefi- three, to continuously support the development of pany in our sector and a major employer in many cial development of the communities and regions local communities near Lenzing production sites regions, we can only be economically successful in where it operates,” said Peter Bartsch, Lenzing’s and social welfare programs to 2025 and beyond. the long term if we also ensure a corresponding vice president of corporate responsibility. “This quality of life. is achieved through safe and environmentally re- to U.S Census estimates—found just 20 percent reasons included getting a company to change its from a belief that if something is “a problem at a sponsible operations, fair business practices and WHAT ARE CONSUMERS REALLY LOOKING of Americans believed cancel culture was “bad political policies and stances (27 percent), persuad- local level, that’s oftentimes a symptom of a prob- contribution to local economic development and FOR WHEN IT COMES TO SOCIAL RESPON- for society,” meaning that they believe companies ing businesses to fire individuals responsible for lem on a much larger corporate level.” community life.” SIBILITY? or individuals can’t do or say anything without an offensive statement (26 percent), and influenc- “I think what has changed is that people feel Even outside of its operating footprint, Len- TC: Consumers want the basic facts. They want being cancelled. Though only 34 percent con- ing corporations to sever ties with a celebrity or empowered to raise those issues to demand better,” zing is giving back to people and the planet to connect with companies who have a shared sidered it “good for society—it gets companies/ spokesperson who caused offense (22 percent). Bloomstein said. This view lines up with Porter Novel- through projects such as a reforestation effort in value system for the planet and people without individuals to recognize bad behavior,” a middle Just 18 percent said they would cancel a com- li’s study, which found that 72 percent of Americans Albania that combines vocational training with the greenwashing. Now there is the traceability 30 percent dubbed the practice “effective, but pany to get it to change its branding or external “feel more empowered than ever before to share their erosion prevention. technology for consumers, as global citizens, to overused—too many companies/individuals are representation. Even fewer, 14 percent, said they thoughts or opinions about companies.” Here, Bartsch and Tricia Carey, global direc- understand who made their garment. being canceled.” wanted a company to “‘go away completely.” Bloomstein offered Old Navy as an example of tor of business development at Lenzing, discuss Importantly, Porter Novelli defined the terms “This isn’t really about obsolescence,” Dailey authentic accountability. In early 2018, a customer, employee empowerment and how buyer-supplier WHAT HAS THE PANDEMIC REVEALED “cancel culture” and “cancel” for its respondents, said. “This is more about having a constructive dia- James Conley III, walked into a West Des Moines, relationships should evolve. ABOUT DENIM BRANDS’ RELATIONSHIPS describing the former as “the popular practice of logue with companies to hopefully get them to a Iowa, store where an employee then accused him WITH THEIR SUPPLY CHAINS? withdrawing support for public figures and com- better place.” of stealing the jacket he was wearing. The customer WHAT DOES “NATURALLY POSITIVE” TC: Covid exposed the environmental and social panies after they have done or said something that then posted videos of the experience on Face- LOOK LIKE FROM A SOCIAL RESPONSIBILI- issues of the denim industry. The TENCEL™ was considered objectionable or offensive” and How can brands respond when canceled? book, claiming he had been racially profiled. "I was TY PERSPECTIVE? denim team works with suppliers, mills and tech- the latter as “withdrawing support or discussing Margot Bloomstein, the author of “Trustworthy: accused that I didn't pay for my blue bubble jacket PB: The Lenzing Group is committed to conduct- nology providers to lower the environmental that topic negatively online,” according to senior How the Smartest Brands Beat Cynicism and that I got for Christmas that I wore into the store," ing business in a manner that respects the rights and footprint of the entire garment. vice president, marketing, research and insights, Bridge the Trust Gap,” frames cancellation— he wrote. dignity of all people. Comprising the core of the Collaborations are flourishing throughout Whitney Dailey. or at least, what companies complain about as Less than a week after Conley posted about company’s business success are people, and those the industry from supplier to supplier, supplier Though the word “cancel” may elicit ideas being canceled—as “natural consequences of the incident, Old Navy had publicly apologized who take ownership and feel able to take positive ac- to brands and even influencer to brands, because of some permanent punishment, Porter Novelli their choices.” to him by name and fired three employees who tion drive a successful transformation to a more sus- there is finally an understanding that change can- found the most popular reason to cancel a brand, The difference between the boycotts of yester- were involved. tainable society and economy. Empowering employ- not happen alone. We have massive issues to tackle with the support of 38 percent of Americans, was day and cancellations of today, she said, is a matter “Then they continued to dig in, they weren't ees and nurturing future leaders are key activities for from overconsumption, carbon footprint, circular- for “a company to change its ways.” Other top of scale and visibility. That scale, she added, follows going to simply just sacrifice the local manager,” driving sustainability improvement. The Lenzing ity, transparency to social justice. Now is the time.

RIVET NO.12 / JUNE 2021 ADVERTORIAL FASHIONSOURCING ON BLAST

Bloomstein said. “They said we need to keep digging into this, figure out how this happened here. ashion has provided am- founder Leandra Medine Cohen announced So, they conducted a broader investigation and they ple fodder for recent at- she would “step back.” The publication continued to update the media saying, ‘Yes, this is a tempts—successful or oth- never seemed to regain its footing, however. problem here, here’s what we’re still doing about it.’ erwise—at cancellation. It attempted a rebrand as Repeller in Septem- So, they kind of kept the story in the news.” Though he initially ber, but it announced its closure less than FINDING END-OF-LIFE Clark noted that it’s not always the immediate F denied what he called two months later. 37.5 yarns are available with an additive that will controversy at issue when a brand gets canceled, “grotesquely false accusations” against him, In 2018, the ever-controversial Dolce & accelerate biodegradation in landfills from centu- pointing to Gucci as an example. In February 2019, Alexander Wang eventually apologized after Gabbana rankled the Chinese market by TEXTILE SOLUTIONS WITH ries to decades. the luxury label came under scrutiny for a roll-up a male model, backed by S-t Model Mgmt releasing a marketing campaign that was The decision to incorporate this additive collar sweater that appeared to mimic blackface. and Diet Prada, accused the designer of sex- quickly deemed racist by those in and out- technology comes after more than three years of The incident came a few months after Prada pulled ual assault. After meeting with his accusers side the country. The label took down the ENHANCED BIODEGRADATION research, commercialization trials and biodeg- 78 a charm that customers said resembled blackface and the lawyer representing them, Wang videos within 24 hours and nixed a sched- radation testing by an external lab. Third party and shortly before Burberry apologized for sending said he regretted “acting in a way that caused uled runway show. Co-founders Domenico laboratory testing under ASTM D-5511 in an a hoodie with a noose around the neck down the them pain,” adding, “life is about learning Dolce and Steffano Gabbana later apolo- OCONA LABS, THE “science-first” WHAT ARE SOME SOLUTIONS HERE? accelerated landfill environment showed almost London Fashion Week runway. and growth, and now that I know better, I gized, vowing to respect Chinese culture. minds behind 37.5® thermoregulat- In addition to durability, which ensures garments complete breakdown of 37.5 polyester fiber to will do better.” However, while the broader world seems to ing technology, recently announced made with 37.5 Technology can be reused over a natural materials in two years. However, we were In the wake of the March Atlanta spa have forgiven the brand—revenues grew 4.9 a new sustainability offering aimed long lifetime, we recently launched 37.5 Technol- not satisfied to rest on this laboratory data alone shootings, a Change.org petition demand- percent in the year ending in March 2019— at addressing the mounting problems ogy with Enhanced Biodegradation. In the U.S., as the biodegradation process in actual landfills is "THIS IS MORE ABOUT ing Chinatown Market rebrand received its products still can’t be found on platforms Ccreated by textile waste. “Recycling is a better textiles make up 8 percent of all landfill waste. projected to be much slower. renewed attention when Diet Prada picked like Tmall, JD.com and Secoo. option than discarding textile products as waste, All 37.5 staple fibers and filament yarns are now Unlike traditional polyester that will sit un- up the cause. A March 25 post decrying the Shortly after Reformation shared its but it’s not always a realistic one,” said Blair available with an additive that allows them to bio- changed in landfills for centuries, 37.5 yarns will HAVING A CONSTRUC- “white-owned streetwear brand’s appropri- support for the Black Lives Matter move- Kanis, general counsel & director of sustainabil- degrade at enhanced rates once placed in landfill now break down over a matter of decades. Spe- ation of a historic and culturally significant ment, a post accusing the brand of passing ity. “There’s no easy answer to end-of-life textile conditions. Importantly, this new offering does cifically, 37.5 fibers are projected to break down TIVE DIALOGUE WITH neighborhood” garnered tens of thousands over Black employees for advancement challenges but it’s something we need to address.” not affect the comfort or performance that 37.5 50 to 80 percent over the productive life of the of likes and the petition attracted thousands went viral. The former employee called Below, Kanis shares the process of bringing the Technology provides, so brands don’t need to average U.S. landfill, which is about 80 to 100 of signatures. The brand announced it would for founder Yael Aflalo’s removal and little enhanced biodegradation additive to market, how choose between sustainability and performance. years. Throughout our testing process, we trans- COMPANIES TO HOPE- change its name on March 29. more than a week later the CEO resigned. this new innovation fits into the company’s overall Unlike other products on the market, this new parently share all of our findings, including post- Like many brands, Man Repeller In its 2020 sustainability scorecard—now sustainability initiatives and the steps Cocona Labs additive does not simply cause the fibers to frac- ing testing reports on the “Sustainability” section FULLY GET THEM TO A responded to last summer’s protest move- with goals and metrics on diversity and is taking to ensure employee health and wellbeing. ture into smaller pieces of microplastic, but rather of our website. ment by posting a letter in support of Black inclusion—Reformation dubbed its “people converts them into naturally occurring byprod- Lives Matter. When readers responded with focus” as a low point for the year and said ucts at the molecular level. You can learn more WHAT ABOUT CORPORATE SOCIAL RE- BETTER PLACE.” criticism, reading the letter as hollow signal- it is “doing the work to prioritize diversity, about this innovative offering here. SPONSIBILITY AT COCONA LABS? —Whitney Dailey, Porter Novelli ing from a fashion blog lacking in diversity, equity and inclusion.” —CD At Cocona Labs, we strongly believe in the im- WITHIN THE FULL LIFECYCLE, WHAT ARE portance of work-life balance and making sure our SOME OF YOUR COMPANY’S MOST RECENT employees feel supported in efforts to contribute PUSHES TOWARD SUSTAINABILITY? within their communities. We provide free, qual- “And it wasn't just about the fact that they were 37.5 Technology is the only thermoregulating ity health care and have a culture where everyone using these images of blackface,” Clark said. “But technology available that takes a holistic ap- can weigh-in on decisions that directly affect their it was also a matter of the ways these labels have proach to sustainability and integrates sustain- work and quality of life. The COVID-19 pandem- co-opted Black culture in the past, the way that they ability throughout the product lifecycle, includ- ic has made a focus on employee well-being even have failed to hire and meaningfully position and ing: using naturally derived volcanic minerals more important. Our communities are struggling promote people from marginalized groups… And that are permanently embedded at the fiber level, in ways we could not have imagined before all this it was about the fact that, in that instance, [Gucci] lasting the lifetime of the garment; making fab- began. Cocona Labs recently instituted a commu- was representative of the practices of extraction rics with 37.5 Technology available in GRS-cer- nity service program to allow employees to dedi- that the fashion industry, that the entertainment tified recycled polyester and nylon; 37.5 recycled cate up to 5 percent of their working hours—one industry has been known for.” fibers can be blended with other sustainable fi- day per month—to volunteer activities (helping To avoid facing these sorts of public repercus- bers; 37.5 polyester fibers are Oeko-Tex® certi- at local animal shelters, building and maintaining sions, Bloomstein said brands “should be self-po- fied; 37.5 Technology is anti-odor to extend the local trails, providing pro bono legal services to licing, whether it’s how they’re treating employees, life of the garment; products containing 37.5 help keep people in their homes). We are proud how their employees are treating customers, how Technology require less energy to launder; and to support these efforts. they are creating a culture that supports good behavior. Brands can get out ahead of PR nightmares if they solve them when they are HR problems.” _____DOLCE & GABBANA CO-FOUNDERS' VIDEO APOLOGY _____DOLCE l

RIVET NO.12 / JUNE 2021 ADVERTORIAL

Looking outward, in France, we sponsored MAKING BOTH a Student Association of a Business School (EM Grenoble), which removed 590 kgs of plastic waste from the Isère river banks in Grenoble.

SUSTAINABILITY AND WHERE IS THE BIGGEST DEMAND PUSHING THE DENIM INDUSTRY TO BE MORE RE- SPONSIBLE TO PEOPLE AND THE PLANET? CSR MORE DURABLE The denim industry not only asked us to provide them with a material with a sustainability certificate, they asked to work with us and all of our HEN THINKING ABOUT its in the lives of parents, too, and we wanted our partners from cultivation to fiber processing to corporate commitments on an employees to be able to take advantage of these validate our approach and sustainability concepts. environmental and social scale, privileged moments. We showed them how committed we were to our The Flax Company is thinking resolutions. The hemp fiber we market carries long term, adding durability to ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL SIDE, WHAT ARE values that are fully committed too. Wboth initiatives. SOME OF YOUR COMPANY’S MOST RECENT ‎“When it comes to sustainability and corpo- PUSHES TOWARD SUSTAINABILITY? HOW ARE YOU OPENING A WINDOW INTO rate social responsibility, these two notions cannot Our Marmara Hemp® is a sustainable product YOUR SUSTAINABILITY AND CSR EFFORTS be disconnected,” says Denis Druon, CEO of The due to how hemp is grown (rain fed, no chem- AND HOW CAN THE INDUSTRY FOSTER Flax Company SAS. “They both have ‘durability’ ical additions) and processed (through mechani- GREATER COLLABORATION? engraved in them, and both are certainly the re- cal equipment only and without chemical advdi- Trust can only be achieved through transparency. sult of long-term commitments.” tives). Having said that, and even though it was We organize working meetings with our partners Here, Denis Druon discusses the benefits of already proven to us, we had to get it certified who cultivate and work the fiber, and we identify the company’s cottonized hemp and the initiatives as sustainable. all participants and links of the production chain. needed to move the entire industry forward. We welcome brands to put on their farm boots and visit us! WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR COMPANY’S Better understanding is needed between all MOST RECENT PUSHES TOWARD CORPO- the players, fiber producers, spinners, weavers, RATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY, EITHER finishers and brands distributing the final prod- EMPLOYEE-FOCUSED AND/OR COMMUNI- uct. This mutual understanding can only be cre- TY FOCUSED? ated through close communication and putting all Since we produce everything in France, from fiber cards on the table. growing to fiber processing, we must obey strict Western regulations. However, our commitment WHAT ASPECTS OF SOCIAL COMPLIANCE to the community and the environment are fun- MOST CONCERN END CONSUMERS? damental to the company's policy. For example, Consumers expect clothing to be produced in we have financed a school in Tamilnadu, India to the most environmentally friendly way possible, help educate village children This is the village and to have a longer life. Hemp is an extremely next to our partner mill in South India and where sustainable material due to its very clean cultiva- the mill is also contributing. We also have a fenc- tion (without water, pesticides or phytosanitary ing program in France, as our companies shares products) but also due to its very high resistance, the values of this sport: respect, perseverance and making it an exceptional material with a very fight. We help young people practice this sport at bright future. our partner fencing club in Roubaix. WHAT WILL PUT ALL COMPANIES ON AN WHAT HAVE BEEN SOME INITIATIVES FOR EVEN PLAYING FIELD REGARDING SOCIAL WOMEN AT YOUR COMPANY AND IN THE REGULATION? COMMUNITY? The only way to impose rules on companies that We give female employees flexible work-at-home will be respected is through legislation. The more opportunity to be present at home during school the governments of the manufacturing countries vacations and other key moments when children enforce these laws through controls, the more need their mother. These are important moments confidence consumers will have. RESPONSIBILITYSOURCING SOURCING

82 PEOPLE + PLANET 83 Intersectional environmentalism—what does it mean for the denim industry?

words_____ KATE NISHIMURA

temming from a desire to con- savvy, “brands are still using sustainability as a tries in the world that’s predominantly powered front the damage its waste-mak- box-ticking exercise, trying to offset their environ- by women.” In some prominent sourcing locales, ing ways have waged on the en- mental footprint through a one-off organic collec- more than 80 percent of workers are female. vironment, the fashion sector tion or recycling initiative when it is a complex and has rolled out a multitude of multi-faceted concept,” Marci added. For compa- S sustainable advancements in nies to become truly sustainable, “their efforts need recent seasons. Material innovations, traceability to also protect and give back to the poor commu- “BRANDS ARE technology and upcycling initiatives have all be- nities of color who experience injustices from the come common tactics for brands looking to curb industry’s processes,” she said. their ecological output. Issues persist throughout the supply chain— STILL USING But a global pandemic has laid bare the indus- from the beginning of a garment’s life cycle, where try’s most toxic effects on the people at the heart of workers are faced with poor working conditions, SUSTAINABILITY its supply chain. The term “intersectional environ- inadequate compensation and wage theft, through mentalism” has been quietly gaining traction, bol- the end of a product’s life, when it’s discarded in stered by a growing understanding that garment a landfill that is often adjacent to an underserved AS A BOX-TICKING workers—most of whom are women—stand to Black or brown community, Marci said. “This bear the brunt of the industry’s failures. often-neglected demographic is most affected by EXERCISE...,” “Intersectional environmentalism in fashion the fashion industry.” is advocating for both people and the planet over “It really comes down to two things—climate —Kayla Marci, Edited profit, ensuring race and privilege fall under the justice and gender justice,” ReMake founder and umbrella of sustainability,” said Kayla Marci, Edited CEO Ayesha Barenblat opined. “Without human market analyst. “The movement identifies how rights and without gender justice, there really These individuals are “on the front lines of cli- marginalized people of color are often left out of cannot be a sustainability movement,” she added. mate shocks,” Barenblat said, because the natural the conversation, yet are the most vulnerable to “These two issues go hand in hand.” resources in their communities have been pillaged adverse environmental impacts such as pollution According to ReMake’s data, there are 70 mil- “to enrich Western brands.” What’s more, these and climate change.” lion workers in the global apparel and textile indus- women are also dealing with rampant human l_____DENIM FACTORY IN CAMBODIA

Despite the fact that shoppers are becoming try, and “it’s one of the only manufacturing indus- rights abuses—an issue that has come to light REMAKE CREDIT:

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throughout the pandemic as brands canceled workers’ livelihoods hanging in the balance. and villages—whether from rural Myanmar or in genocide in late March. In recent seasons, though, orders with their suppliers, and in turn, factories That vulnerability makes them ripe targets for Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka—and arrive at apparel companies, including denim brands, have reneged on paying their workforces. abuse. “Outside of the wage conversation, some- boarding houses in big cities without protections found themselves at the center of the controversy “A downward pressure on price has auto- thing that’s also often forgotten is how much in place,” she added. for their continued reliance on Xinjiang for both matically resulted in a downward pressure on sexual harassment and violence exists inside the Impacts on people also exist upstream in the factory labor and cotton crops. wages,” she said. “This was already happening factories and in the communities,” she added. supply chain, Barenblat added. The Chinese gov- Third-party certifications from well-meaning pre-pandemic, but in the pandemic it has really Workers often operate under intense pressure to ernment’s abuses of the Uyghur Muslims, for organizations have long focused on the environ- cracked wide open.” As brands panicked and reach productivity targets, creating the “perfect example, have been widespread and well-docu- mental effects of material generation while missing 84 pulled back on commitments, the inherent “ineq- storm for gender-based violence” when male fac- mented, with the Biden administration formally the human impact, Barenblat asserted. “If chemi- 85 uities that exist within the fashion system” have tory managers dole out disciplinary measures. characterizing the actions— including mass cal-free cotton is picked by people who essentially been exacerbated, Barenblat asserted, leaving “Women have often left the safety of their homes detentions, sterilizations and forced labor—as a have no rights, then that’s not sustainable,” she added. “If you’re only going to look at the environmental standards without looking at them, then it’s a complete myth.”

"IF CHEMICAL-FREE COTTON IS PICKED

BY PEOPLE WHO l_____WORKERS RECIEVING AID FROM AWAJ FOUNDATION AND REMAKE ESSENTIALLY HAVE NO RIGHTS, THEN THAT’S “largely underground and informal economy” ers and advocates, like L.A.’s Garment Worker because of its many undocumented workers, Center, have been advocating for the passage of the she said, and that dynamic has led to a culture of Garment Worker Protection Act (SB-62), which NOT SUSTAINABLE.” worker docility even in the face of injustice. would eliminate the piece-rate model and give gar- “It’s really important to see how identity is ment workers access to the same minimum wage —Ayesha Barenblat, ReMake weaponized in a lot of different ways,” she added. enjoyed by others in the state. “It would also cre- “When workers do attempt to speak out against ate a direct line of accountability between what instances of worker abuse and wage theft, time and happens in the factory and the brand,” Mayer The concept of intersectional environmental- time again we see instances of employers saying, ‘If said, explaining that companies have long shirked ism boils down to embracing “the biodiversity of you speak out, we'll have [Immigration and Cus- responsibility for issues taking place at the produc- thought when it comes to addressing our current toms Enforcement] called on you.’” tion level, owing to practices like subcontracting. climate crisis,” Aditi Mayer, a fashion sustainability The biggest tool propelling the exploitation of In early April, California’s Senate Judiciary Com- and labor expert for non-profit Intersectional Envi- workers is the piece rate model, a legal loophole mittee passed the bill, which was introduced in ronmentalist added. It’s important that brands and that allows factories to pay workers per garment December, and it will move forward to the Senate consumers understand that there are certain power produced, rather than adhering to California’s Appropriations Committee for approval. dynamics at play within the fashion supply chain $15-per-hour minimum wage, Mayer argued. In “For so long, the sustainability narrative has stemming from the makeup of its workforce, and previous decades, the piece rate “mirrored” the acutely focused on environmental impact and not those perspectives must be acknowledged in order minimum wage, but that isn’t the case today. “Cou- how to include the human dimension of labor as a to force real change, she said. ple that with the rise of fast fashion—an industry key element of that,” Mayer said. “When we look Mayer has spent the better part of four years built on speed and scale at all costs,” she said. “You at this issue through the lens of intersectional envi- organizing alongside garment workers in Down- now have this dynamic where workers are working ronmentalism, the people and the planet become town Los Angeles—a market that employs which around the clock, and it’s exacerbating health and front and center—and that’s an important shift. l_____DENIM FACTORY WORKER employs some 50,000 people, many working to safety concerns.” Brands that are touting sustainability can’t ignore IN CAMBODIA CREDIT (LEFT): REMAKE REMAKE FOUNDATION/ CREDIT (RIGHT): AWAJ create denim and jeans. The sector operates as a Over the course of the past year, garment work- the conversation of human rights.”

RIVET NO.12 / JUNE 2021 RIVET NO.12 / JUNE 2021 ADVERTORIAL

WITH ECO-FRIENDLY MANUFACTURING, MORITO SCOVILL AMERICAS HAS SUSTAINABILITY AT ITS C.O.R.E.

LTHOUGH MORITO SCOVILL HOW DO YOU FEEL MORITO SCOVILL HAS new C.O.R.E.™ finishes that are produced using Americas (MSA) specializes in EVOLVED ITS FASTENER/BUTTON eco-friendly manufacturing processes. high-performance fasteners for OFFERINGS TO ADDRESS CHANGING DE- apparel and industrial applications MANDS ACROSS DENIM? GIVEN THAT YOU WORK ACROSS DIFFER- across outerwear, workwear, chil- As a global supplier in over 25 countries, we have ENT APPAREL CATEGORIES, WHAT LES- Adren’s wear, infantwear and medical apparel, the an extensive supply chain network with a SONS CAN DENIM LEARN FROM OTHER company also heavily supports denim production combined 330 years of expertise. This allows us SECTORS? with a selection of snaps, buttons and burrs vital to provide customer-centered solutions to ev- I think denim has adapted to the changes in con- for their completion. er-changing demands by offering a vast array of sumers’ lifestyles. Today people are looking And just like any denim manufacturer, MSA trim options from basic, traditional hardware for comfort as well as fashion, and stretch den- has a stake in the fabric’s future and the desire to to innovative new ideas. im is increasing in popularity as a result. Athletic use more eco-friendly materials in the process. As denim has evolved, we have continued to leisure is very hot right now and stretch denim is Richard Sanderson, director of sales and mar- offer dependable products our customers rely on, a good option for those wanting denim with the keting, apparel, Americas at Morito Scovill Amer- such as Duramark® buttons, rivets, burrs and performance features of athleticwear. icas, explains how the company is answering the Mighty Snaps® fasteners. We also answered the call to deliver sustainable denim and further com- call for sustainable products by launching our HOW IS YOUR COMPANY WORKING TO mit to responsible manufacturing practices. FURTHER CIRCULARITY AND GIVING DEN- IM A SECOND LIFE? HOW IS MORITO SCOVILL ADDRESSING As further proof of our commitment to sus- THE DEMAND FOR MORE RESPONSIBLE tainable manufacturing practices, Morito Scovill MATERIALS WITHIN DENIM PRODUCTS? Americas joined the Sustainable Apparel Coa- Sustainability in manufacturing has become a lition (SAC) and recently completed the Higg large focus in the denim industry. In 2020, Index. Our brand partners want visibility into Morito Scovill followed the lead of some of the what sustainability initiatives are being practiced world’s largest denim brands and launched throughout their entire supply chain. Member- our eco-friendly initiative, C.O.R.E™ – Commit- ship in the SAC provides that transparency and ted to Our Resources and Environment. helps drive our environmental and social respon- C.O.R.E. is composed of manufacturing sibility. It also gives us a benchmark for continu- methods that greatly reduce manufacturing im- ous improvement and operational efficiency. pacts by not utilizing resource-heavy processes such as electroplating, sandblasting, color filling WHAT PREDICTIONS DO YOU HAVE FOR and paint baking. This means significantly less DENIM IN 2021 AND INTO 2022? water and power are consumed and emissions We work closely with our denim customers during production are decreased. Products using to understand and anticipate changes in the mar- C.O.R.E. manufacturing methods are currently ketplace. The pandemic has been very disruptive available in 25 finishes for application on brass, to everyday life around the world and forced a copper, steel and stainless steel. change in the way people perform their jobs and As part of the C.O.R.E. offering, Morito Sco- go about their daily lives. We feel denim will be a vill has even committed to 90 percent recycled beneficiary of this change as attitudes continue to corrugated packaging and up to 80 percent recy- favor a more casual, comfortable wardrobe that is cled plastic packaging to ship all of our products. suitable for all facets of our daily lives. SOURCING RESPONSIBILITY

the first B Corps were minted in 2007, their number What sets the BIA apart—and which she thinks take on the responsibility and then go forth better- has grown to more than 3,500 across 70 countries. is impressive—said Rachel Horigan, a consultant ing every action.” Maryland became the first state to formally recog- at Sancroft, is that covers a variety of topics across Patagonia, which became the first B Corp in nize B Corps in 2010; today, more than 40 states the environmental, social and governance. “This is California in 2012, says the BIA is the “only holistic have proposed or passed legislation acknowledg- important as many of these issues can’t be assessed look” it has on how it affects each of its stakehold- GOOD ing the status. in isolation–in particular, the focus on governance ers, the health of its business and “nature itself.” The trajectory has grown sharper in recent and legal accountability is really welcome,” she said. More important, “it helps us look at where we feel years, spiking 522 percent from 2014 to 2020 as the There has been a “real proliferation” of certifi- we have shortcomings [that] we need to improve,” In an age when consumers world comes to grips with existential issues such cations in recent years, both as brands recognize said Vincent Stanley, director of philosophy at the as the climate emergency. Andy Fyfe, a growth cat- the consumer appeal of sustainability and in the outdoor-apparel maker, which recently launched are conscious of supporting alyst at B Lab, only expects that number to grow, absence of more robust legislation or regulation, hemp denim. 88 responsible companies, B particularly as a much-needed racial-justice reck- Horrigan noted. “Some are unfortunately more This has resulted in growth. Patagonia used to 89 oning continues to unfold against the backdrop of about marketing and in reality don’t necessarily “pat ourselves on the back” because of the number Corp certification has become the Covid-19 pandemic. translate into better social and environmental out- of products it made with recycled content. “But the “I think a lot of shoppers, prospective employees comes,” she said. “B Corp is much more credible BIA required us to look not by the number of styles the standard to strive for. [and] investors are all demanding extra transparency and there is quite a lot of effort involved—it’s much but by fabric weight. And then we didn’t look so and also accountability from companies, especially more rigorous and includes external validation.” good, because some of our best-selling styles were if they claim that they are purpose-driven or that Though the assessment is an “extremely ardu- not recycled. That inspired us to make changes.” words_____ JASMIN MALIK CHUA they have green initiatives,” Fyfe said. “People are ous” one, said Sanjeev Bahl, CEO of Saitex, the first The company also realized it was lagging in com- demanding that statements are really evidence-based factory in Asia and the only large-scale manufac- munity efforts, so it took extra steps to bolster them. n an industry where businesses are and that these companies have practices that back turer of denim to tout the B Corp name, it can spur Another brand that found the certification jour- increasingly looking to demonstrate up what they say about the issues we face.” a company to reevaluate its approaches to critical ney a humbling one is Athleta, one of the first Gap a positive impact on people and The numbers bear this out: An April survey of issues. One question, for instance, pushed Saitex Inc. companies to set its own sustainability goals the planet, B Corp certification has 600 U.S. adults by Forrester found that 47 percent to make “previously unconsidered” improvements and the only one to be B Corp certified. “We knew emerged as a valuable tool that takes of all respondents (and 51 percent of Gen-Z ones) to its work environment for disabled employees. we were doing great work, but after digging into I into account the interests of all val- associate the social, environmental and political “That is the process of B Corp,” Bahl told Rivet in the nuances behind the questions in the process, ue-chain stakeholders. views of CEOs with those of the businesses they 2019. “The questions make you question yourself, it turned out we had a long way to go,” said Emily “Being a B Corp is about making decisions lead. When choosing between two brands with [with] staff, customers, investors [and] the com- similar products, 43 percent of those polled said munity, as well as the environment [in mind],” they would favor the company with a like-minded said James Bartle, CEO of Outland Denim, which stance on social, environmental, or political values. applied for the certification just six months after Not any company can claim the B Corp mon- the Duchess Meghan-approved brand debuted. iker, however. B Corps are legally required to con- Less than two years later, in 2018, its request was sider the impact of their decisions on workers, greenlit, making Outland Denim not only the first customers, suppliers, the community and the denim company in Australia to achieve B Corp sta- environment. The process of becoming a B Corp, tus but the second one in the world. too, is a rigorous one that can take a full year. It’s “One of the things that stood out to us about a commitment that comes with an “opportunity this certification—that differs from a lot of oth- cost,” Fyfe acknowledged. “For entrepreneurs with ers—is that it evenly weights social, environmental many different priorities, [doing so is] a big choice and economic impact,” Bartle said. “This holistic for them to make.” approach to sustainability is the core of our busi- Qualifying businesses must first score at least ness, and so having this certification is a very quick 80 out of 200 points on a comprehensive ques- and recognizable way to introduce our values to tionnaire, dubbed the B Impact Assessment (BIA), our customers as well as the industry.” that takes between one to three hours for a small Indeed, in recent years, B Corp—or benefit corpo- company to complete. Questions include how ration—designation has become industry shorthand diverse and inclusive management teams are, for companies that “aspire to do no harm and benefit what percentage of energy stems from renewable all” through their products and practices. Jay Coen sources, how much the lowest-paid workers make Gilbert, a founder of B Lab, the Pennsylvania-based and whether social and environmental criteria are social enterprise behind the certification system, required of suppliers. This “rough baseline” is veri- described the sticker as “like the Fair Trade label but fied by an in-house standards team, and those who for a whole company, not just a bag of coffee.” are successful have to post the results of the assess- ____OUTLAND DENIM ____OUTLAND

The concept has gained swift acceptance: Since ment on the B Lab website. l

RIVET NO.12 / JUNE 2021 ADVERTORIAL RESPONSIBILITY

Allbritten, senior manager of retail strategy and “These working groups are great because you can gets harder each time, “so you have to make sure blending them to our already existing product operations at the Sculptek denim purveyor, which discuss techniques and best practices of tackling to keep pushing,” Vicaria said. Neither is it enough CREATING POSITIVE lines such as our smart stretch fabrics or creating earned its bona fides in 2018. “After certification, these very big and intimidating topics with like- for a company to say it’s a B Corp. “Transparency entirely new lines. we set up internal working groups focused on our minded companies.” is very important and part of that is know[ing] long-term success. This allowed us to determine a who is behind your supply chain and the working WHAT IMPACT DOES IT MAKE FROM A roadmap for future programmatic investments and conditions of the people involved in making your IMPACT WITH A SHARED HUMAN RESOURCES PERSPECTIVE TO IN- grow and scale programs based on the assessment.” product,” she added. VEST IN YOUR EMPLOYEES’ WELL-BEING? But attaining the B Corp imprimatur can be To be sure B Corp—and indeed all certifica- Creating a respectful and secure work environ- a “good return on investment” from a business "THE RECOGNITION tions—are only “one piece of the puzzle,” Outland VALUE PERSPECTIVE ment is a main priority and is non-negotiable. We standpoint, she averred, since consumers—millen- Denim’s Bartle agreed, citing increasing recog- apply high occupational health and safety (OHS) nials and Gen Z-ers, most of all—have expressed SHOWS OUR CUSTOM- nition of the inadequacy of audits and certifica- standards and set a target for zero accidents. both desire and willingness to pay more for ethi- tion programs to accurately identify and mitigate We also have an annual budget allocated for 90 cal and sustainable products. “Being a B Corp is a human-rights violations, especially when much of Naveena employees to empower them in areas of core component of our story as a socially respon- ERS THAT WE WALK the world is under lockdown. With travel restric- education, healthcare and financial support. We sible company,” Allbritten said. “The recognition tions around the globe, businesses must be “cre- feel that our workforce is our most important cap- shows our customers that we walk the walk. We’ve THE WALK." ative, thinking outside the box for new solutions to ital and we do our utmost to provide them with worked hard to translate the complexity of being a monitor and assure due diligence is undertaken for the necessary tools for self actualization in both B Corp into digestible, marketable information for —Emily Allbritten, Sculptek their supply chain,” he said. their professional and personal lives. our customers.” That includes technologies that can provide One of the biggest benefits of for-benefit, com- real-time insight, such as Floor and Field, an THE INDUSTRY HAS BEEN VERY VOCAL panies say, is the community B Corps have created. anti-slavery monitoring platform the company ABOUT ITS ENVIRONMENTAL GOALS. “As a B corp you have access to different working Still, maintaining the designation isn’t easy. B installed in all Outland Denim production facilities WHAT ARE THE PRIMARY CHANGES THE groups, such as that of net-zero and antiracism Corps are required to recertify every three years, last year. “Moving forward, I believe that technol- INDUSTRY NEEDS TO MAKE IN THE AREA and pro-inclusion, which are the ones that we are with a one-in-10 chance of an on-site audit. The ogy and systems such as this, used in partnership OF SOCIAL COMPLIANCE? involved in,” said Laura Vicaria, sustainability man- assessment, which evolves with updating legal with certifications, will form a stronger due dili- Public awareness and traceability demands have ager at Mud Jeans, one of the first Dutch B Corps. standards, performance expectation and feedback, gence strategy,” Bartle said. increased, and many global brands already have a dedicated fashion collection made from organic, recycled or sustainable material, focusing on envi- AVEENA DENIM MILLS prides as market demand, today’s technological abilities, ronmental goals. itself on viewing both sustainability consumer trends and brand attitudes in the design Until recent years, it has been a “comply-or- and corporate social responsibility process. The end products are sustainable products die” model, but fortunately we have evolved to holistically from a “shared value” that are relevant to current market realities. conversations about sustainability, covering eco- perspective. Beyond setting envi- The Holistic Denim line incorporates sus- nomic, social and environmental aspects. Nronmentally conscious production standards, the tainable fiber alternatives such as organic cotton, The recent Covid-19 pandemic shed light denim manufacturer says it wants to create posi- post-consumer waste cotton and post-industrial once again on the importance of the social pillar tive impact for all stakeholders and the communi- waste cotton, hemp, Tencel, CiCLO and ROICA. with growing concerns about employee health, ties they reside in. These fibers replace less eco-friendly materials safety and financial sustainability. ‎That’s why Naveena not only focuses on giv- such as polyester and elastane. The denim industry must streamline efforts, es- ing back or minimizing any harm the business During manufacturing, Naveena uses Hori- tablish common global standards and set out ambi- may have on society, but also on maximizing the zon, a sustainable dyeing and finishing process tious programs to promote industrywide progress. competitive value of its sustainability efforts, ex- combination. Horizon uses 80 percent less water, plains Aydan Tuzun, executive director of global 40 percent less energy and 50 percent less steam in HOW SHOULD GOVERNMENTS INTERVENE sales and marketing at Naveena Denim Mills. production compared to conventional processes. TO ENACT SOCIAL REGULATIONS THAT PUT ALL COMPANIES ON AN EVEN PLAY- WHAT HAVE BEEN SOME OF THE TOP IN- WHAT RECENT CONSUMER BUYING ING FIELD? NOVATIONS OR DEVELOPMENTS BREWING TRENDS HAVE IMPACTED YOUR MANU- Maximizing social welfare is one of the most com- FOR NAVEENA DENIM RECENTLY? FACTURING OPERATIONS? mon and best understood reasons for government We are always looking for new ways to reduce For a while, there has been a momentum towards intervention. our environmental impact, using sustainable raw athleisure and loungewear in fashion. Consumers Indeed, it’s easy to think of fashion as frivo- materials, sustainable processes and recycled are shifting their focus from trend to function, and lous. But the truth is, it’s an industry that has a materials. Our Holistic Denim concept consid- Covid-19 has accelerated this trend. Today’s denim lot of impact. If we are going to have a liveable ers all these elements to provide the maximum fabrics that include new fibers, constructions and planet to pass on to our children, we need to over- positive impact. treatment technologies meet this demand perfectly, haul the industry. Government regulations are a Holistic Denim is a mix of sustainable fibers focusing on clever, wearable and functional fabrics. crucial part of that effort for an ecological and ____OUTLAND DENIM'S CAMBODIA FACILITY ____OUTLAND

l and sustainable processes, considering factors such We use different technologies and fibers, inclusive transition.

RIVET NO.12 / JUNE 2021 ADVERTORIAL

social responsibility to the public. When the con- COMFORTABLE, sumers are aware of it, the brands will push it back to the factory and thus the whole supply chain will work on it together.

RECYCLABLE AND HUMANE: HOW SHOULD GOVERNMENTS INTERVENE TO ENACT SOCIAL REGULATIONS THAT PUT ALL COMPANIES ON AN EVEN PLAY- A NEW AGE OF DENIM ING FIELD? Governments should encourage or enact laws that factories must have certain social compliance HE FUTURE OF denim is likely to designed to address changing shopper behaviors certifications to operate. This way, every factory look a lot different from its past, and toward casualization and comfort. Panther P/Re- can have an even ground and standard to stand Panther Denim is making all possible CYCLE technology represents the futuristic and for, and customers have a general standard from preparations to cater to a highly casu- industrial approach to the recycling process. We which to choose factories. Overall, we hope to see al, comfort-seeking and sustainabili- focused on increasing the production efficien- more influence to make a value chain instead of a Tty-driven audience with three major launch concepts. cy of recycled yarns, not just post-consumer or supply chain. Acknowledge each step of the prod- However, as Panther Denim adapts to shifting pre-consumer products. This lets us make new uct and treat it fairly. consumer trends, Tim Huesemann, sales director at high-quality products with both post-consumer Panther Denim, says it is also the duty of both the or pre-consumer waste. Our technology leverages HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR BRAND manufacturer and the industry at large to address the recycling process to a new level, significantly AND RETAILER RELATIONSHIPS IN 2021, their own impact on human rights. reducing the tensile/tear strength drops and over- AND DID THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC CHANGE coming aesthetic defects on the fabric surface. YOUR APPROACH TO ANY OF THESE PART- WHAT RECENT CONSUMER BUYING NERSHIPS? TRENDS HAVE IMPACTED YOUR MANU- HOW CAN EVERYONE ACROSS THE DEN- 2020 was a difficult year for the whole industry, FACTURING OPERATIONS? IM SUPPLY CHAIN WORK TOGETHER TO from mills, manufacturers to brands. Thanks to The threat that this pandemic holds over our CREATE AN INDUSTRY THAT VALUES AND the support from all partners, we got through it heads is a call to action for the textile and fashion PROTECTS ALL WORKERS? together and finally see the bright end of the tun- industry to change direction before an even larg- Actually, the answer is very easy and has already nel. Answering the question, Covid-19 makes all er problem is at hand. Consumers are becoming been spoken about for many years: Human rights. of us united and work much closer than before. more aware of where their garments come from, All companies need to install a “human rights Because of Covid-19, the bonding we have with and it is vital that as a collective we act imminently due diligence process” to identify and account for brands is even stronger. This bonding actually to reverse some devastating effects. how they address their impacts on human rights. helps us to break the walls we have from the past, The trend toward casualization, which was al- Nevertheless, the denim supply chain can collab- and work with our suppliers, customers in an even ready strong before the crisis, will further accel- orate to give talks and raise the attention of the more open, direct, heart-to-heart approach. erate. Many people will return to a fundamentally different work environment—one in which tele- commuting, flexible hours and work-life balance are new norms. Comfort, obviously, will become a top consideration in apparel. Additionally, climate change and major events like Covid-19 will bring people to go for more protective gear composed of antimicrobial or an- tibacterial fibers, or water-repellent fabrics without wanting to give up style and comfort.

WHAT HAVE BEEN SOME TOP INNOVA- TIONS OR DEVELOPMENTS BREWING FOR PANTHER DENIM? Our latest concepts—Everywear, Comphy and Panther P/ReCYCLE Technology—are the key components of our collections at the moment. The Everywear and Comphy concepts are SOURCING SOURCING

between $80 and $150. Saitex has already seen four clients shift to this type of production, he said, Can global producers though he declined to divulge them. Other labels are curious about the benefits of usher in L.A.’s denim bringing certain product lines to life stateside, while a number of upscale boutique brands—most sell- revival? ing goods for more than $150—have jumped at the chance to produce their full collections at a state-of- words_____ KATE NISHIMURA the art facility located closer to their target market. 94 Having a presence in L.A. comes with manifold 95 GLO-CAL advantages for the company’s U.S. clients, Bahl said. For Saitex’s American brand partners like Everlane, Madewell, J.Crew and Target, the facility’s opening could offer a safeguard against some of the major supply chain challenges faced throughout the past year. Even with Asian sourcing churning at a furi- ous rate, delivery interruptions have hampered the spring season—and dampened hopes of a full retail recovery. Delays unloading containers at the nearby ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach have prevented brands and retailers across the board KNOWLEDGE from accessing shipments from overseas just as consumers head back to the shops. While many of these brands may choose to keep the bulk of their sourcing offshore, Bahl said os Angeles has long enjoyed overseas factory—the Covid crisis threw up a mul- ting tech, semi-automated sewing, robotic spray- Saitex USA’s capacity will only continue to grow, the distinction of being the titude of stumbling blocks. But with vaccinations ers, 3D laser detailing and one-step wash machines making it a more attractive option. He expects to U.S. market’s most robust gar- well underway across the county and the state of that recycle H2O—arguably the state’s most pre- see the factory ramp up to producing just shy of ment production hub—and the California, the facility’s prospects look much more cious commodity. “Our water usage here is very one million units during its first phase of growth, City of Angels has always had a promising than they did a year ago. minimal,” Bahl said, noting that the new facility is which he believes will take more than a year. “And L special place in its heart for all- “Unfortunately, a lot of factories shut down employing a proprietary chemistry and machinery then, once we once we hit that benchmark and American denim. during the pandemic, and that's kind of created a configuration that allows for the use of less than check the box on everything that we have hoped While apparel manufacturing largely moved little bit more opportunity for us to replace some one liter of water per jean produced. to accomplish, we’ll go into the next round of overseas decades ago, L.A.’s apparel denim sec- of that manufacturing,” Bahl said. “With the mar- “On the sewing side, I would say, 40 to 50 per- expansion,” he added. “The idea is to build these tor has maintained a degree of cachet. The city’s kets being more optimistic than they were six cent of the operations are totally automated,” Bahl nano-factories across the United States and per- 50,000-strong apparel workforce pales in compar- months ago, orders are beginning to roll back into added. “The rest of the machines have been re-en- haps later in Europe,” bringing production closer ison to overseas competitors, but boutique West the manufacturing system.” gineered to the pneumatic protocol, which allows to a local, on-demand model. Coast brands and larger American labels alike are “So from that perspective, I think the timing compression and quality and speed.” Currently, Saitex USA is also building out its finding new reasons to bring denim home—with couldn't be better,” he added. Planting a flag in L.A. has allowed Saitex USA to workforce, employing some 80 garment workers the help of two trusted partners. Not only are shoppers feeling more confident tap into the region’s wealth of denim brands, many plucked from L.A.’s vital network of skilled labor- about parting with their dollars—they’ve also of which have been looking to overhaul the tradi- ers. “And I think at full capacity, we will have about Big picture plan evinced a greater appetite for high-quality, sustain- tionally hefty ecological impact of denim’s produc- 230,” Bahl said. In January, Saitex, the trailblazing Viet- able products that are made domestically. The trend tion processes for years. According to Bahl, Saitex Advanced processes and automation require a nam-based denim manufacturer known for its toward conscious consumption has been growing has already seen major interest from its existing new level of training and upskilling, though, and focus on sustainable processes officially opened in recent years as a backlash to the fast-fashion U.S.-based partners across the country, some of Saitex brought its new U.S. laundry managers the doors to its long-awaited “factory of the future,” frenzy that dominated the aughts and 2010s, but whom are looking to shift design and develop- to Vietnam for almost a year to bring them up to located in East Los Angeles. the pandemic has brought about a newfound pub- ment to the new facility while keeping the bulk of speed in these arenas. “It’s a lot easier now to deal While the company’s founder, Sanjeev Bahl, lic awareness of the garment supply chain and its production in Vietnam. “For them to develop, test with the protocols and the processes and get the had been teasing the project for more than a year— impacts on people and the environment. and chase in the U.S., while scaling production in desired results,” Bahl said, after working together promising that the U.S. facility would be a small- That spells good news for Saitex USA’s smart Asia—that business model works for them,” he for a time. “We have most of the same machines in er-scale replica of its tech-forward, resource-saving factory, which boasts the most up-to-date laser cut- said, referring to brands that sell their denim for l____STAR FADES INTERNATIONAL Vietnam, and we’ve incubated them there—tried

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By taking the time to create a positive company HOW AGI DENIM culture, we can help reduce the overall stress at the workplace, increase employee motivation and and finessed them—so that we can scale here.” he added. The facility has retained a number of its that “usually designers are traveling, going to fac- improve our employee attrition rate. And ensur- Bahl believes that in short order, even more original workers, including chief operating officer tories and laundries, developing their products.” STRENGTHENS BUSINESS ing that our team has opportunities to socialize brands will see the value of the new facility—espe- Tony Rodriguez. “L.A. was a center for fabric and Instead, “international travel isn’t happening outside of their normal work responsibilities helps cially given its proximity to their operations. “Now all denim, but over the years that was in decline,” much,” and having a local facility for the American them learn more about one another and establish that they see that there’s something modern, sus- he said. Now, he believes the city is on the verge of market has proven essential to keeping produc- WITH SOCIAL INITIATIVES a more supportive and inclusive workplace. tainable, just in time, with all of these capabilities a denim revival. tion on track. “SFI is a 360-degree design house,” We also invest a great deal in the physical under one roof, it checks boxes and takes away the The opening of SFI and the advancement of its he said. “They can choose fabrics, do pattern mak- health of our employees, including programs to pain points that have been forcing them to operate capabilities has already proven a boon to Artistic ing, garment styling, mood boarding, washes and ensure they have access to the healthcare services in a traditional manner,” he said. “It’s an development here.” OR PAKISTAN-BASED manufactur- the brands they work for to sell as many goods as they need. We can help them stay healthy and 96 exciting prospect.” While existing clientele have er AGI Denim, social responsibility possible. This massive co-dependency means finan- improve employee morale, which has a positive cottoned on to SFI’s benefits, he starts with caring for worker well-be- cially fragile workers are exposed to massive risks impact on production, operational efficiency and A star is born said, “small, L.A.-based premium ing and radiates out into the broader of cyclical demand fluctuations. Covid-19 has made target achievements. Pakistan-based denim manufacturer brands, which we were not work- community. matters worse as inequalities have been exacerbated. Additionally, we have programs in place Artistic Milliners opened the doors to its ing with before” have also flocked FWithin its operations, AGI ensures healthy, allowing us to invest in our employees’ career de- new Commerce, Calif. venture in January, to the business, he said. Sultan safe, fair and sustainable working conditions, THE DENIM INDUSTRY—AGI INCLUDED— velopment through training, mentoring or promo- and the denim laundry facility is already noted that between one-quar- which are audited and certified by standards and HAS BEEN HEAVILY FOCUSED ON CUTTING tion opportunities. making waves with the Golden State’s sus- ter and one-third of business is bodies such as WRAP, SA8000 and SMETA. This BACK THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF tainable set. new—and made up of sustain- assists AGI and its brand partners in disclosing PRODUCTION. WHY IS SOCIAL RESPONSI- HOW ARE YOU HELPING YOUR BRAND The acquisition of the Star Fades Inter- ably-minded West Coast brands. their progress. BILITY AN EQUALLY IMPORTANT CAUSE? PARTNERS COMMUNICATE THE SOCIAL national (SFI) washing and finishing facility Thus far, SFI has seen its clien- “When it comes to social responsibility, consum- Environmental and social responsibility go hand- IMPACT BEHIND THEIR JEANS? marks the group’s first operational expan- tele fall into two distinct camps: ers want denim producers to show them what they in-hand for the fundamental reason that you can- Communicating what goes on behind the scenes sion into the U.S. market after 70 years in large players that produce en are doing rather than just telling them about it,” not have one without the other. Our business relies is crucial for a company seeking to gain a com- business. While a foray into L.A.’s denim masse in Pakistan, who are using said Ahmed Javed, executive director at AGI Den- on the people who work here, so it is our respon- petitive edge. Our products are manufactured in a market was inevitable for the group, the the washing and finishing cen- im. “Customers are searching for companies that sibility and our duty to look after both the people fair way, made with the right moral intentions and opportunity to purchase the factory— ter as a part of their design and are authentic, transparent and deeply concerned that make up our business, as well as their commu- follow the industry’s ideal standards. The social which was already packed with cutting development process, and small, about their social and environmental impact.” nities and families. It is vital to give back to the so- impact behind our products affects how consum- edge wet and dry process tech like lasers, premium brands that can afford a Looking beyond its own supply chain, the cieties that give us so much and it must be ensured ers perceive them. ozone and e-flow machines—presented ‘Made in U.S.A’ price tag. company invests in social initiatives—including that these societies continue to thrive and grow. AGI Denim actively strives to assist its brand part- itself in early 2020. These multiple factors all play partnerships with Child Life Foundation and ners by recommending marketing strategies and of- Now that the ribbon has been cut on into a renewed interest in L.A. as DoctHERs—and AGI’s Employee Volunteering WHAT IS THE BUSINESS IMPACT OF INVEST- fering design and communication resources that accu- the turnkey facility, SFI is producing about a home base for design and pro- Program that mobilizes its 27,000-strong work- ING IN YOUR EMPLOYEES’ WELL-BEING? rately reflect the story they are telling their consumers. 100,000 pairs of jeans each month, accord- duction. For one, “brands don't force for good. ing to Baber Sultan, Artistic Milliners’ want to rely on a certain region Javed spoke to Rivet about the business case director of denim mills. “The capacity is or a certain country for produc- for employee engagement and the importance of very much the same” now as it was when it tion—they want to hedge,” Sultan social impact storytelling. opened, he said, “but how we produce has said. Fashion has also become “so changed a lot.” SFI is continuing to acquire fast that the agility and response WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE MOST IM- and install new machinery so it will be “a time to that is another factor.” The PERATIVE SOCIAL ISSUE THAT DENIM IN more modern, resource-saving and greener positive sentiment surrounding PARTICULAR NEEDS TO ADDRESS? facility than before,” he said. USA ____SAITEX domestically made goods and Particularly in South Asia and other developing l “These are typically long, labor and ethical sourcing has also skyrock- countries, we see that low-cost labor is critical for chemical-intensive processes,” he added. eted, he said, and the contingent the competitiveness of the denim industry. Hence, But the “modern way of producing jeans” relies Milliners’ business, which services a number of of shoppers willing to pay more for a pair of luxury the industry has long been accused of labor ex- on the use of lasers for dry processes, and ozone American and L.A.-based brands, Sultan said. jeans from an American label is growing. ploitation, including allegations of long hours, machines to replace “intensive cycles of bleaching,” “I think Covid changed everything,” he added, When asked whether he believes these attitude low wages and forced overtime. and of course, water and energy savings. Earlier noting that prior to the pandemic, the company’s shifts will stick post-Covid, Sultan noted that the These conditions are often the result of im- this spring, SFI and Artistic Milliners announced factories in Pakistan had reached capacity. “Then fate of onshoring as a strategy “is an interesting mense pressure and demand for low-cost goods. a partnership with Italian chemical company Offi- Covid happened, along with supply chain disrup- debate happening all around the world right now.” The advent of fast fashion has allowed customers cina+39, leveraging the group’s new Aqualess water- tions, and the brands started realizing that ‘Made in “Once the world opens up and everything gets to buy more at lower costs, causing suppliers to free tech to develop two vintage-inspired washes. USA’ or nearshoring was the new word at that time.” back to normal, we’ll see,” he said. “But it looks like squeeze their prices and cut corners. The city’s longstanding history in garment pro- Travel restrictions have hindered brands’ abil- some portion of things are never going to be the As a result, millions of garment workers end up duction and ample workforce is also unparalleled, ities to collaborate with suppliers, he said, noting same again.” dependent on this mass consumption, relying on

RIVET NO.12 / JUNE 2021 PRIDE +

Pride Month-themed apparel collections fall short without 98 authenticity and 99 allyship. JOY words_____ ANGELA VELASQUEZ hough in-person Pride events LGBTQ+ people the remainder of the year. are scaled back due to the “Today’s consumer can see through per- pandemic, apparel brands are formative marketing tactics and are more likely to finding other ways to celebrate support companies that advocate for the LGBTQ+ STAY the LGBTQ+ community this community year-round,” she said. Recent data T month with Pride collections by The NPD group and CivicScience found that and initiatives that provide support to organiza- 21 percent of consumers surveyed stated that tions that foster equality and inclusion. “All types LGBTQ+ equality/inclusion influenced their deci- of brands are beginning to offer Pride collections sion to purchase when buying apparel, footwear as consumers become more driven by social good or accessories, while 48 percent said they have not and the incentive to publicize support of the made a fashion purchase specifically because they LGBTQ+ community grows,” said Kristin Brea- did not support a brand or retailer’s social position. kell, Trendalytics content strategist. Levi’s, however, is one brand that has a Indeed, there are clear peaks in occa- long-standing history of supporting the LGBTQ+ CONNECTED sion-based shopping around moments like music community. In 1992, Levi’s was the first Fortune festivals, summer breaks and national holidays, 500 company to extend health benefits to same- according to Bridget Mills-Powell, Lyst content sex partners. In 2007, it was the only California FOLLOW RIVET ON INSTAGRAM director. Pride, she said, is becoming an import- business to file an amicus brief with the California ant date on the calendar, “with more and more Supreme Court in support of same-sex marriage. people wanting to express their inclusive values For Pride 2021, the heritage brand aims to through optimistic and colorful fashion pieces.” encourage empathy and inclusivity with a new Since the start of January, the global fashion Pride collection that underscores the importance search platform has registered an increase of 158 of learning and respecting proper pronoun use. percent year-on-year for Pride-related merchan- The unisex collection features Levi’s classics such dise, with collections by Adidas, Calvin Klein, as Trucker jackets, denim shortalls, a canvas jump- Hunter, Converse, Dr. Martens, Ugg, New Bal- suit and tees with the phrase “they/them, she/her, ance and Levi’s being amongst the brands with he/him, we” on many of the garments. For the the highest demand. third consecutive year, all net proceeds from Levi’s Pride collections are most successful when Pride collection will go to OutRight Action Inter- they are authentic to the brand selling them, national, an organization that works to advance regardless of design, Breakell said. In recent the rights of LGBTQ+ people all over the world. weeks, TikTok users have been roasting Pride “We are proud to celebrate the LGBTQIA Month merchandise from large corporations community each year with our Pride collection and critiquing a phenomenon called “rainbow and by participating in Pride events across the capitalism,” a term used to describe companies globe,” said Jen Sey, Levi’s brand president. “We that cash in on Pride Month with products and find it so important to see people as they want to RIVETANDJEANS.COM marketing but do little to support and recognize be seen.” 100

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