Denham the Jeanmaker is joining the denim industry’s battle against excess water consumption.
The Amsterdam-based company is the first brand to explore the new Alchemy One finish from denim fabric specialist Orta Blu in its spring collection. Exclusive to Denham in its first season, Alchemy One borrows its name from medieval science while actually going in the opposite direction chronologically. The new technology features a high-tech recycled and nearly waterless finishing process that uses as little as four liters of water per pair. “You’d normally need around 40 liters of water,” explained Jason Denham, founder of Denham. “So we’re going from 40 to four.”
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For spring, the brand is starting out with the sustainable finish on five of its men’s styles: the Skin, a tight fit; the Grade and the Cutter+, two slim styles; the Apache, a carrot leg, and the Cross Back, a dungaree-inspired style with cross back straps, all available in a single mid-level indigo blue wash.
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“Next season there could be three or even more washes as well as styles for women,” said Denham. “For now, we almost see it as a test product.”
The introductory status is reflected in its market share. Sales in Alchemy One jeans are estimated to be 5 percent of the collection, but have been picked up by key accounts including American Rag in Los Angeles, Selfridges in London, 14 oz. in Berlin and Isetan in Tokyo. Retailing between 130 and 150 euros, or $186 and $213 at current exchange, the jeans will be marked with specific hangtags at point of sale illustrating the sustainable process for customers. Denham is additionally creating dedicated Alchemy One windows in its own doors in London, Tokyo and Amsterdam and is planning in-store events.
Orta Blu is the sustainability division of Orta Anadolu, the Istanbul-based firm that is among the world’s largest producers of denim. Alchemy One was rolled out to the global denim market at Bread & Butter in Berlin earlier this summer.
The fight to reduce water consumption, as well as other damaging environmental impact, in the production of both denim and jeans has begun to show signs of building into a crusade in the denim market.
“As a brand we’re conscious and aware,” said Denham. “It’s important to share this message with the end consumer.”