Over the past three decades, denim producer AGI Denim has led with innovation, and it is fittingly marking its latest milestone by looking farther into the future.
A sustainability pioneer, the jeanswear manufacturer has achieved several firsts that set new standards in the industry. Today, it is Pakistan’s only company with B Corp certification and end-to-end LEED certification, and it launched the nation’s first post-consumer textile recycling plant.
To celebrate its 30th anniversary, AGI Denim is showcasing this pioneering spirit through a visionary collection designed in collaboration with Jonathan Cheung, the former head of design for Levi Strauss. Today, Cheung leverages his industry expertise—honed by work with iconic designers like Franco Moschino and Giorgio Armani—as a consultant focused on design and innovation. He also advises changemaking fashion companies such as Unspun, Hilos, Pangaia, Bluebird Climate and Bolt Threads.
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Dubbed TOMORROWLAB, the collaborative collection takes on fashion’s looming challenges, a testament to AGI Denim’s dedication to shaping a sustainable future for denim and the wider fashion industry. It was grounded in a simple idea: to create a collection that embodies the cutting-edge innovation and sustainability technologies available.
While AGI Denim has long been focused on sustainability, working with Cheung offered a new spin on its circular and responsible production, as the consultant and AGI Denim’s executive directors Hasan Javed and Ahmed Javed bounced ideas off each other. “Here, sustainability is not just a buzzword; it’s the essence of our journey,” said Hasan Javed. “Collaborating with Jonathan Cheung has allowed us to combine our decades-long expertise with fresh perspectives, resulting in the TOMORROWLAB collection that redefines responsible denim.”
The collection brings together low-impact fibers with eco-friendly treatments and finishes. Going beyond conventional cotton, the collection uses “New Cellulosics,” including regenerative cotton certified by regenagri, Good Earth Cotton, GOTS-certified organic hemp and Tencel’s wood-based fibers. Another concept is “Unwasted,” featuring waste-reducing materials such as post-industrial and post-consumer cotton, Tencel with Refibra technology that utilizes fabric scraps, Circ, Renewcell’s Circulose, Infinna from Infinited Fiber and Hyosung’s Creora Regen, a 100 percent recycled spandex made of plastic waste. The collection was also processed with “Future Colors,” including Nature Coatings’ pigments that come from wood waste and Huue bio-based indigo. For even less impact, all the dyeing and finishing used recycled water as well as no pumice stones or potassium permanganate.
Because it is a vertical manufacturer—covering everything from spinning to cut and sew—AGI Denim maintained tight control over the quality of the collection. In addition, owning more stages in the supply chain allows for easier adoption of innovations.
TOMORROWLAB’s philosophy is to make sustainability accessible for everyone. By using these technologies, AGI Denim and Cheung aim to support the scaling of these fabrics and finishing techniques so they become available to a wider audience.
As it launches TOMORROWLAB and marks this 30-year milestone, AGI Denim is both celebrating the past and looking ahead. The manufacturer is committed to evolving to best serve its brand partners. TOMORROWLAB’s emphasis on responsibility, accessibility, innovation and togetherness represents AGI Denim’s vision for the future of fashion.
“The collection reflects AGI Denim’s constant push to innovate and to be more environmentally conscious, which overlaps with my interests,” explained Cheung. “This is a true collaboration where ideas flow both ways.”
Click here to learn more about AGI Denim.
