Kering’s Material Innovation Lab (MIL) is tackling water consumption in denim.
The Milan-based research center bowed S|STYLE – Denim Lab, the 2025 edition of S|STYLE, a platform designed to connect fashion, responsibility and new talent.
The new edition challenged designers from Georgia, Germany, France, the UK, and Vietnam to creatively reinterpret denim with a conscious and experimental approach.
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The designers utilized advance technologies for dyeing, washing and finishing to reduce water usage and minimize or eliminate harmful chemicals. Additionally, fabrics were made with regenerative cotton.
Italian companies were chosen for the collection. PureDenim provide the denim fabrics, finishing and wash technologies by Tonello. In 2023, Kering partnered with PureDenim to develop and adapt Sonovia’s ultrasound dyeing technology into its denim lines.
MIL is dedicated to exploring and implementing sustainable, innovative materials, processes and technologies.
Supporting S|STYLE, which launched in 2020 to highlight emerging designers using sustainable techniques, innovative materials and low impact fabrics, is part of Kering’s ongoing commitment to driving sustainability across the fashion industry. The collection aligns with the fashion conglomerate’s Water Strategy, aiming for a net water-positive impact by 2050.
“With this new edition of the Denim Lab, we want to demonstrate how creativity and innovation can reimagine this iconic fabric in a more responsible way, drastically reducing water use, eliminating harmful chemicals, and embracing next-generation materials. This initiative is not only a showcase of style, but a tangible sign of change that, starting with luxury, inspires a more sustainable future for the entire textile sector,” said Christian Tubito, director of Kering’s Material Innovation Lab.
S|STYLE – Denim Lab was presented last week at Fondazione Sozzani in Milan. The event also included an art installation made from recycled denim by Mariano Franzetti. Previous S|STYLE collections focused on circular luxury and low-impact solutions.
