Smart Car has asked The Denim Guy (Johnny Pinto) to show the world his personal style by designing a car wrap pattern for their iconic vehicle that is quintessentially The Denim Guy! He is one of five bloggers chosen to design the patterns for this eco-friendly car line. Check out Johnny’s wrap, inspired by his own personal collection of denim, which exemplifies his love of all denim brands. ”I wanted to design something that represented not only TheDenimGuy, but the denim industry as a whole.” Johnny adds, “This competition is not just about The Denim Guy, but about the denim community. A win for The Denim Guy is a win for the premium denim market!” Denim Therapy wishes Johnny the best of luck!
Voting ends: Thursday, September 13 at 5:00 p.m. ET
Vote on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/smartusa/app_215579748542007
For more information about the contest:
smart on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/smartusa
—Kathy Ng Hassan
Tags: Contests, eco-friendly, recycled materials, SMART Car, The Denim Guy
Luna + Hill, a retail store specializing in socially and environmentally conscious clothes and accessories, is featuring Nudie Jeans in the latest feature of their company blog. Told in a series of photographs and accompanied by a thought-provoking narrative, the reader draws on all the important elements which embody being socially and environmentally conscious as a denim wearer: taking a pair of raw denim that you purchased from Nudie Jeans—a 100% organic denim brand—and giving your beloved jeans its first bath in the river. View the images and experience the visual refresh.
Read the full story at Luna + Hill online.
—Kathy Ng Hassan
Tags: eco-friendly, green jeans, Luna + Hill, Luna and Hill, Nudie Jeans, organic denim, socially responsible denim, sustainable jeans
M2F continues to provide colored denim enthusiasts with a richer approach to wearing brights. Their thread-dyed jeans and denim garments possess a unqiue vintage look that says, ”I’ve been wearing these since high school!” (even if you just bought them yesterday). They continue to expand their selection and color range, featuring a pale minty green flare-leg, faded magenta cut-offs, and semi-destroyed grape purple boyfriend jeans. How can you say no to these?
—Michelle Christina Larsen
Tags: colored denim, eco-friendly, green jeans, m2f denim, pastel jeans, pink jeans, purple jeans, sexy jeans, spring 2012
G-Star’s RAW Sustainable line speaks to those who look for 100% organic cotton and sustainable denim which “seeks to minimize environmental impact without sacrificing style.” The RAW Organic range items only use natural manufacturing processes, minimizing the need for pesticides and other pollutants. For Spring/Summer 2012, the collection shows a heavy nautical-meets-utility wear influence, while maintaining feminine silhouettes by sourcing classic fits such as a high-waist Navy Flare, Navy Short and Navy Pencil Skirt. If you’re looking for Earth Day friendly denim, then add this eco-conscious collection to your list.
Tags: eco-friendly, G-Star Raw, sustainable denim, sustainable fashion
Nudie Jeans and indie music magazine Death and Taxes have headed to South by Southwest (SXSW) to open their East End pop-up shop and multi-artist showcase from Thursday to Friday, March 15-16 (12 p.m. to 8 p.m.). The shop at Cheer Up Charlie’s will feature a tightly-curated range of unisex organic denim and organic tops from the Spring-Summer 2012 collection. Commemorating the Austin launch, a limited edition “Keep It Weird” printed organic tee-shirt will be free with every denim purchase, or available for purchase at $25. All sales from limited edition tee-shirts will be donated to Austin Music Foundation, a nonprofit organization which supports local musicians with educational resources.
There will be onsite hydration stations and reusable water bottles (provided by Brita, global leaders in water purification); listening stations (provided by Marshall, the iconic amplifier and headphones brand); live performances and other goodies. See the flyer for more information.
DETAILS
Nudie Jeans x Death & Taxes Pop-Up Shop & Artist Showcase
March 15-16 (12 p.m. to 8 p.m.)
Location:
Cheer Up Charlie’s
1104 East 6th Street, Austin, TX 78702
RSVP: dteastend.eventbrite.com
Artists Performing:
Dan Deacon, Caveman, DirtyBeaches, Princeton, Superhumanoids and more.
—Kathy Ng Hassan
Tags: eco-conscious, eco-friendly, music festivals, Nudie Jeans, organic denim, recycled denim, South by Southwest, SXSW
If you are one of the increasing many who cycle their way to work, then you’d be happy to know how you can stay stylish, dry and unencumbered via Levi’s Commuter Series range of denim jackets, shirts, pants and jeans in their 511 skinny fit. The line of clothing appears very well thought out, from water repellent fabric to mobile, stretch pants to an extra wide utility waistband to hold your bike lock. And, that’s not all. The neat 3M® reflectivity stripes on the selvedge seams offers a whole new dimension to safe night riding. It’s all practical, functional and very cool. Watch the video and you’ll see what we mean.
To shop the Commuter Series, go to Levi’s online.
—Kathy Ng Hassan
Tags: cycling, cycling culture, eco-conscious, eco-friendly, Levi's, Levi's Commuter Series, Levi's Jeans, water repellent
When we first told you about Industry Of All Nations, we knew we were dealing with a rare breed. This is a brand born from the concept of utilizing deeply woven concerns for environment, community, and fair trade in their process. We knew there was something special about their gorgeous hand-dyed organic denim fibers, their nickel-free rivets, their electricity-free hand-looms… and their efforts at developing a sustainable denim industry in South East India. And after we had a chat with them at the Capsule trade show in NYC this past September, it’s obvious that this earth-conscious, community-rich concept is only the beginning.
On top of common sense, innovative products like their 100% natural African material-made sneakers or their biodegradable high-top espadrilles (hell, even their sold-out Panamericana chair has us rethinking what we’re sitting on), they’re releasing a line of beautiful hand-dyed colored denim skirts for spring 2012. When we previewed the line, it was presented alongside spring 2011′s hand-woven Argentinean cotton belts (dubbed the Faja—we scored one, and love it) and a range of men’s organic selvedge jeans. The denim, all made in India, was so rich in color and texture, it was obvious no typical mass production methods were employed in bringing it to life.
The spring 2012 denim skirts are all-natural, so there’s zero stretch. But whether your preference is a spandex blend or raw denim, you’ll probably agree that the styling possibilities for these beauties are off the charts. This collection is proof that sustainable, earth-conscious clothing with community roots is closing in on fashion-forward, and becoming indistinguishable in terms of aesthetic and styling potential. Industry of All Nations is helping this become a reality. Exciting, aint it?
Check out the full set below:
Check out what Industry Of All Nations has in store for fall 2011 (hint, Alpaca sweaters and more men’s hand loomed organic selvedge denim in an amazing fall color story) and don’t forget to visit them on facebook.
—Michelle Christina Larsen
Tags: biodegradable shoes, colored denim, eco-friendly, hand dyed denim, Industry of All Nations, made in india, organic denim, selvedge denim, sustainable denim
Reco jeans is taking the reigns as the ultimate in eco-friendly denim, and the more they grow, the more their passion for environmentally conscious product comes to the surface. We spoke to art director Nathan this past spring, where he introduced us to the concept of the brand and showed us first-hand some of the awesome products they produce. Since that informative encounter we had a chance to question the head designer Melissa Santos, and delve a little deeper into the mission of reco jeans.
Denim Therapy: Lets start from the beginning. What inspired you to get this brand off the ground?
reco jeans: This brand was inspired by the childhood of the two cousins (the owners of reco jeans). They grew up with the denim factory and would witness all the scraps left behind that would eventually end up in a landfill. As they got older they came up with the brilliant idea to keep all the denim scraps and have it all broken down and spun into a new yarn; a recycled yarn. This yarn would then be used to weave the new fabric, which is then used for reco jeans.
DT: How do you differentiate yourself from the hundreds of popular denim brands afloat right now?
RJ: We differentiate ourselves by being the only brand to use TRUE recycled denim.
DT: Do you have any pre-designing rituals?
RJ: Before I jump in and start designing, I usually do some shopping and research first. I even ask my friends, fans, and followers what type of things they would like to see on their denim.
DT: Describe the woman who represents your ideal target customer.
RJ: This young lady is very well into fashion. She gets our jeans because she loves the way they fit, and she loves the style. She may not know too much about the environment or of being eco-conscious, but once she finds out she is actually making a difference by wearing reco jeans, she feels great about herself and wants to continue the trend by finding more eco friendly goods.
DT: What would be your dream collaboration?
RJ: To collaborate with Lady Gaga would be a dream. She would definitely add a twist to the denim market, while unveiling things we’ve never seen done in denim before.
DT: What are the most popular washes/fits in the line? What are your favorites, and how would you style them?
RJ: I am really loving our darkest blue/black wash, but I am also a fan of our bleached wash. Right now our mid rise skinny is fitting beautifully like a glove. It lifts what should be lifted and flattens what shouldn’t be bulging! This Fall I plan on wearing boxy graphic tees with my mid rise skinny jeans, and knee length grey/brown flat boots. I may even top off my look with a bowler hat.
DT: Do you have any favorite/least favorite denim trends right now?
RJ: I am not too fond of the white denim trend, but thats only because i’m such a klutz and i always end up spilling or dropping something on my brand new white jeans. However, I have seen white denim styled great on a few people.
DT: Street style and style blogs are huge in the industry right now as a source of inspiration, influencing the high-end labels rather than vice versa. How much does street style influence your designing?
RJ: Honestly I am more inspired by street style. Sometimes I even skip the internet and magazine research and I just go straight to designing based on things i’ve seen on people out here in the city. Even all the fashion forcasting sites are showing more street fashion from the different cities around the world. How many pairs of jeans do you own? Haha too many to even keep track of!
DT: Can you give us hint about what’s next?
RJ: We’re collaborating with some interesting designers/ labels. You can expect some punk/ rock n roll styles, but also some feminine fun looks in the near future.
A big thanks to reco jeans for doing this interview with us. Don’t forget to check out their lookbook and shop their collection online! While you’re at it, like them on facebook!
—Michelle Christina Larsen
Tags: eco-friendly, head designer, interview, melissa santos, q&a, reco jeans, recycled jeans, recycled materials, true recycled jeans
You saw our post on Reco Jeans yesterday (and check it out if you haven’t—they are one of the coolest denim brands on the market with an inspiring vision that’ll get your wheels turning), and now we’ve got our hands on the looks they’re debuting this summer! MrNY is their New York-centric line of recycled denim and t-shirts, featuring designs from artist collaborations and fashion-forward conceptualization. There aren’t a whole lot of looks, but we’re all about quality over quantity, and this kind of quality is hard to come by.
Visit Reco Jeans on Facebook & Twitter.
—Michelle Christina Larsen
Tags: eco-conscious, eco-friendly, reco jeans, recycled denim, recycled fibers, recycled jeans, recycled soda bottles
Eco-friendly, going-green. These are terms that were trendy not long ago, and they’re quickly morphing into a standard of social and business behavior that can easily get you snubbed if you don’t bring them to the table. We love talking to brands that are taking this issue seriously, and recently we had the chance to sit down with Nathan, art director of Reco Jeans—an awesome, relatively new brand (begun in 2008) that have taken their feelings on the eco-issue to the next level.
“We’re really looking at the concept of re-appropriating everything,” says Nathan, “we are cutting out the step of removing raw materials from the earth. We figure most of the things that people need have already been made and have already been around for a long time… theres not a huge requirement to keep plundering the planet.”
The premise is simple—make new jeans by recycling resources we have now. Reco Jeans reduces scrap fabric back into fibers, spins those fibers into yarns, and weaves those yarns back into denim.
As Nathan explained, “a lot of people overlook the carbon footprint cotton creates. They overlook the fact that pesticide run-off is a really big polution problem. People focus on things like the waste from the manufacturing, but they don’t even consider the fact that the process of growing cotton creates this huge blemish on our environment. It’s poisoning the fish, the water supplies… there’s got to be a better way. So we’re trying to find solutions to that, to open new possibilities for the future. We’re a very future oriented company.”
The zippers and other metal hardware is likewise made of melted down materials, and our favorite element? The hang-tags are made of plant-able seed paper, so rather than toss them in the trash, you can toss them right into the earth. Also adorning the pockets are tags made of recycled paper with information in various species of endangered plants (one per style, to be precise). This is an attempt to build awareness and spread the word, before it’s too late for some of our planet’s most beautiful plants.
“Each one of these plants evolved for a reason to fit into the eco-system in a specific way,” Nathan told us, “and our anhilitation of each one of them is potentially removing a spoke from the wheel of life. Those are troubling thoughts to consider. It’s up to us to make sure these species dont disappear, and ensure the longevity of our eco-system.”
Aside from being a stylish, forward-thinking eco-conscious brand, Reco Jeans is a community-oriented collective. Their events, canned food drives, eco-fashion parades, DJ-contests (featuring “recycled music”) and countless other New York-based collaborations (they have a sub-collection titled MrNY) have put them ahead of many brands by taking their vision for their brand and extending it far beyond the jeans.
As Nathan describes, “these events help us build community and build brand awareness. We’re basing the thematic and conceptual basis of the event on what we stand for, and at the same time, have fun with fans of the brand!”
Why New York? ”We’re trying to build our customer base around New York’s young generation who likes to wear jeans, are part of the nightlife, are eco-conscious and politically aware. These are the people who are broadcasting their interests and ideology throughout the country. Whatever’s big here tends to proliferate throughout the country and the world. They’re taste makers.”
Also available from Reco Jeans are a line of T-shirts, designed via artist collaborations (and naturally, they’re eco-friendly as well).
Nathan’s outfit: “The shirt is made out of recycled soda bottles, and the jeans are made of recycled denim fibers & repurposed materials.”
When we asked Nathan what’s next for Reco, he answered, “Lots of exciting collaborations! We’re working with Prince Paul on a line of jeans and t-shirts, an exclusive line for Yellow Rat Bastard, and more cool things I’m not allowed to talk about yet.”
We’ll be waiting!
Check out this video showing how Reco Jeans are made, from recycled scrap fabric to finished jeans:
You can watch more exciting videos on the Reco Jeans Youtube channel!
—Michelle Christina Larsen, Photos by nightlifebaby.net
Tags: eco-friendly, endangered plants, environmentally friendly, green denim, green jeans, myny, New York, reco jeans
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