Anyone who wears jeans knows they range dramatically in price and in quality, but how often do you think about where and how your denim is made? Not every pair is made under the most ethical standards, but companies like Nu jeans are popping up to give shoppers a kinder alternative.
Nu jeans (and Nu boxers) are manufactured under ethical employment conditions in small workshops in Turkey that not only emphasize the fair treatment of people, but also of the planet.
The company was founded in Maxime Guillon and Jean-Philippe Pete in 2007, with the goal to create jeans for both men and women that can last a lot longer than most fast fashion items do today, thus reducing our consumption.
"There is a mere two hundred kilometers between cotton field and production," explains Smile and Save the Planet. "The denim itself is raw—a very rare quality in these days of worn-in, whiskered denim that you can buy off the shelf. It’s these chemical treatments that have devastating effects on the environment, and on the people who are making them. And to emphasize how silly this used-denim trend really is, Jean-Philippe says, 'If you buy a car, you don’t buy one that is a bit broken.'"
Why This Trend Is Growing
- Ethical Manufacturing
- The rise of companies like Nu jeans that prioritize fair treatment of people and the planet presents a disruptive innovation opportunity in the fashion industry.
- Sustainable Fashion
- Nu jeans' use of raw denim and emphasis on reducing consumption highlights the potential for disruptive innovation in the sustainable fashion sector.
- Long-lasting Denim
- The focus on creating jeans that can last longer challenges the fast fashion model and opens up possibilities for disruptive innovation in the apparel industry.
Industries Being Reshaped
- Fashion
- Nu jeans' ethical manufacturing practices and sustainable approach offer opportunities for disruptive innovation in the fashion industry.
- Apparel
- The emphasis on long-lasting denim and reducing consumption presents disruptive innovation opportunities in the apparel sector.
- Textile
- The use of raw denim and the focus on fair treatment of people and the planet provide avenues for disruptive innovation in the textile industry.
