‘Hardwear’ The Sustainable Denim Wardrobe is the collaborative project between TENCEL™ X JEANOLOGIA® X ENDRIME®, made at BLACKHORSE LANE ATELIERS. This garment collection is the result of a unique project, whose focus was to create a true workwear wardrobe based on TENCEL™ Denim fabrics.

The TENCEL™ Denim Team and Jeanologia® Brainbox Team have worked in partnership on many previous projects. Following their attendance at a Denim History lecture at BLUEZONE by MUNICH FABRIC START, they were inspired to connect with the presenter to discuss the possibility of a collaboration. Following a subsequent visit to husband and wife team, Mohsin Sajid and Sadia Rafique from ENDRIME®, in their West Sussex design studio, the ‘Hardwear’ concept was born. Mohsin has garnered a solid reputation as a modern vintage denim designer, while Sadia has expertise in art direction and graphic design.

The brief was to design an authentic workwear collection, inspired by vintage garments from the ENDRIME® archive, using only the latest commercial TENCEL™ Lyocell fabrics, complimented by the application of the latest laundry technologies from Jeanologia®.

“This collection was a real challenge for us, but it was also great fun as we reached back into our own vintage collections and were able to apply all the learning that we amassed from our “Truth & Light” collections”, says Jeanologia® Brain Box Creative Director, Carme Santacruz Zaragozá.

Eight fabric mills were chosen to collaborate, A&A Textiles, Atlantic Mills, Blue Diamond, Kaihara, KG Denim, Orta Anadolu, Stella Blue and, last but not least Candiani, who agreed to supply their 2019 ITMA Sustainable Innovation award winning fabric which is a 50/50% blend of TENCEL™ x REFIBRA™ Lyocell and recycled cotton.

“This project was a real departure for us, because this denim category has historically been the domain of 100% cotton. We wanted to challenge that model and we did so by going to partners who are recognised for their expertise in this area” says Michael Kininmonth, Global Denim Development Manager for the Lenzing Group. “As always, we aim to work with what we believe are some of the best sustainably produced denim fabrics available in today’s market that combine the latest advancements in fibre and finish”.

The prototypes were pattern-cut and made-up at the ENDRIME® studio, using vintage machinery. Every detail was well considered and used iconic details from garments that dated from as early as the 1870s through to the 1940s. YKK manufactured and supplied custom designed period-correct inspired Carved in Blue buttons, with washer and burr rivets made in their most eco finishes. The prototypes were then reproduced at Blackhorse Lane Ateliers in East London, a maker of ready-to-wear selvedge & organic raw denim jeans renowned for their quality, community and eco-consciousness.

“Being asked to design an authentic denim collection using TENCEL™ Lyocell has been a dream project for Sadia and I. It has been a joy for us to create and has been a true collaborative project, it’s been a career highlight”, concluded Mohsin Sajid.

For more information about the HARDWEAR capsule collection from the Sustainable Denim Wardrobe, contact denim@lenzing.com