Digitally dyed denim, how this new technology goes beyond "reducing impact" in the making of jeans, and how it could really shake up the sustainable fashion industry
In Episode 343, Kestrel welcomes Adam Taubenfligel, the cofounder, creative director and responsibility lead at Triarchy, to the show. With the goal of restoring integrity to the word sustainable, Adam drives innovation in denim, advancing mindful materials and responsible production at Triarchy.
“How many millions of pieces of clothing are we stuck with because the factory had a minimum, the store only ordered this many, that was the cost of doing business, we had to do it, and so here we are. And so, you know, this scale question is influencing everything and creating mountains of garbage so that people can then congratulate themselves on the success of having hit milestones that are not based in any meaningful reality.” -Adam
THEME — RETHINKING FASHION’s Conventional Manufacturing Models
For the last 15 years, this week’s guest has been entrenched in the denim space, building a brand that in the beginning, was focused on simply making really good jeans. When they realized the intense amount of water waste and chemical harm caused by the denim industry, they quickly brought responsibility into their brand DNA.
For years, they have been focused on “reducing their impact” – reducing their water use, reducing the chemicals used, reducing the toxicity in the distressing process … because reduction was the only option they saw possible, when existing within the boundaries of a fashion system built to thrive on overproduction and overconsumption.
Until recently … when they discovered a way to entirely remove some of the steps in their supply chain. An opportunity to build an entirely new system that could truly shake up what it looks like to manufacture a pair of jeans today.
Like he wrote in a recent Substack article –
“The future of sustainable fashion will not depend on everyone making better choices forever. It will depend on creating systems that no longer require them to. Because the best sustainability decision is the one you never have to make.”
Quotes and links from our conversation:
“In fashion, there doesn't really ever seem to be a conversation around anything other than growth. So growth requires consumption, and then consumption requires cheaper pricing. So then cheaper pricing requires less responsible choices. So then we're all just making future garbage so that we can consume more and make companies grow so that they can become quote unquote more successful. I'm so confused around what the definition of success means in fashion. I will so often see people talking about the success of a financial milestone or another store being opened or another this and that. Like, we did it, we worked so hard, this is so incredible. And I'm like, right, but this is all irrelevant future garbage. What are we celebrating exactly?” -Adam
