017. Danielle Arzaga on Why the Candiani Denim Mill Decided to Tell its Own Story

Imagine a shop with jeans from all different brands, where the only thing tying it all together is that they’re made of denim from the same mill? Sounds pretty revolutionary, doesn’t it?

But Candiani denim has done just that. Last week we talked about Candiani’s rich history, their unique vertically integrated structure, and how this has enabled their pioneering approach to sustainability. Why have they opted for biodegradability over recycling? And how does regenerative agriculture and cotton sourcing strategies come into play?

All of this is important context for understanding the difficulty Candiani had in educating their customers (brands) about their approach to sustainability. Candiani realized that for people to understand what they were doing (whether brands or end consumers), they needed to tell their own story. Wary of cannibalizing their own market, they set out to brand the denim fabric itself.

In this week’s episode we explore Candiani’s journey to brand its fabric. How has it changed their communication with customers (brands)? How does the end consumer know whether they’ve got a pair of jeans made with Candiani fabric? Why did they decide to open their own retail outlet in Milan? And how has their customer portfolio evolved as a result?

Want to dig deeper?

We shared this last week too, but it’s just that good. If you haven’t already seen it, Elizabeth Cline’s piece “The Controversy Over Cotton” is an all-too-rare long form story offering a nuanced perspective on an issue often reduced to over-simplified sound bites. The photos are stunning too.

Did you know that Nike is about to launch a Denim Air Max? And that it will be made with denim from Candiani mills?

Learn more about Candiani’s biodegradable stretch denim.

Photo Trisha Downing