Mumbai is set to host its maiden Denim Show from May 12 to 14, 2022 at the newly launched Jio World Convention Centre (JWCC). Denim has emerged as one of the fastest segments to recover from the pandemic with a growth of 12 per cent CAGR this year, says Gagandep Singh, Secretary General, Denim Manufacturer Association. Currently the second largest producer of denim fabric after China, India produces 6 billion meters per annum and approximately 150 million meters capacity per annum of denim fabrics annually, adds Singh. The Indian denim industry has evolved significantly with ever changing fashion trends making its way into other utility-driven products.
The first ever Denim show being hosted in Mumbai aims to attract India’s denim mills and leading brands under one roof to tap opportunities through the versatility of denim - the fashion statement of future.
Going back to vintage fabrics and shades
The denim industry is going through a huge transformation in terms of fits and fabrics with the women opting for more relaxed and flared fabrics while men’s denims going for stretch fabrics with clean and basic washes. Both segments are opting for hand-crafted denims, creating a greater need for superior spinning techniques, finer counts and blends. And for the last few seasons, the demand is more for overdyed, tinted and colored jeans.
Traditionally dominated by faux knit fabrics, the domestic denim market is slowly moving towards more classic and authentic denims to counter recent cost escalations. According to one of India’s top denim fabric manufacturer LNJ Denim, the industry is going back to vintage and versatile pure indigo shades with emphasis on clean and mild washes, raw look for basics and distressed and bleached denims for all genders and age groups.
Adopting circularity in production
Denim mills like Raymond UCO are adopting circular production processes to create more responsible fabrics. Raymond for example, is developing high-quality denim fabrics form recycled polyester from ocean-bound plastics and Blu 2.0: a unique indigo dyeing process. The brand recycles ocean-bound plastics into fibers and blends them with cotton to weave sustainable denims. This reduces freshwater consumption and effluent load in the dyeing process by about 85 per cent. It also encourages use eco-friendly dyes like natural indigo to reduce dependence on synthetic chemicals. Raymond has also curated a special denim collection which is environment-friendly and offers ultimate comfort, breathability and moisture management. This collection will be displayed at the upcoming Denim Show.
Sudhir Deorukhkar, Head-Marketing says, these small steps towards creating more responsible denim fabrics will help the brand reduce gap between fashion and sustainability. Ashish Bhatnagar, Marketing Head, LNJ Denim points out, persistent focus across stages of fabric making has made sustainability a habit for the brand. It will display functional, sustainable and superior hand-feel denim fabrics made through various blends, spinning as well as finish innovations at the three-day Mumbai Show.
Highlighting industry processes
Innovative, fashionable, sustainable, the Denim Show will highlight industry process during the three days. The event will be attended by leading brands including: Hyosung India, Jindal Worldwide, Arvind, Ginni International, Raymond UCO Denim, Bhaskar Denim, LNJ Denim, Oswal Denims, KG Denim, Nandan Denim, and Ashima Group, etc. It’s being jointly organized by Messe Frankfurt Trade Fairs India and Mex Exhibitions under the umbrella of Gartex Texprocess India. The show will also cover latest developments in textile, garment machinery and screen printing industry. The aim is to garner new investments and showcase latest developments in the market.
