Tilmann Wrobel, Creative Director, Monsieur believes that sustainable denim manufacturing is in a better place than it was during the Great Recession, as both demand and awareness for better products from both the industry and consumers—is higher, and the supply chain has more sustainable solutions to adopt. Many brands and retailers are opting for either sustainable fabric at a lower price or at least at an equal cost to denim without this property. Therefore, now is not the time for mills to retreat to old habits and undo the progress they’ve made.

And as Wröbel point out, denim mills now need to find new ways to incorporate protective performance qualities to their fabrics. The need to adapt to the next big thing should be the focus.

As the pandemic is teeing up a correction in how consumers buy and how brands manufacture, it is more important to invest in sustainable practices and take care of the workers and the environments where denim jeans are being produced.

Wröbel believes the pandemic will offer designers a chance to flex their creative and strategic-thinking muscles. Monsieur-T is focusing on ideas about what could be done with the inventory that is in the warehouses around the world, and which can probably not be used before the next season.