London – Times are tough for fashion retailers, but even tougher for denim
retailers as the denim market remains under pressure. Global denim sales
are still on the rise, thanks to an increasing middle class in countries
such as China – however a recent study from Euromonitor has revealed a
slump in sales in the industry’s core markets, Western Europe and North
America. Even though jeans are unlikely to disappear from our wardrobes
anytime soon, a shift in consumer preferences concerning the fit,
performance and price of denim is taking its toll on the market. The rise
of the yoga pants and ‘athleisure’ has help lead to a crisis in the denim
industry, as traditional indigo jeans struggle to find their place in
today’s fashion landscape.
In this in-depth study, FashionUnited looks at how
issues concerning fit, comfort and performance are affecting the global
denim market and what new innovations are emerging to help brands and
retailers overcome them.
One of the main reasons the denim market is currently feeling squeezed is
linked to the shift in consumers preference towards fit and expectations of
how the product should perform. In the past, denim jeans used to be made
from 100 percent cotton to ensure its longevity. It was after all, the
uniform of the working class and therefore needed to be as durable as
possible. However, this also meant that the fabric was thick and stiff and
needed to be worn in by the wearer for a certain amount of time to achieve
that perfect fit. Raw denim enthusiasts are known to wear their jeans in
the bath, in the ocean and to wash them as little as possible to cultivate
the perfect, authentic pair of jeans.
But recently consumers attitudes towards denim and fit have begun to shift
– now they demand products which already offer that worn in look and
perfect fit. The level of comfort offered by jeans has also become
important as men and women alike have been pursuing a slimmer silhouette
and tighter fit all-round. Which is why synthetic fibres such as elastane
and polyester have been blended in with cotton yarn to offer wearers
certain amount of stretch. Although most skinny jeans do offer wearers a
certain amount of comfort thanks to the addition of stretch, it has not
stopped consumers from searching for softer, more comfortable and better
fitting bottoms. Even Levi’s has felt the pressure to conform to consumers
demands and is releasing it’s iconic 501 jeans with stretch.
“People still love to wear jeans,” said Jean Hegedus, Invista’s global
denim segment director to FashionUnited during Kingpins 6th edition in
Amsterdam. “But they also love to take them off when they come home and put
on a pair of leggings or comfortable bottoms – especially if they have been
sitting behind a desk for 8 hours.” Thanks to the rise of leggings and
comfortable sportswear bottoms consumers across the world have been
substituting a portion of their denim wardrobe with these comfier
alternatives. Data backs this up – a recent report from Slice Intelligence
found that the online purchase of leggings and sportswear bottoms increased
41 per cent in 2016, while the purchase of jeans only grew 3 per cent in
the same year.
But not only as customers buying more sportswear bottoms – they are also
willing to pay more for them as well. A study from research specialist Fung
Global Retail & Technology and technological agency First Insight found
that on average customers are only willing to pay 74 per cent of the
recommended retail price for a pair of jeans, in comparison to 82 per cent
of the recommended retail price for a pair of sportswear bottoms. However,
considering that the average woman has 10 pairs of jeans in her closet, it
should come as little surprise that she would rather spend her money on
something else. The skinny jean in particular has become the posterchild
for the lack of newness within the denim industry and has been linked to
its decline in sales.
As this trend appears to be here for the long run, the denim industry
struggles to chartered a new path and thus remains torn. While some denim
retailers such as Lee and Wrangler
are using more synthetic fibres in order to add more stretch and comfort to
their products, others like Kings of Indigo and G-Star are going the
opposite direction and producing more ‘raw’ and ‘authentic’ cotton jeans.
For denim retailers seeking out the perfect level of comfort, the ultimate
goal is for the stretch to be “invisible” to the average person touching
them. However, at the moment most skinny or slim fitting denim jeans
contain such high levels of synthetic fibres that they feel slick to the
touch – not like real denim.
In addition, most stretch in denim lacks the strength and recovery needed
to hold onto the jeans tight fit and form, causing many pairs of jeans to
overstretch and lose shape after a few wears and washes. “Last year there
was all this super stretch on the market, jeans made with 40 percent
polyester for the tightest fit, but I didn’t do it,” said Tony Tonnaer,
founder of Kings Of Indigo to FashionUnited. “I could have sold a lot more
pair of jeans, but I just don’t think it’s right to make denim with such
high percentages of polyester mixed in. You can’t recycle it afterwards
easily, it feels too lightweight and not really durable. I am sure it’s
comfortable but it’s not us.”
So, what options are there on the market now to help denim manufacturers
and retailers overcome their problems with fit and comfort and reignite
consumer interest?
Invista has developed a number of fabrics to help solve denim retailers
issue with fit. For example, its Lycra dualFX fabric, which contains Lycra
fibre and Lycra T400 fiber in one, offers both the stretch and recovery
needed to maintain its fit all day. “It’s sort of like a slinky – it just
wants to return to its original form,” explains Hegedus. Although denim
fabrics with Lycra dualFX technology contain about 30 per cent stretch,
they are said to retain a high degree of dimensional stability and
durability.
The unique denim fabric delivers results – when American Eagle began
incorporating Lycra dualFX in their women’s denim collections in 2015, they
saw an increase in their denim sales in the first quarter. Then there is
Lycra Beauty, which takes things one step further by combining the best of
shapewear with denim. The unique denim fabric was developed after a series
of proprietary wear, force testing, wearer feedback, and body scanning. The
fabric is said to offer wearers the right level of sculpting force, without
constriction so the wearer still has the freedom to move around freely.
“Fit is a big issue, especially for women, as we want something that fits
us all over and doesn’t slide down our backs when we sit,” she adds.
“Especially with jeans, we want something to hold us in around the waist,
stomach and thighs. However, it has to be comfortable too. Pressure is
important – if the pressure in key points is too high then the jeans are
uncomfortable, so getting that balance right is vital. It’s all about being
able to provide a product that shapes you comfortably.”
Hyosung, the largest global elastane producer, and owner of the Creora
brand teamed up with Chinese denim mill Prosperity Textile to develop a new
generation of denim which offers fit and comfort, known as Trans-form.
Containing its patent Creora Fit 2 technology, the fabric is said to offer
a “second skin fit” with 360 degree comfort. “We know that consumers still
see a flattering fit as the most important quality of denim,” said Bart Van
de Woestyne, Creative Director of Prosperity Textile. “With the rise of new
technologies, the standards for fit technology evolve. We have developed
this new Trans-form collection as our next generation product.”
Of course, there are still retailers on the market who do not want to
incorporate stretch products – and in that case they should look to new
technologies such as 3D body scanning and design to help improve the fit of
their product. Companies such as Lectra and Alvanon currently offer fashion
companies 3D design solutions which help pattern makers and designers
create virtual designs which can be tweaked down to the smallest detail
before a physical sample ever touches the floor.
“We need to break away from outdated processes and put technology to work
in ways that enhance product development, improve fit and accelerate speed
to market,” argues Ed Gribbin, President of Alvanon.
“3D technologies have the potential to reshape the way the industry does
business, though their full effects may not be felt for cycles to come.”
Photos: Wrangler Europe, Levi’s and G-Star, Facebook