Wrangler launches sustainable denim utilizing textile waste

For its autumn 2021 collection, Wrangler has partnered with Infinited Fiber Company to add Infinna – regenerated, recyclable fibers – into its global denim range, making it the brand’s most sustainable denim yet.

The sustainable denim collection, which features Indigood, foam-dye technology that reduces wastewater by over 99%, and an e-flow finishing process, symbolizes Wrangler’s next steps in circularity, water conservation, and reduced environmental impact.

Circular fashion and textile technology group Infinited Fiber Company has developed Infinna, a premium fiber that has a similar feel to traditional denim’s soft-yet-durable cotton but is made from textile waste. This means that existing garments and textiles can be recycled multiple times, saving them from landfills and reducing the need for “virgin” fiber.

Conventional cotton production is known for consuming a lot of water and pesticides, but the two businesses claim that Infinna can be made with a fraction of the water and with responsible chemistry.

Building on Wrangler’s commitment to circularity, the Infinited Blue FW21 line is created from fabric derived from Infinna fibers and contains Wrangler’s Indigood and e-flow innovations, which cut water, energy, and chemical use dramatically.

According to Wrangler, Foam-Dye completely substitutes the old water vats and chemical baths of traditional indigo dying, lowering effluent by over 99 percent. Furthermore, the firm has implemented an e-flow technology that employs “nanobubbles” to more efficiently distribute chemical chemicals during the fabric finishing process, resulting in lower environmental impact.

Dhruv Agarwal, senior director, innovation, sustainability, and product development at Kontoor Brands, said that Wrangler is committed to consistently pushing the sustainable standards for denim. They feel that their collaboration with Infinited Fiber Company and the introduction of Infinna increases the bar in terms of the environmental performance of their denim goods while maintaining the comfort and quality that Wrangler customers expect. Infinna is a new fiber that complements cotton and represents a significant step forward in the commercialization and adoption of circularity in the textile supply chain.

Wrangler and Infinited Fiber Company began their collaborative path to a circular future for textiles in 2015 when the commercial potential of Infinited Fiber’s technology was first assessed and Wrangler began its quest of circularity. Wrangler’s innovation team was among the first to recognize the potential of Infinited Fiber’s technology and company, assisting Infinited Fiber in understanding the industry’s technical needs for the fiber and conducting preliminary tests and trials on textiles created with Infinna.

Petri Alava, CEO and co-founder of Infinited Fiber Company, said that they’re grateful to the Wrangler Innovation Team for their long-term support, for being one of the first to adopt Infinna, and for turning their innovation into beautiful denim that will unlock a new level of circularity in the textile industry.

The men’s Western jacket (124MJ) and men’s Western jeans (11MWZ) are among the signature pieces from Wrangler’s 70-year history in the Infinited Blue collection. The ICONS jeans and jacket in Infinited Blue FW21 are available online.