Candiani Denim—a European denim manufacturer known as “The Greenest Mill in the Blue World”, celebrated their 80th anniversary with a swanky party in Los Angeles on March 22. It’s easy to see where the company gets that accolade. Candiani Denim, which is based in Ticino Park—a nature reserve that stretches from Milan to the Alps—has been at the forefront of innovation and sustainability for over a decade.
Guests filtered through the company’s Downtown LA Design Center, a close-to 7,000 square-foot space boasting turquoise-colored industrial washing and drying machines, exposed brick walls and metallic pipes. The design center, which Candiani uses for research in fabric and washing, as well as collaborations with U.S. denim labels wash techniques, came alive as attendees admired the various denim stations or waited in line to get their totes customized with Candiani’s Jeanologia laser finishing machine. Some stopped to read the presentations that looked back on the label’s milestones, particularly its evolution as a purveyor of workwear in 1938, of denim in 1963, of premium denim in 1984, and of sustainable denim in 2005. The celebration also called for a table brimming with a vast array of small bites—from charcuterie to slices of wood-fired, neapolitan-style pizza. A bar serving up delicious cocktails fueled the crowd with a little help from DJ Lindsay Luv, who spun a killer playlist from behind her turntable.
From the food to the music, there was a lot for the stylish guests to take in, and the denim pieces put on display were no exception. Candiani’s commitment to sustainability came sharply into focus as it introduced 12 garments created out of the Re-Gen, or what the company dubs as its “most sustainable denim fabric yet.” The Re-Gen takes advantage of yarns made of regenerated material and of a dyeing technology called “Kitotex.” Kitotex is derived from Chitosan, a naturally occurring polymer obtained by recycling the exoskeleton of shrimp farmed in South East Asia. By utilizing the exoskeletons of shrimps discarded by the food industry, Candiani cuts the usage of chemicals and other harmful substances and pollutants out of the equation. Not to mention, it saves energy and water, especially in the dyeing process, where its equally sustainable dyeing technology, Indigo Juice, comes into play.
All in all, the showcase—which included collection of utilitarian staples like coats, blazers, pants and a pair of overalls—served as a keen reminder of Candiani’s vision as the company heads into the future.
Photo Credit: Lynn Millspaugh
