With fans like Leonardo DiCaprio and Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle, Outland Denim is riding on a wave of momentum.
The Australia-based, Cambodia-made brand recently opened a new stand-alone 23,600-square-foot wash and finishing facility in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, taking its production capabilities to the next level.
Beginning with Outland Denim’s Fall/Winter ’19 collection, jeans will now be washed, whiskered and aged using the facility’s state-of-the-art water and energy-reducing technology by Jeanologia.
Laser finishing removes the need for water-intensive washing and heavy chemical use. Ozone technology uses up to 65 percent less water, 20 percent less energy and 80 percent less chemical use than standard approaches. And e-flow technology transfers wash recipes onto jeans with up to 95 percent less water, 40 percent less energy and 90 percent less chemicals than traditional techniques.
The new facility adds a new layer to Outland’s sustainable manufacturing. Outland uses vegetable dyes, organic dyes and dyes tested for harmful chemicals in all production to “combat further human and environmental threats from the use of toxic synthetic indigo dye,” the company states.
It also sources raw materials from suppliers that prioritize social and environmental responsibility. Outland says each button, rivet and stitch is “carefully selected by the company’s designers with the intention to minimize impact on the environment and mitigate the risk of exploitation in the supply chain.”
The certified B Corporation brand was founded in 2011 by James Bartle with the goal to support disadvantaged women through employment at its own production facility in Cambodia. The brand provides holistic care of their staff through wage and personal development initiatives and commits to sustainable raw materials.