Today, denim fashions have to please several different groups of consumers with completely different tastes and styles, who have different needs from the denim they wear.

So what are the denim fashion trends that evolved to meet those different needs, and which technologies are used to achieve those distinctive looks?

"Vintage is here to stay," says Adriana Galijasevic, founder of the Denim Institute. "It has an emotional and aesthetic appeal—it evokes nostalgia." What is vintage?

The achievement of a "true vintage" look, says Carlos Arias, president of denim manufacturer Denimatrix, involves paying "strict attention to how old jeans actually look. It's making jeans look as old as possible while they're brand new. Aging them as if they've been worn for five years." That involves putting holes in the right places and applying abrasion in the natural wear places, which can involve "double and triple wash cycles" and "very detailed hand-sanding," according to Arias.

"Across the supply chain, a lot of money has been invested into research and realization of vintage looks," says Galijasevic. "Many long standing brands have been going back to their archives for inspiration." She describes it as "going back to basics, but applying the technologies of today and/or genuine techniques of the past."

When it comes to interpretations, possibilities are endless. "Nevertheless, Japanese connoisseurship of American vintage denim, synthesized with their historically rich weaving and dyeing traditions, continues to be influential," says Galijasevic. "Japanese purist tendencies and use of organic or prime grade cotton as well as natural indigo all put an emphasis on eco-consciousness and craftsmanship."
 

 
 
Soft and Functional
Related to vintage is the functional trend. Galijasevic describes functionality as "going back to denim's workwear roots." It features practical silhouettes, durable, reversible, and comfort-enhanced fabrics. Comfort, which continues to be a high volume driver, is often realized with sophisticated stretch fibers, body thermo-regulating properties, and a very soft hand-feel, says Galijasevic.

Abbey Cook, product trend analyst for Cotton Incorporated, notes that "a soft finish has …been popular and important especially in the women’s market.Cotton denim is very lightweight and drapable, which is great for skirts, blouses, and dresses."

Galijasevic says that functional trends can also transform into "denim therapy" garments that claim to energize, improve circulation, and affect well-being. "There is an increasing synergy between cosmetics and denim" in this sector, says Galijasevic.

According to Berk Öcalmaz, global laundry director at dye and chemical supplier DyStar, "the demand for more comfortable denims together with highly fashionable looks" has spurred suppliers to offer "newly developed softeners together with some high end natural ingredients (e.g., aloe vera or jojoba oil concentrates)…to offer extra comfort with a special hand feel."
 

Clean with Coatings
The need for softness and comfort carries over into the "clean" trend, says Brad Mowry at denim consultancy, Olah Inc. The clean trend calls for dark denim with a variety of topical or even resin coatings, silicone softeners, and/or a variety of wet/dry tumbling techniques. It's important to achieve "the right wash to keep new denim's dark appearance but have the softness of old denim," says Mowry. Important facets of clean include: soft hand, low shrinkage, and a good crock rating, he says.

"Resin by far is the biggest trend and still lasting across the seasons," notes Hawthorn. Ged Doyle, director of supplier Tanatex Chemicals Hong Kong Ltd., says that coatings are "not necessarily all-over coatings; more localized effects are prevalent." His customers are using polyurethanes such as "the Edolan range from Tanatex chemicals to give not just durable shiny glossy effects, but also breathability and elasticity while considerably improving tear strength," he says.

Hawthorn warns that some resins can reduce fabric strength by 30% or in some cases even more. "Resin application causes strength loss, but makes the hand-sanding abrasion step easier, as indigo dye comes off easier," he says. Resins also hold the dye onto the fiber, says Hawthorn, so darker, sharper-contrast washes are possible with dark blue to white abrasion.

Cook says that in addition to resins, "I am seeing an oil finish, which makes the fabric very soft. It basically has a slick hand and I’ve seen it done in both shiny and matte surfaces. Leather finishes are making a presence in the market as well, which is interesting because it mimics the look of a different material, but still performs as cotton denim."

Cook notes that "unbleached and natural denim is key for the season. I have seen more slub yarns being used in the fill to create a natural nap look. This gives the denim a tweed effect and is great for suiting in cotton denim."
 

Fantasy, Color, and Glitz
 Another currently popular trend is fantasy. According to Arias, this can involve "applying crystals, embellishments, glitter, studs, chains, or special detailing."

Fantasy can also mean un-traditional denim colors. Swain Bennett, senior technical representative of dye and chemical supplier Clariant, is seeing more brown shades like "barbecue" (reddish brown), "sack brown" (yellowish brown), and sand.

Color is key even in the more vintage looks. Öcalmaz says that "for the past few years, the fashion has been to have a gray cast; however, more recently this has moved to a more blue and shiny cast while retaining the natural used-look of the garment. We've offered a number of different resins in our Lava wash auxiliary range to help produce those looks."

Cook says that trend analysts are predicting more "green cast to indigo denim" and new colors created by "heathered yarns being over dyed."

Care in the Crafting
No matter what look the current trend demands, Arias says that it's very important from a manufacturing standpoint to "treat each trend very differently. The capabilities of a producer are very different for each [trend]."

Arias says that producers who specialize in a particular look know "the right combination of fabric or finishing processes that work. It's a combination of art and science: you have to understand the science behind what you want to do to make sure it's possible and that you can get what you intended to." Arias says that "great fabric can be ruined by processes that were not well-thought-out." Equally, wonderful treatments can suffer from substandard fabric.

That care in the crafting of denim fabric and finishes is amply justified. Today's denim consumers don't just want any old blue cotton trousers—they want a distinctive look and style they can call their own. Denim sales—especially the sales of premium denim—show how important that distinctive look can be.