Japanese denim brand Edwin launches in U.S. with sustainable production

Heritage denim brand Edwin has relaunched its business in the U.S. The 59-year-old Japanese label has appointed Catherine Ryu as creative director and Kathy Kweon as president for U.S. business.

Both Ryu and Kweon bring decades of experience working with iconic denim brands to Edwin. Most recently, Ryu spent five years as creative director of Citizens of Humanity, while Kweon joins served as vice president of AG Jeans/KOOS Manufacturing for 19 years.

With its U.S. launch, Edwin has added two new lines to its offering: Edwin Essentials for everyday styles and Edwin Vintage for fashion-forward trends. Both lines will focus on modern silhouettes and wearable colors for men and women. Manufacturing is done through Saitex, a bluesign-approved, B-Corp-certified, LEED-certified and Fair-Trade-certified facility.

“The denim industry uses a huge amount of water and energy," Ryu said in a statement. "It’s been great to build the Edwin brand from scratch to build the ethos of sustainability and ethical manufacturing practices from the foundation of design to our manufacturing process. It’s been a dream to exclusively partner with Saitex. Together we are redefining the denim business with an emphasis on people and the planet.”

Both lines are now available for U.S. consumers on the brand's newly redesigned e-commerce site. Select styles will retail through partners including Nordstrom, Bloomingdale's, Anthropologie, Shopbop, Huckberry, Verishop, Nuuly, plus more across 120 stores.

Photos courtesy of Edwin USA