Denim market is reigning supreme in Edited report

Market intelligence platform Edited has released a comprehensive study on the rise of the denim market, which is resurfacing after a year of consumers turning to comfortable lockdown loungewear.

As buyers start to venture outside again, the jeans market is prevailing over sweatpants once more. According to the study, which was based on womenswear retail arrivals in the US and UK throughout this year, jeans have made up 17 percent of stock inflow for bottoms. Simultaneously, sweatpants have begun to see higher discounts and lower investments as consumers lose interest in lounging around.

However, it doesn’t look like buyers will be compromising on their comfort. Relaxed cut jeans were responsible for 20 percent of jean sell outs across the study, with Millenials responsible for a large portion of the percentage. Earlier in the year, Gen Z declared that the skinny jean was over, seeing stock of the classic silhouette slow with the style only making up 14 percent of new arrivals.

Nevertheless, the highwaisted jean continues rules them all, with steady demand and consistent sales, contributing to 36 percent of jean sell outs over the past three months.

The report also highlighted the industry’s attempt to prioritise recycled and responsible denim, stating 39 percent of denim collections had sustainable transformations. The number is a significant increase from the 16 percent reported in 2019.

The number of denim items made with recycled materials or in collaboration with the Better Cotton Initiative has seen an over 345 percent increase in the past two years, with denim brands opting for more sustainable and ethically sourced materials. There has also been 106 percent increase in denim manufacturers using less or no water for certain styles, with bio-based material use also on the rise.

According to Edited, the size-inclusive market is the area where sustainability in denim is lagging, with only nine percent of plus-size jeans currently using alternatives to standard cotton.