Jeansland Podcast

In Episode 68’s Andrew’s Take, he looks at the rise of secondhand clothing. Not as a side story in fashion, but as one of the fastest-growing parts of the global apparel business.Secondhand clothing is now growing dramatically faster than traditional apparel retail. In some cases, three or four times faster. And younger consumers are beginning to ask the question the industry never really wanted them to ask: why buy new at all?He breaks down the numbers behind resale growth in the U.S., Europe, and globally, and why the shift matters not just economically, but structurally.At the center of it all is a larger contradiction. An industry built on perpetual production now colliding with consumers increasingly comfortable buying what already exists.Thank you to our sponsor Inside Denim.Please follow us on: Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. 

FRESH BLOOD continues with Part 6, featuring Justin Bastarache, Founder of Whelk and Pipo Canada.Justin started with a sustainable headwear brand, then found the larger problem: almost nobody was making caps in Eastern Canada anymore. So he began building the factory himself.Andrew and Justin talk about what it takes to make locally in a category dominated by imports. Labor, pricing, training, minimums, lead times, and why “Made in Canada” can matter more clearly than another sustainability claim.They also get into his biodegradable brim, the limits of competing on price, and the reality of building a small factory from the ground up.This is a conversation about local manufacturing, practical sustainability, and creating capacity where it had almost disappeared.Thank you to our sponsor Inside Denim.Justin BastaracheFounder of Whelk and Pipo CanadaWhelk, Pipo Canada, LinkedInPlease follow us on: Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. 

Growth in denim follows a pattern.In Episode 66’s Andrew’s Take, he looks at what has actually driven expansion in the jeans business over time, and why it’s stalled.Every real boom came from a shift in the product itself. New machinery, new yarns, new fits, new finishes. Changes that made people stop wearing what they had and buy something new.That hasn’t happened in a while.  The industry has become more efficient, more technical, more optimized. But it’s also become more predictable. Now all we talk about is how jeans are made, not why anyone wants them.A short look at where growth really comes from, and what’s missing now.Please follow us on: Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. 

FRESH BLOOD is about renewal. Every industry either regenerates itself or slowly hardens. In this Jeansland series, Andrew steps back to listen to the next generation already working inside denim’s supply chain, upstream in fibers, sourcing platforms, laundries, and raw materials.In Part 5 of the series, Andrew sits down with Saifullah Minhas, Director of Sales and Marketing at Delta Garments, a third-generation family-owned factory based in Lahore, Pakistan. His family business, built out of collapse, reinvention, and persistence, exports denim and twill apparel to the UK, EU, and US.From there, the discussion moves through the realities of running a factory today. What happens when a business becomes too dependent on a single customer. How COVID forced a reset from volume-driven production to product-driven thinking. And why shifting a factory’s mindset can be harder than changing its machinery.  They also get into where value is actually created. The pressure to undercut versus the decision to build something more complex. The gap between fabric capability and finished product. And why Pakistan, despite its strength in raw materials, still struggles to define a clear product identity.There is a broader layer underneath it all. Sustainability, and where it breaks down. Not in effort, but in measurement, incentives, and accountability across the system. What can be controlled at the factory level. And what cannot.At its core, this is about direction. About ownership. And about what it takes to move from filling capacity to building something that lasts.Thank you to our sponsor Inside Denim.Saifullah MinhasDirector Sales and Marketing, Delta GarmentsDelta Garments, Delta's LinkedIn, Saifullah's LinkedInPlease follow us on: Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. 

The war doesn't show up where you think it does.In Episode 64's Andrew's Take, he looks at the war in Iran, not politically, but through the lens of the jeans industry. Orders were booked months ago. Prices were locked when oil was lower, freight was cheaper, and currencies were more stable.None of that is true anymore.Factories across Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Vietnam are absorbing the difference. They didn't start the war. Their countries aren't fighting it. But between energy costs, freight surcharges, chemical pricing, and weakening currencies, the margin on a finished garment simply disappears.The contract is fixed. The cost is not. Andrew breaks down exactly where that gap shows up, and who carries it.Please follow us on: Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. 

FRESH BLOOD is about renewal. Every industry either regenerates itself or slowly hardens. In this Jeansland series, Andrew steps back to listen to the next generation already working inside denim’s supply chain, upstream in fibers, sourcing platforms, laundries, and raw materials.In Part 4 of the series, Andrew sits down with Hayato Nishi, a second-generation industry professional whose path into denim and textiles didn’t start with product, but with perspective. Shaped by a global upbringing, Hayato came into fashion first as a consumer, then as a builder.From there, the conversation traces his path through the industry. From early streetwear projects in Boston to building community-driven retail concepts. From there into Shima Seiki, working at the forefront of whole garment 3D knitting technology, and eventually into Lenzing, where he now works closely with brands on fiber strategy and material decisions.Along the way, they get into what actually gets lost in the process. The gap between design and manufacturing. The disappearance of product knowledge as production moved offshore. And why even the most advanced technologies still depend on people who understand how things are made.They also talk about what drives decisions today. Design first. Price second. Materials after that. A reality that complicates the conversation around sustainability, even as the industry tries to move in that direction.There’s also a broader shift underneath it all. New tools, new systems, new ways of working. But not always used in the right way. Especially when it comes to AI, where the real opportunity may not be replacing creativity, but connecting design to production in a way the industry hasn’t solved yet.At its core, this is a discussion about learning. About staying open. And about what it takes to build a point of view in an industry that’s constantly changing.Thank you to our sponsor Inside Denim.Hayato NishiHead of Key Accounts Business Development East Coast USA & Canada, LenzingTENCEL: https://tencel.com/Lenzing Fibers: https://lenzing.com/Nishi &: https://www.instagram.com/nishi_and/Hayato Nishi Designs: https://www.instagram.com/hayato_nishi_designs.jpgPlease follow us on: Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. 

Before the garments even leave the warehouse, the damage is already done.In Episode 62, Andrew sits down again with Umer Farooq Qureshi as the industry finds itself caught in the middle of a war it didn’t start. One year after their last conversation, the same pressures are back, only now they’re accelerating. The U.S. is actively engaged in a growing conflict with Iran, and the ripple effects are moving directly through the global supply chain.  The conversation starts on the ground. Finished goods sitting at airports. Flights canceled. Routes closed. Costs rising across every input. Fuel, freight, energy, currency. Orders booked months ago at prices that no longer make sense.From there, the picture widens. A system where suppliers absorb the shocks while demand weakens at the other end. Margins already thin, now squeezed further. A business model built for stability, operating in a world that no longer has it.They get into what this means in practice. Delays stretching weeks. Input costs multiplying overnight. Financial strength becoming the only buffer. And the growing gap between what it costs to produce and what the market is willing to pay.But underneath all of it is a larger shift. Not a cycle, but a transition. From one global order to another. And an industry still trying to operate as if nothing has changed.There’s a bigger question running through the conversation: what happens to the supply chain when the old rules stop working, but the new ones haven’t been defined yet? In this episode, we begin to explore that question.Thank you to our sponsor Inside Denim.Please follow us on: Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. 

Before there was a denim finishing industry, there was nothing.This week, Andrew sits down with Alice Tonello, Chief Brand & Strategy Officer at Tonello, a second-generation company that helped build that industry from scratch. In 1981, her uncle Osvaldo, a maintenance technician in a dye house, saw brands trying to figure out how to wash jeans and built the first machine to do it. No roadmap. No precedent. Just a need and a solution.From there, the conversation follows the full arc. Stone wash to laser. From early processes to technology that now replaces manual work entirely. From 100 liters of water per garment down to something closer to 20 when the system is done right.They get into what actually drives innovation. Not just machines, but proximity to production, tight feedback loops, and people who understand the process end to end. What “Made in Italy” means when it’s tied to engineering, not marketing. And why staying private changes how you make decisions.There’s also a bigger question running underneath the entire conversation: will the industry ever allow a pair of jeans to be worth what it actually costs to make well? In this episode, we begin to explore that question.Thank you to our sponsor Inside Denim.Alice TonelloChief Brand & Strategy Officer at TonelloTonello, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTubePlease follow us on: Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. 

In this short, I go back to a moment in the early 90s, sitting across from a senior executive at Calvin Klein who asked me to cancel a fabric order we had already made. I couldn’t. He understood, the goods shipped, and the order was honored as agreed.  Years later, I faced similar situations. Orders were canceled, but there was still a sense of responsibility. In each case, the customer stepped up and paid for the cost of goods. It wasn’t ideal, but it was fair. And then, something shifted.The same request came again, but this time with a very different tone. What followed was not a negotiation, but a test of leverage, where the outcome carried consequences far beyond a single order.  The business itself didn’t change. The way people handled it did.This is not about one company. It’s about how commitments are treated, how risk moves through the supply chain, and what happens when the meaning of an order starts to erode.At a certain point, it becomes a simple question.What is a contract worth?Thank you to our sponsor Inside Denim.Please follow us on: Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. 

Some businesses are built through planning. Others are built through history, disruption, and decisions made under pressure.In Episode 59, I speak with Rizwan Shafi of Crescent Bahuman, one of the defining names in Pakistan’s denim industry. His family’s story begins in the years after Partition, moves through cotton trading and textile expansion, and eventually leads to one of the first fully vertically integrated denim and garment operations in the region.The company’s model was unusual. Fabric, garment manufacturing, and washing were all brought together in one place. Over time, Crescent Bahuman also became the first authorized manufacturer of Levi’s 501 jeans outside the Americas.We talk about how the company was built, from the original Greenwood joint venture to the difficult years that followed when the company had scale but no market. Rizwan explains what it took to convince customers that Pakistan could produce quality denim and garments, and why Levi’s played an important role in that development.We also discuss why his father chose to build the operation outside a major city, creating a 600-acre campus that includes the factory, housing for thousands of employees, healthcare facilities, daycare, and education. It was an early attempt to build an industrial ecosystem rather than just a factory.From there, the conversation turns to Pakistan’s cotton, ginning, traceability, tariffs, women in the workplace, and the shift from long-term relationships to vendor scorecards and transactional sourcing.Rizwan’s view of the next ten years is direct. Pakistan has the raw materials, the industrial base, and the labor. The question is whether it can build a more connected, transparent, and specialized supply chain around them.This is a conversation about industrial memory, national capacity, and what it takes to keep building when the rules keep changing.Thank you to our sponsor Inside Denim.Rizwan ShafiChief Executive Officer, Crescent BahumanCrescent Bahuman, LinkedIn, InstagramPlease follow us on: Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. 

This is the third installment of our Fresh Blood series. I wanted to hear directly from two young professionals who grew up around textiles and are now working in fabric manufacturing.My guests are Lucille Ix, 22, based in New York and working across China and Vietnam, and Lucas Van de Woestyne, 27, based in Ghent, Belgium and working for a denim mill in China with a focus on Europe. Their families have been in the business for generations, and they have known each other since childhood. Their fathers worked together in denim mills in the United States.We talk about what surprised them when they entered the industry. How denim can be massive in volume but small in practice. How relationships hold over decades, even across competing companies. We also talk about how young people are received at shows, and why many veterans want new people to enter the industry and stay.We get into sustainability in plain terms. What their friends actually care about when they buy clothes. Why quality and longevity are easier for consumers to hold than technical claims. Lucas points to a structural gap: mills are expected to innovate, but brands do not always want to pay for the price of that innovation.We also touch trade and geopolitics, the way duties and tariffs can change decisions overnight, and why being informed is now part of the job. We end on what success looks like to them: community, continuity, and the people behind the product.Thank you to our sponsor Inside Denim.Lucille IxMarketing & Sales Assistant, Advanced DenimAdvanced Denim, LinkedIn, InstagramLuccas Van de WoestyneMarketing Director Europe, Freedom DenimFreedom Denim, LinkedInPlease follow us on: Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. 

This is Part Two of our FRESH BLOOD series, where I sit down with the next generation of denim leaders and ask what they see that we may not.FRESH BLOOD is about perspective. It is about how young professionals view sustainability, transparency, collaboration, and the future of this industry.In this episode, I speak with Beyza Baykan, founder of HMS Hand Made Stone. At 26, with a background in mathematics and international relations from USC and experience at the World Bank, she chose to build a business inside denim rather than outside of it. HMS develops a patented, upcycled pumice alternative designed to reduce sludge, water use, and waste while maintaining the aesthetics brands expect.But this conversation goes beyond product.We talk about greenwashing. We talk about whether collaboration actually leads to change. We discuss transparency, ethics, regulation, and what responsibility designers and brands should carry. Beyza is candid about what surprised her in the industry and what she believes must change.Fresh Blood is about listening to the people who are already shaping what comes next.Have a listen.Thank you to our sponsor Inside Denim.Beyza BaykanFounder & CEO of Baytech, HMS Hand Made StoneHMS Hand Made Stone, Linked-In, HMS Instagram, Personal InstagramInterested in being featured on The Jeansland Podcast as our next Fresh Blood guest?  Reach out!Please follow us on: Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. 

This is our second two-part special, and this time I step back and listen.Fresh Blood is about renewal. Every industry either regenerates itself or slowly hardens. In this episode, I sit down with Kaela Bonaquist from Lenzing and William Wood from Material Exchange to hear how the next generation sees denim, sourcing, fibers, and technology.They are already inside the system. Upstream in fibers. In sourcing platforms. In the mechanics of supply chains. They are not nostalgic, and they are not sentimental about how things used to be.They talk about traceability as a baseline expectation. Digital tools as normal. Automation as overdue. Sustainability not as a marketing layer, but as responsibility tied directly to cost, incentives, and decision-making.We discuss fiber realities, cotton, polyester, Tencel, blends, and the tension between performance, price, and environmental claims. We get into transparency, government regulation, and whether parts of the industry are structurally misaligned with their own public promises.And at the end, I ask them a simple question. If you ran this industry for a weekend, what would you change?Part 1 sets the tone. This is less about criticism and more about expectation. If you enter this business today, what feels broken, what feels promising, and what simply feels overdue.If the future of denim has a different voice, this is it.Thank you to our sponsor Inside Denim.Kaela Bonaquist Business Development – East Coast & Canada, Lenzing Fibers Inc.Lenzing Fibers Inc., Linked-InWilliam Wood Product Development & Sales ManagerPlease follow us on: Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. 

Andrew sits down with Arne Koefoed, co-founder of WINK, to talk about how throwing parties slowly turned into a creative life.Arne never planned on designing experiences. There was no event school, no formal path. It started with squats, punk parties, and rave culture, and with the realization that bringing people together could be just as creative as making an object. That first party set the tone for everything that followed.Over time, that same instinct carried Arne from underground scenes to working with some of the biggest brands in the world. What’s striking is how little the spirit has changed. The scale is different, but the mindset is still about energy, emotion, and making people feel something real.They talk about why the best events feel more like memories than productions, why fun is often misunderstood as something unserious, and how experience design is often less about control and more about trust. At its core, this is a conversation about creativity without a rulebook, about designing moments instead of things, and about how some of the most meaningful work begins by simply opening the door and seeing who shows up.Thank you to our sponsor Inside Denim.Arne KoefoedFounder and Head of Ideas at WINKInstagram, Linked-InPlease follow us on: Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. 

Andrew reflects on a new report from the Transformers Foundation, Unlocking Equity in Innovation, and why so much meaningful innovation never makes it to market.The supply chain spends years and real money developing better fibers, cleaner chemistry, and smarter processes, only to be told to prove everything in 18 months or less. Andrew shares a personal story about a breakthrough alternative to indigo that failed not because it didn’t work, but because the industry didn’t want to wait, didn’t want to risk change, and preferred the devil it knew.Using examples like Tencel™, polyester, and stretch denim, Andrew reminds us that real innovation takes decades, not seasons. When brands push timelines and costs downstream, that isn’t innovation. It’s cost shifting.The episode closes with reflections from Kingpins New York.Thank you to our sponsor Inside Denim.Please follow us on: Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. 

This is Part 2 of our two-part Jeansland special, Water: Above and Below.In this episode, we continue the conversation with Rick Kellison and Brent Crossland, shifting from understanding the water problem to confronting what it will take to address it. The focus turns to the future of the TAWC (Texas Alliance for Water Conservation) project, why its work matters, and why keeping it funded is critical for farmers, brands, and the broader industry.We talk about how farmers balance environmental responsibility with economic reality, why profitability is essential to sustainability, and why real progress happens when farmers teach farmers in the field, not on slides. The discussion also widens to water use beyond agriculture, including AI data centers, oil and gas, and the growing competition for finite water resources.This episode is a direct call to action. For brands, retailers, and anyone serious about water, food, and fiber, the question becomes simple and uncomfortable. Will you help support the research, education, and knowledge sharing that agriculture will depend on in the decades ahead?If you haven’t listened to Part 1 yet, it’s worth beginning here. This episode then carries the conversation forward into the harder questions and what’s truly at stake.Thank you to our sponsor Inside Denim.Brent Crossland Linked-InRick Kellison Linked-InTexas Alliance for Water Conservation TAWCPlease follow us on: Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. 

Today’s conversation is about something the denim industry rarely wants to look at directly, and that’s water. Not recycled water in factories. Not marketing claims. But the groundwater that actually makes cotton possible in the first place.This is the first episode of a two-part Jeansland special called Water: Above and Below. For this conversation, I’m joined by Rick Kellison and Brent Crossland to talk about the Ogallala Aquifer and why it matters so much to American cotton, especially on the Texas High Plains, where cotton depends on supplemental irrigation to survive.Rick spoke at our very first Transformers event back in 2015, where he warned the industry about water risk and the future of cotton on the High Plains. Nearly ten years later, we talk about what’s actually happened since then, how farmers have learned to do more with less, what an aquifer really is, why the Ogallala is a finite resource, and how much of U.S. cotton production depends on it.We also talk about soil health, irrigation technology, forage systems, and why integrating cotton, cattle, and crop rotation can reduce water use while improving long-term farm viability. And we look at the disconnect between how brands talk about water, and how rarely they ask where their cotton’s water actually comes from.This is Part One of a two-part series.Part Two of 'Water: Above and Below' drops next week, where we dig into the work happening on the ground, the farmer-led research behind it, the endowment that keeps it going, and what brands can actually do if they want to make a real difference. We also widen the lens to look at other major water users, including AI and energy, and what all of this means for the future.Brent Crossland Linked-InRick Kellison Linked-InTexas Alliance for Water Conservation TAWCThank you to our sponsor Inside Denim.Please follow us on: Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. 

A conversation with a friend about international politics turns into a simple question. If so much of the world is disturbed by the direction the United States has been taking, why doesn’t everyone just band together and try going it without the U.S.?That question leads Andrew to what he calls the Jeansland Nations, the countries where most of the world’s denim is produced. From there, the episode becomes a closer look at supply chain realities and geopolitical truths, not judgments about people, cultures, or national character.From China and Vietnam to Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Turkey, Mexico, and Egypt, Andrew looks at where jeans are actually made today and what those countries reveal about stability, employment, and economic dependence.This episode is not about taking sides. It is about understanding how power, labor, and money move through the global denim industry, and why doing things on your own is often more complicated than it sounds.Thank you to our sponsor Inside Denim.Please follow us on: Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. 

Andrew sits down with Piero Turk, a longtime friend from the old Italian denim days, when companies were small and you learned the business by doing everything yourself.For those who don’t know Piero, he’s a freelance designer who started in 1983 and has worked with major jean brands across Japan, Los Angeles, Amsterdam, New York, Italy, Turkey, Pakistan, and the UK. He’s collaborated with Andrew at Kingpins, and his ideas are widely respected and used. Original ideas are rare in this industry. Piero has had more than a few.They revisit Team Kit, Japan, laundries, and why Italy once had a real advantage that was almost impossible to copy. Taste, proximity, and lived experience mattered in a way spreadsheets never could.Then the conversation turns. Globalization, profit, and the things people don’t like to say out loud. Piero is blunt about luxury denim, calls out sustainability claims that ignore labor realities, and shares a pricing example that’s funny at first and then quietly disturbing.The episode closes with one simple rule that could change everything: If you want to sell in the West, you follow Western labor and safety rules.A simple idea. Very complicated consequences. We're happy to share this interview with him with you.Thank you to our sponsor Inside Denim.Piero Turk InstagramPlease follow us on: Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. 

Happy New Year. 2026 is here and Andrew starts the year with a reset on where real power lives in the textile world.He talks about the four major cotton traders: Louis Dreyfus, Cargill, Olam, and Ecom. Governments and sovereign wealth funds now control much of what the world consumes. Abu Dhabi owns 45% of Louis Dreyfus. Singapore and Saudi Arabia control Olam. Trading what we need is as powerful as trading oil, and most people in denim don't think about it.Then Andrew shifts to Egypt. The Denim and Jeans organization is holding its second show in Cairo this month, and it's worth paying attention to. Egypt's textile industry is growing. New mills, Turkish IP, Chinese investment. Unlike so much of the industry hanging on or going backwards, Egypt is building forward.A five minute reset on commodity power and why Egypt's rise matters. A hopeful way to start the year.Thank you to our sponsor Inside Denim.Please follow us on: Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. 

This week, Andrew sits down with Shamin Vogel, editorial director and co-publisher of of WeAr Media Group—the people behind WeAr Global Magazine, one of the most widely read fashion trade publications in the world, and WeAr Denim, the biannual deep dive for the denim supply chain, backed by a monthly newsletter that actually gets read—to talk about where fashion really is right now, and why so much of it feels off.They dig into the tension between growth and meaning, why sustainability still has no shared definition, and how fashion lost its ability to lead culture instead of chase it. Shamin brings a rare, long-term perspective shaped by decades of industry observation, global publishing, and a deep belief that fashion is a lifestyle business first, not a financial spreadsheet.The conversation moves easily from denim and luxury to retail, media trust, trade shows, and the uncomfortable truth about why doing nothing feels safer than taking risks. It’s not a hype-driven episode. It’s a clear-eyed one about perception, responsibility, and what actually lasts.If you care about fashion beyond trends, and want to understand the forces shaping what survives next, this one’s worth your time.Thank you to our sponsor Inside Denim.Shamin VogelEditorial Director & Co-Publisher, WeAr Media Group & WeAr DenimWeAr Media Group, WeAr Book Store, WeAr LinkedIn, InstagramWeAr Denim NewsletterShamin's Personal Linked-InPlease follow us on: Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. 

This episode starts in 1975, just after Portugal’s Carnation Revolution. A dictatorship ends. No civil war. No collapse. Just a quiet reset and a country that suddenly has to figure out how to function without fear, hierarchy, or shortcuts.Then we jump to now. Portugal is one of the strongest-performing economies in Europe, and almost nobody is talking about it.So the question is not “what happened?” It’s “how long did it take?”In five minutes, Andrew looks at what decades of underinvestment actually do to a country, why revolutions don’t fix systems overnight, and how real change tends to show up slowly, boringly, and all at once. Roads. Education. Institutions. Confidence.This isn’t a hype piece or a travel diary. It’s a short reflection on patience, competence, and why the long game usually wins, even if no one is watching.Please follow us on: Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. 

Sophie Bramel is the technical editor at Inside Denim, and she watches the entire global denim ecosystem. Brands, mills, fibers, innovation, sustainability. All of it.In this conversation, Andrew and Sophie trace her path from music and fashion reporting to becoming one of the industry's most trusted observers. She talks about why denim mills feel like "cathedrals to blue," why true innovation takes decades (she uses Tencel™ as the perfect example), and why the industry talks sustainability far more than it actually implements it.They dig into labor equity, the global South, and the real limits of circularity. Sophie doesn't sugarcoat the challenges. Chemical recycling is still opaque. Wages haven't kept up. Clothing is the one thing that hasn't gotten more expensive, and that's not normal.They also talk about trade shows (too many?), what young writers should do if they want to cover fashion, and why denim is one of the few corners of the industry where deep reporting still matters. Sophie's take? If you're just copy-pasting press releases, you won't survive.If you care about how this industry actually works, listen to this one.Thank you to our sponsor Inside Denim.Sophie BramelTechnical Editor, Inside DenimInside Denim, LinkedIn, Instagram, Bluesky, ThreadsPlease follow us on: Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. 

In this week’s episode of Andrew’s Take, Andrew breaks down COP30 in Belém, Brazil and why so many people still don’t know what COP is or why the world gathers every year to discuss climate goals that rarely materialize.He walks through the entire arc, from COP’s 1992 origins to the Kyoto years, the Copenhagen disaster, the Paris moment of optimism, and the long loop of promises made and ignored. COP30 added its own contradictions: billions pledged for adaptation and forest protection, a strong Amazon backdrop, and the UN declaring “cooperation is alive,” even as the US and UK barely showed up.Andrew also looks at what was missing: no fossil fuel phase-out, no clarity on who pays for what, and an open runway for polyester production to keep expanding. The numbers are blunt. We are nowhere near the 1.5°C target, and emissions need to fall 43 percent in the next five years.A clear, honest walk through the history, the progress, and the uncomfortable truth of a process that keeps sounding like a victory speech delivered by the losing team.Please follow us on: Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. 

“If the supply chain isn’t something I can be proud of, the garment isn’t worth making.”— Menno van Meurs, Founder of Tenue de Nîmes and Tenue.Menno van Meurs runs one of the most respected denim stores in Europe, Tenue de Nîmes in Amsterdam. He also makes his own jeans under the Tenue brand. He's not chasing trends. He's holding the line on craft, quality, and supply chain integrity in an industry that's mostly given up on all three.In this conversation, Andrew and Menno talk about how the denim business lost its way. How boardrooms started dictating what quality should cost instead of asking what quality should be. How brands squeezed every dime out of their suppliers and then acted surprised when the product looked miserable. And why Menno finally decided to start his own brand after a decade of success, just so he could make jeans he was proud to stand behind.Menno traces his path from finding his father's old 1970s denim in a closet to working in Dutch retail under entrepreneurs who believed risk and responsibility belonged on the shop floor. He talks about the slow collapse of large online retailers, the resilience of independents who still care about fit and service, and why he thinks there's a window of opportunity right now for stores that survived the last decade of chaos.At the center of it all is his belief that value comes from honesty. With suppliers, with customers, with yourself. If the supply chain can't be defended, the garment isn't worth making. And if a brand can't protect its makers, it can't claim a heritage.A good conversation about what it takes to build something that lasts, told by someone who still treats denim as a craft, not a commodity.Thank you to our sponsor Inside Denim.Menno van MeursFounder, Tenue de Nîmes & TenueTenue de Nîmes, Tenue, InstagramPlease follow us on: Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. 

In April, the White House called it Liberation Day. The apparel industry called it panic.Andrew breaks down what happened when decades of predictable duty rates got wiped out overnight. Global jeans suppliers were hit with numbers no one saw coming. Vietnam at 46%, Cambodia at 49%, Bangladesh at 37%. Orders paused. Panic spread. The rollout felt like a list of naughty countries with penalties posted on a scoreboard.But the story didn't end there. A group of small importers challenged the tariffs in court, and their case reached the U.S. Supreme Court. The justices, conservative and liberal, all seemed skeptical of the government's argument. Chief Justice Roberts pointed out that the emergency powers law doesn't mention tariffs once. Justice Gorsuch asked if this theory would let a president declare war alone. The Solicitor General's defense didn't persuade anyone.If the Court strikes down the tariffs, the government could owe importers hundreds of billions and Congress would have to rebuild U.S. trade authority from the ground up. Meanwhile, the big brands who stayed silent, Levi's, Walmart, Gap, American Eagle, they'd get their money back. A silent windfall. The customers who already paid higher prices? They'll never see that money again.This episode traces the legal fight, the political stakes, and what a reversal would mean for everyone caught in the middle.Please follow us on: Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. 

In 1975, Joel Carman opened Over the Rainbow with $2,000, a love of jeans, and no idea what he was doing. Fifty years later, Joel and his family run one of the longest-standing independent denim retailers in North America.Andrew sits down with Joel and Daniel to talk about what it takes to survive five decades in retail—from the early days when Joel was making $15 a day and driving a cab at night, to the decision to go premium in 2000, and how the internet became their best marketing tool without killing the store.Joel explains why venture capital is a bigger threat to denim than athleisure, why integrity matters more than cashing in, and what it means to stay a student of your industry even after 50 years. Daniel shares how they’ve stayed relevant by evolving every decade, hiring people smarter than them, and treating the business like it’s never just a job.They also talk about fitting Sylvester Stallone, why European brands often fail in North America, and the jeans they actually wear.A conversation about legacy, family, and what happens when you love what you do more than the money it makes.Joel CarmanFounder, Over the RainbowOver the Rainbow, InstagramDaniel CarmanPartner, Over the RainbowOver the Rainbow, InstagramPlease follow us on: Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. 

If a corporation were a person, what kind of person would it be? Andrew revisits the 2003 documentary The Corporation, which diagnosed the modern company as a psychopath. No empathy, no remorse, no conscience. Just profit with zero regard for human cost.He applies that lens to denim. Chasing cheaper wages. Blue-washing sustainability while underpaying the people who make the jeans. The 2020 sequel's message? The corporation hasn't changed. It's just evolved from overt sociopathy to charming manipulation.🎧 Listen now at jeansland.co#JeanslandPodcast #DenimIndustry #SupplyChain #EthicalFashion #JeanslandPlease follow us on: Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. 

James McKinnon runs a 72-year-old family textile business in South Carolina. He's third generation. He sits on the Cotton Board, advises the USDA on cotton standards, and he'll tell you straight up that U.S. textiles are fighting some incredibly strong headwinds.But he also thinks it's a fight worth fighting.In this conversation, Andrew and James dig into what it takes to keep American textile manufacturing alive. They talk about supply chain innovation, why sitting on your hands expecting last year's playbook to work won't cut it, and the story of making a yarn-dyed flannel shirt entirely in the U.S. with American Giant. Most people said it was impossible. Turns out, it just took the sheer force of will to do it.They also get into sustainability, the role of U.S. cotton in a global market, certifications that actually matter versus ones that feel like rubber stamps, and why the next generation should still consider textiles as a career. James doesn't sugarcoat the challenges, but he's clear about the rewards. The people you meet, the places you go, the connections that come with this industry don't show up on a balance sheet, but they matter.There's also straight talk about Xinjiang cotton, the disconnect between a booming stock market and a tough sourcing climate, and how AI might actually help the old school guys rather than replace them.This is worth a listen because it's the kind of conversation that reminds you why this work still matters. James McKinnonCEO, Cotswold IndustriesCotswold Industries, LinkedInFor more stories that shape the future of denim, head to jeansland.co.Please follow us on: Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. 

Jeans have long been seen as the uniform of freedom. But if freedom is what we're selling, what's the truth behind the people making them?In this solo episode, Andrew looks at two global scorecards, one for freedom and one for happiness, across the 11 countries that produce most of the world's denim. The results aren't comfortable. China ranks third worst in the world for freedom. Egypt is eighth worst. Pakistan, Bangladesh, Turkey, all near the bottom. And most of these countries also rank in the bottom half for happiness.Factories full of low spirits, making clothes that claim to represent self-expression.Andrew asks: Can a product symbolize freedom if the people who make it aren't free? When factories move to cheaper countries, does freedom move with them or just the profit margins? And at what point does outsourcing start to look like making jeans in a prison?This isn't about guilt. It's about awareness. If jeans are going to mean something, maybe we need to start asking who made them and what kind of life they're living.Please follow us on: Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. 

Andrew sits down with two people who lived through the denim business alongside him for years. Michael Morrell and Paul Ledgett were his partners at Olah Inc., and together they built something that worked because they gave a damn about the product, the people, and doing things right.In this conversation, they go back. They talk about what it meant to run a denim agency in New York when the industry still cared about design and relationships. When you could shake hands on a deal and it meant something. When brands actually built brands instead of chasing the lowest price and calling it strategy.But they also talk about what's happened since. The overcapacity. The sameness. The greenwashing that sounds good in a press release but falls apart the second you ask how it scales. Michael and Paul don't hold back, and neither does Andrew. They get into why sustainability only seems to work when someone else is paying for it, why most brands have lost the plot, and what it would actually take to make denim that means something again.There's frustration here, sure. But there's also a vision for something better. And some very good stories along the way.Michael MorrellCEO of Western Hemisphere and Europe at Freedom DenimFreedom Denim, LinkedIn, InstagramPaul LedgettPresident North America at Diamond Denim by SapphireDiamond Denim by Sapphire, InstagramFor more stories that shape the future of denim, head to jeansland.co.Please follow us on: Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. 

The denim industry runs on water. But most of the places we make jeans don’t have enough of it. In this short, Andrew breaks down what happens when cotton, sewing, and finishing all depend on freshwater we can’t afford to lose.Countries like Canada have 74,000 cubic meters of water per person. Bangladesh? Just 635. Yet we keep building supply chains in places with the least to spare. Even rainfed cotton gets risky when the rains stop coming.Andrew asks a simple question: where’s the plan? We talk about water-saving finishes and efficient cotton, but no one talks about the source. Water is being used like it’s endless. It’s not.Listen now at jeansland.coPlease follow us on: Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. 

One question froze Romain Narcy in his tracks fifteen years ago: "Do you know the environmental impact of making jeans?"He didn't. That moment sent him on a path from running suitcase sales trips across France to building one of Turkey's greenest denim factories to joining the steering committee of the Denim Deal. Their goal? One billion jeans made with recycled cotton by 2030.Sounds ambitious. Romain thinks it's doable. But only if brands stop pretending they understand their supply chains when most can't even explain how their jeans get washed, let alone recycled.In this conversation, he and Andrew get into the real barriers. Europeans are buying 33% more clothes than they were a few years ago. Most brands don't know collectors from sorters from recyclers. Blending recycled cotton takes the precision of a champagne maker. And 85% of garments still end up in landfills.Romain's not selling a dream here. He's mapping the infrastructure it takes to close the loop, why legislation might be the only real leverage left, and what happens when countries realize they're sitting on mountains of waste that could be worth something.Can the industry actually pull this off before consumption outpaces every solution?Learn more about Romain’s work:Steering Committee Member, Denim DealFounder, Rematters | Textile Recycling & Circularity SolutionsPartner, Innovation & Strategy, Ereks Garment | Sustainable Denim & Woven ApparelFollow these projects on LinkedIn:Denim DealRemattersEreks Garment🎧 Listen now at jeansland.coPlease follow us on: Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. 

Big news in denim: Artistic Milliners of Karachi has taken a majority stake in Cone Denim, one of America’s most storied mills. From its 1891 roots in Greensboro, NC, to powering Levi’s 501s, Cone’s history now collides with one of the most ambitious players in the industry.Andrew breaks down what this deal means for global supply chains and why, even together, Artistic and Cone make up just one percent of denim worldwide. Is this the start of a new model, or just another big gamble?Please follow us on: Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. 

This week on Jeansland, Andrew sits down with Indian journalist Subir Ghosh for a clear-eyed look at how sustainability narratives often miss the mark. Subir challenges the fashion industry’s fixation on circularity, calling it more of a marketing loop than a real solution. He explains why cotton farmers in India remain under immense pressure, why worker struggles beyond the sewing floor go largely unnoticed, and how global fashion summits recycle the same conversations without meaningful results.From the realities of farmer suicides to the limitations of regenerative cotton, this conversation underscores the disconnect between polished industry rhetoric and the lives of people who grow, spin, and dye the fibers we rely on.For deeper reporting on these issues, visit texfash.com, where Subir is co-founder and Executive Editor, and subirghosh.in.Please follow us on: Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. 

Andrew rewinds to 1980 in this solo short. Cotton has been priced at 80-cents a pound ever since, while everything else (burgers, beef, coffee, gas) keeps inflating honestly. Farmers work harder for the same pay, garment workers get pushed offshore to 60-cent wages, and polyester quietly takes over as “oil in disguise.”Jeans don’t get cheaper because of efficiency. They get cheaper because the system is stacked against the farmer, the worker, and the planet.Listen to this episode short and find out the real cost of cheap jeans.Please follow us on: Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. 

This week, Andrew digs into the future of fiber with Mark D’Sa, Senior VP at Panda Biotech. After decades sourcing for brands like Ralph Lauren, Gap, and Levi’s, Mark is now betting on U.S.-grown industrial hemp.He explains why hemp matters for American farmers facing water shortages and soil stress, how Panda’s cottonization process makes hemp soft and fully compatible with cotton, and why the sweet spot for denim blends is around 20–30 percent hemp. Mark also shares how Wrangler, Lee, and Patagonia are already on board, and why traceability and farmer partnerships are at the core of this effort.From soil regeneration to hempcrete houses and even auto parts, this episode shows just how versatile hemp can be—and why it could play a major role in denim’s next chapter.For more information, you can reach Mark D’Sa at [email protected] follow us on: Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. 

In this solo short, Andrew swerves away from denim to call out one of the most stubborn materials on earth: Styrofoam. After a hospital stay in Houston where every meal arrived on trays of squeaky white foam, he asks why a substance banned in 62 countries is still so common in the United States.Cotton biodegrades. Polyester eventually breaks down. Styrofoam never dies. It just crumbles into microplastics that sit in our landfills and oceans for centuries. From takeout boxes to hospital cafeterias to coffee cups, it’s everywhere—and the U.S. is falling behind when so many alternatives exist.This episode is part rant, part reality check, and a reminder that the things we throw away don’t always go away.Please follow us on: Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. 

Heddels began as Rawr Denim, a blog for selvedge lovers, and has grown into one of the strongest independent voices in slow fashion. Andrew talks with founders Nick Coe and David Shuck about their philosophy of buying less, buying better, and why keeping what you already own is often the most sustainable choice.Nick shares how a pair of APC jeans started his obsession with raw denim and eventually led to building Heddels. David recalls a trip to Tokyo that opened his eyes to Japanese selvedge and set him on the path to join as partner and writer. Together, they explain how the site evolved from focusing on denim to covering anything that wears in, not out—like leather boots, canvas bags, and even cast iron pans.The conversation covers ethical sourcing, what it means to make well-made goods, and how Heddels has built a diverse, loyal audience without clickbait or outside investors.This episode is for anyone who cares about quality, sustainability, and resisting the disposable side of consumer culture. Learn more at heddels.comPlease follow us on: Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. 

Behind the Transformers Foundation Water ReportThis bonus short features Andrew getting straight to the point. At Kingpins, he often hears mills talk about how they save water in their indigo dyeing process. They explain their methods, but sometimes the explanations are too technical for the audience or simply taken at face value without real verification. Over time, Andrew and his late colleague Miguel Sanchez felt the need for facts that could be compared and trusted.That is where the new Transformers Foundation report, A Reference for Water Consumption During Indigo Dyeing, comes in. Released in July, the study compares rope dyeing and slasher dyeing, the two most common methods for dyeing indigo yarn. Participants included Morrison, often called the king of rope-dyeing machinery, Karl Mayer, known for being progressive and modern, and seven mills from around the world.The report is a tool for anyone who wants to check claims against real data. If you want to read it yourself, you can find it here: Transformers Foundation: Indigo Report 2025.For anyone who cares about denim, sustainability, and knowing the difference between facts and rhetoric, this short episode offers a clear look at the truth about water use in dyeing.Episode Photo Credit: KARL MAYER for G.D.Please follow us on: Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. 

Episode 28: Retail, Reality, and the Tariff Storm with Mark A. CohenMark A. Cohen didn’t plan on going into retail. He was an engineer by training who took a department store job to cover rent. What happened next was a decades-long ride to the top, including stints at Sears, Lazarus, and Mervyn’s, and nearly 20 years teaching at Columbia Business School. These days, he’s the guy business networks call when they want the real story behind the numbers.In this episode, Andrew talks with Mark about what separates the great retailers from the rest. They dig into contract failures, the real impact of tariffs, and why certain companies thrive while others stall out. Along the way, they rate the biggest names in the business and unpack why Costco might be the best retailer in the world.Mark is sharp, honest, and doesn’t hold back. Whether you’re deep in the supply chain or just want to understand what’s coming next, this one’s worth a listen.Guest: Mark A. Cohen, former CEO of Sears Canada and longtime Director of Retail Studies at Columbia Business SchoolPlease follow us on: Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. 

Trade shows are usually about deals and discovery. But at this July’s Kingpins in New York, the most important moments came from the conversations happening off the show floor. In this solo episode, Andrew Olah shares what he saw, what he heard, and what’s on his mind. The turnout was strong, the food was excellent (people notice!), and the hospitality made a difference. Still, there was an undercurrent of unease about what comes next.At the heart of it all is one thing: uncertainty. With shifting tariff threats and delayed decisions, many in the denim world are stuck in a holding pattern. In this update, Andrew breaks down what that means for mills, brands, and workers. He also shares a broader view of the trends he’s watching, with a focus on staying informed, staying sharp, and finding ways to move forward even in a stalled moment.This isn’t a forecast. It’s a clear-eyed look at where things stand right now. Andrew connects the dots between trade policy and the very real pressure that mills, factories, and denim businesses are feeling around the world.For more info on Kingpins Show visit: https://kingpinsshow.com/Episode Thumbnail Photo Credit: Photos taken at Basketball City by Milliron StudiosPlease follow us on: Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. 

What happens when two street market dealers turn a love of vintage into one of the most respected fashion archives in the world?In this episode, Andrew Olah sits down with Doug Gunn and Roy Luckett, the co-founders of The Vintage Showroom, a London-based archive and consultancy that has quietly shaped the way global fashion houses think, shop, and design. From rainy mornings at Portobello Market to curating workwear exhibitions in Hong Kong, Doug and Roy share how they built a private, by-appointment showroom filled with rare military, utility, and denim pieces, each one steeped in story and intent.This is not just a conversation about vintage. It is about how good taste, long-term trust, and the thrill of the find still matter in an industry that often forgets its roots. Whether they are sourcing for a fashion house or welcoming students into their four-floor archive, Doug and Roy prove that inspiration is best delivered in person, and that legacy is something you build one garment at a time.Guests: Doug Gunn & Roy Luckett, co-founders of The Vintage Showroom.Please follow us on: Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. 

What happens when the system collapses, and you decide to build something meaningful with your hands? In this episode of Jeansland, Andrew sits down with Pete Roberts, founder of Origin, the American brand making jeans, boots, and apparel entirely on U.S. soil. After the 2008 recession upended his life and wiped out his business, Pete was left with a timber-frame cabin in the woods of Maine, two young kids, and no clear way forward. So he and a group of friends and family cut down Eastern white pines from the surrounding woods and hand-built a sturdy wooden workshop—barn-sized and framed with massive 10x10 timbers—where they powered up a generator, scavenged old sewing machines, and stitched a new future—one garment at a time.But this isn’t a story about recovery. It’s about direction. From a redesigned jiu-jitsu gi to a full-scale denim operation, Pete has spent the last 15 years reclaiming the machines, knowledge, and spirit of domestic manufacturing—while shaping a 100-year plan to build something lasting, local, and real.If you’ve ever wondered what it means to start over on purpose, and do it all by hand, this one’s for you.Guest: Pete Roberts, founder of Origin USAPlease follow us on: Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. 

In this powerful two-part conversation, Andrew Olah welcomes back Umer Farooq Qureshi for a deep dive into the structural imbalances plaguing the denim supply chain. Framed by the enduring legacy of colonial capitalism, the discussion explores how suppliers have been conditioned to act like beggars in pursuit of orders — and how that mindset must shift. Together, they challenge conventional wisdom on pricing, power, partnerships, and trade shows, while calling for a new era of unity, dignity, and bold reinvention.Did you know that both Berkshire Hathaway and Samsung started in textiles and went on to reinvent themselves entirely? So what’s stopping today’s denim suppliers from doing the same? Why should mills settle for scraps when companies like Loro Piana and Zegna showed how textile makers can build global luxury brands?This is a rare, brutally honest conversation about uncomfortable truths and how facing them might just be the first step toward a better future for the industry.Connect with Umer Farooq QureshiPlease follow us on: Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. 

In this powerful two-part conversation, Andrew Olah welcomes back Umer Farooq Qureshi for a deep dive into the structural imbalances plaguing the denim supply chain. Framed by the enduring legacy of colonial capitalism, the discussion explores how suppliers have been conditioned to act like beggars in pursuit of orders — and how that mindset must shift. Together, they challenge conventional wisdom on pricing, power, partnerships, and trade shows, while calling for a new era of unity, dignity, and bold reinvention.Did you know that both Berkshire Hathaway and Samsung started in textiles and went on to reinvent themselves entirely? So what’s stopping today’s denim suppliers from doing the same? Why should mills settle for scraps when companies like Loro Piana and Zegna showed how textile makers can build global luxury brands?This is a rare, brutally honest conversation about uncomfortable truths and how facing them might just be the first step toward a better future for the industry.Connect with Umer Farooq QureshiPlease follow us on: Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. 

What if sustainability wasn’t a competitive edge — but the baseline for the entire denim industry? Andrew sits down with sustainability expert Roian Atwood to unpack the urgent challenges and overlooked opportunities shaping denim’s future.Roian is a seasoned business leader and sustainability practitioner who’s spent over two decades improving the social and environmental performance of products and supply chains. A former global sustainability director for Wrangler and Lee Jeans, he now consults on decarbonization, manufacturing optimization, and conservation biology across the globe.Together, Andrew and Roian dive deep into how the industry can break down silos, democratize innovation, and replace marketing buzzwords with real progress. Roian shares why collective problem-solving, supply chain accountability, and transparency are critical, and how working together could unlock better outcomes for both the planet and the people making our jeans.Tune in to hear why the “magic wand” isn’t a fairy tale fix, but a powerful way to reframe sustainability as a shared mission.Connect with Roian AtwoodPlease follow us on: Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. 

Designer and brand consultant Johnny Diamandis joins Andrew Olah to explore what it truly takes to build a fashion brand today. With a globally successful track record designing menswear, accessories, and more for brands like Evisu, Burberry London, Nike, Fake London, and CAT Footwear, Johnny shares candid insights from both industry and academia. The conversation covers the financial realities of launching a brand, storytelling, design leadership, innovation, and what makes a product stand out—plus thoughtful advice for students and emerging designers. His teaching work includes institutions such as the Royal College of Art London, Parsons New York, and currently, the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.Connect with Johnny Diamandis:LinkedIn | WebsitePlease follow us on: Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. 

In this episode, cotton expert Tim North discusses global cotton production, trade dynamics, and government support programs in key countries like the U.S., India, China, and Pakistan. He highlights how subsidies distort markets, why some traditional exporters have become importers, and the challenges facing producers.The conversation also covers the rise of regenerative and traceable cotton as scalable, sustainable alternatives to organic cotton. Looking ahead, North sees little short-term price movement unless supply issues, especially in Texas, disrupt the market.Want more of Tim’s insights and expertise? Go knock on the door: https://www.timnorthcotton.com/Please follow us on: Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. 

Andrew and Umer Farooq Qureshi pull back the denim curtain to reveal Levi’s jaw-dropping 62% margin is built on supplier suffering. From closed-door biddings to so-called partnerships, from collapsing currencies to cotton politics, this episode shows exactly how the kings (brands) are bleeding the commoners (factories) dry, and what happens when the commoners stop playing nice. This isn’t just a talk about jeans. It’s about fairness, futures, and who gets crushed when a spreadsheet wins.👉 Want the backstory? This whole conversation was sparked by Umer’s LinkedIn post: The Things No One Tells You but You Should Know If You’re a Levi’s SupplierPlease follow us on: Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.