Denim Industry Remembers Late Jose “Pepe” Vidal Royo
Sustainable denim pioneer Jose “Pepe” Vidal Royo passed away on Nov. 30 at the age of 85.
Pepe’s legacy includes co-founding low-impact denim finishing firm Jeanologia with his nephew Enrique Silla in 1994. Ahead of its time, Jeanologia has developed many of the sustainable techniques—such as waterless technologies—which are widely used for about 35 percent of all denim production today.
Before Jeanologia, Pepe worked in his family’s mill, Tejidos Royo. He grew the Spanish company’s international awareness by positioning it as a sustainable denim producer.
In another sustainability move, Pepe, together with the Japanese Omori San, began actively promoting TENCEL™ as a material for denim in the 1990s. Using the wood-based fiber ushered in new concepts such as soft jeans, and changed the game for denim shirting.
Outside of denim innovations, Pepe’s care for people and the planet translated to charity. He founded the “Amigos de Rimquieta” Foundation, which works to improve the quality of life in Burkina Faso. Within the same region of Africa, he built wells and set up handlooms and natural indigo dyeing using traditional techniques.
Visionary of sustainability, Pepe’s great legacy is to have mentored and inspired a new generation of passionate and engaged professionals that act as a driving force for the transformation of the industry.
Here’s what some members of the denim community had to say about Pepe as a person and a professional.
Enrique Silla, Jeanologia
“Tio Pepe was a giant of a man and I had the privilege to learn, work and live the textile with him. It leaves a huge hole in our soul but also the heroic mission of transferring his optimism, business ethics and passion to the new generation.”
Michael Kininmonth, Lenzing
“Both Tejdos Royo and Jeanologia were extremely instrumental in the market development of TENCEL™ in the mid 1990s, and Pepe contributed in no small measure to that success. Indeed, my own view is that Royo designed the most iconic TENCEL™ fabric ever in the form of quality ‘Naikai.’ In recent years, whenever I bumped into Pepe at Jeanologia, he always seemed to be genuinely interested firstly in my well-being rather than wanting to discuss business; he always made you feel welcome.”
Manon Clavel, Manon Clavel Inc
I met Don Jose for the first time in 1998 in Valencia when he was the head of Tejidos Royo and I continued working around him many more years at Jeanologia. He was a tough boss who would challenge and question everyone for their decisions. But what I remember most from him was his smile and how deeply caring he was to everyone inside and outside the company, and how friendly and respected he was by all in the Industry. He had a big impact on my life when he authorized my transfer to New York back in 1998. I ‘ll be forever grateful. RIP Don Jose.
Michelle Branch, Markt & Twigs
“To say that Pepe was an industry legend would be a study in understatement. To say that he’d enjoyed generations of global respect would be equally so, as would calling him a visionary. For sure, there will be plenty of variations on this theme in any tribute to this giant of a man. And while all of these things are certainly true, my strongest memories of Pepe are more personal.
“Pepe led by example; with authority, but mostly with heart. His heart was huge and I think it’s probably the firstthing you noticed on meeting Pepe. He ushered in and smoothed the way for so many seemingly small but meaningful firsts in my life.
“I moved from New York to Valencia on my own with some suitcases, a couple of cats and a container on the way! That container held the contents of my apartment in all of its excessive American glory. Of course, it got stuck in customs as it was inconceivable to Valencia port officials that this much stuff wasn’t intended for sale! Pepe to the rescue—my first personal customs clearance!
“I was with Pepe when I first fell in love with my barrio in Valencia and he introduced me to the beautiful Basilica of the Virgin, which would become my church for all of the years I lived there.
“I experienced my first Fallas with Pepe from a balcony high above the throngs of folks celebrating (Fallas should be on everyone’s bucket list). It was as though Pepe instinctively knew how much I hated crowds!
“He treated me to my first ‘real’ paella at the beach. When my family made their firstvisit to Valencia, Pepe was a great host—to such an extent that my typically stoic Dad sent him an actual thank you note (probably hisfirst)expressing his comfort at the knowledge that his daughter was cared for so far from home (mind you, I am a fully grown woman). Two men of a certain generation for whom family is everything!
“The Silla/Vidal family became my own, led of course by Pepe. Pepe and Isabel lived so close to me that I could almost see their balcony from mine. It was the first time I lived in another country and it always felt good to know they were there just across ‘el rio’!
“To say that Pepe will be missed would also be a study in understatement!”