Kingpins Amsterdam Gathered the Industry to Share Inspiration and Innovation
Kingpins Show Amsterdam last week was a respite from all the current concerns the industry is facing—from wars, to rising raw material costs and uncertainty. When we gathered with the denim community at Sugar Factory, the perfect weather and event excitement put participants in a good mood.
The TENCEL™ Denim team kicked off our time in Amsterdam ahead of the show with multiple events on Tuesday. Rimaks debuted their collection with Bossa, SM Denim, Lenzing and The Lycra Company with a happy hour at the House of Denim. Brands could come and see the manufacturer’s collection, which included fabrics from Bossa that incorporated our TENCEL™ Lyocell – HV100 fibers to give the garments an authentic look with a soft hand feel. That same day, we attended Advance Denim’s happy hour and Pioneer Denim’s Storm of Love event in partnership with Tonello that included a tribute to Adriano Goldschmied and a runway show featuring the collection he created in partnership with the mill and Soko Chimica.
Kingpins kicked off April 15, and the two-day show was very busy. At our booth, we showcased the second edition of our TENCEL™ Lyocell – HV100 collection in partnership with 20 mills. To-date, more than 35 mills have collaborated with us to develop fabrics using this new fiber type, and many of these creations could also be seen on the show floor at the manufacturers’ stands. The show was an opportunity for us to also extend our conversations with mills to further grow the adoption and applications for these fibers.
Almost all major brands and retailers stopped by our booth. Attendees came from the European continent and beyond, with participants traveling from the U.S., China, Colombia, Brazil, Canada, Türkiye and more. The exhibitors were also international, with Türkiye, China, Pakistan, Vietnam, Cambodia, Brazil, Japan, Italy and Spain represented, among other sourcing destinations.
We heard a lot of universal concerns in our chats with both manufacturers and their customers. The costs of energy, cotton and other raw materials have risen, putting pressure on margins. Amid volatility, companies around the globe are exploring new sourcing routes and diversifying to guard their supply chains against disruption.
Closing out day one, Kingpins held its own tribute to Adriano. Commonly known as the Godfather of Denim, the denim industry legend passed away in early April at 82. After his friends and colleagues raised a glass to toast his memory, the evening turned to a happy hour, which Lenzing sponsored.
Beyond the booths, there was plenty to discover with activations aimed to educate and inspire. An exhibit celebrated the 50th anniversary of stone washing with original garments and a look inside how the process has changed to become more sustainable. The Gallery, curated by trend forecaster Be Disobedient, presented fabrics and trims from exhibitors in a central installation.
Hands-on workshops let attendees make keychains, denim self portraits and more. Visitors could also bring old denim and have it reworked with dye, courtesy of Tintes Egara and Jeanologia. In installations and more, multiple creatives explored how used denim can have a new life.
