Denham the Jeanmaker will dress over 1,000 athletes and their entourages for the Paris 2024 Olympics and Paralympic Games in performance denim.
The Amsterdam-based denim brand unveiled the Kinetic Denim Uniform, a men’s and women’s denim jacket and trousers based on classic workwear silhouettes.
The uniform is crafted from Denham’s exclusive fabric innovation developed together with Advance Denim. “We had to make a fabric fit for purpose, and that’s where the fun began. We’ve developed a really interesting fabric for the future. It’s designed for performance, but it also looks amazing. We’re really proud of it,” said Jason Denham, founder of Denham the Jeanmaker.
Fabric development began one year ago. The ultra-light 6 oz. denim incorporates thermoregulating technology and aerogel yarns. It’s hybrid double-weave construction offers superior comfort, breathability and durability.
“Jason’s vision is to create a fabric that can serve not only as a competition uniform, but also as a versatile, everyday smart garment,” said Alice Chan, Advance Denim’s marketing director.
To achieve the desired performance characteristics, Advance engineered cutting-edge materials, Wafer fiber and aerogel, woven with a distinctive technique that resulted in a fabric that is lightweight, breathable and possesses moisture-wicking properties.
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Wafer fiber has a hollow honeycomb structure, which provides thermal insulation properties. The fiber’s unique design results in a “lightweight, breathable, and soft denim fabric that delivers exceptional comfort,” Chan said, adding that Wafer can absorb moisture at a rate three times faster than traditional cotton.
“Aerogel represents a truly remarkable material for textile applications,” she said. “Composed of over 80 percent air, it is the lightest solid substance on Earth, possessing a density [of] merely one-sixth that of standard air. In addition to its featherlight nature, aerogel also exhibits antistatic properties and demonstrates excellent moisture management capabilities. These combined attributes result in a comfortable, easy-care fabric that elevates the wearer’s experience.”
Advance Denim integrated sustainable elements into the fabric design, including Tencel fibers and liquid indigo dyes that have a significantly lower environmental impact compared to traditional dyeing methods.
The white version of the fabric features a pigment coating applied using aqualess technology, an innovative process resulting in a non-toxic, closed-loop system that reduces water consumption, electricity usage, and steam consumption. Chan said the coating delivers a soft, supple hand feel that surpasses traditional coating methods.
“We are confident that this collaborative effort will yield an innovative solution that meets the rigorous demands of elite athletic competition, while also offering practical, everyday applications for the NL team and beyond,” she said.
The uniform also includes T-shirts made with a blend of SeaCell, a closed-loop technology that spins cellulose fibers with organic brown seaweed to create new yarns, and SmartCell, a cellulose fiber enriched with a vital zinc oxide which has protective effects on the skin.
Denham was named the official fashion partner of Team NL last December. At the time of the announcement, the brand said its vision was to “seamlessly blend sport, art and culture with a unique approach to denim design.”
The Denham team met with the Dutch Olympic Committee*Dutch Sports Federation (NOC*NSF) and former elite athletes earlier this year to exchange ideas for the uniforms.
Fans can dress the part too. The Kinetic Denim Uniform is available to consumers as well as a collection of official Denham x Team NL merchandise that honor Dutch sporting heritage through vintage-inspired designs. The collection spans T-shirts, hoodies and bandanas with the team’s mantra on the backs. The line retails for $30-$215.
The Olympics is proving to be one of the biggest catwalks in the world for denim brands.
Irish-born, New York-based designer Laura Weber is dressing Team Ireland in coordinates embroidered with shamrocks, while French athletes will be dressed in tuxedo jackets by luxury brand Berluti for the event’s opening ceremony.
Ralph Lauren will dress U.S. athletes for the event’s opening and closing ceremonies in “Made in USA” looks that draw inspiration from the host city of Paris and a signature palette of red, white and blue. The heritage brand partnered with B Corp Saitex in California to assemble and manufacture Team USA’s 100 percent cotton jeans.