In 1955, the world of blue jeans changed forever. When James Dean donned his iconic denim threads in Rebel without a Cause, pop culture instantly adopted the look. No longer were they referred to as “waist overalls” most commonly worn by painters, mechanics, and old cowboys. Blue jeans became cool, every teenager wanted a pair, and the demand hasn’t let up in the over half-century since. Today, the $700 billion global blue jeans market is so prevalent in America that 12 pairs are sold every second in the U.S., and the average American owns seven pairs. Few things are more identifiable with American culture as blue jeans.
The blue jean has greatly evolved since its popularity skyrocketed. A solid-blue straight-leg soon wasn’t stylish enough. Stone-washed, distressed, and every shade of blue now fill walls of clothing stores, but few know how these styles are achieved.
Initially, special pumice stones were used to customize jean appearance; however, they had major drawbacks. Not only did they weaken the jeans, they also produced inconsistent results and were environmentally unsafe. Special machines had to be used to wash the jeans with the stones. In the late 1980s, the industry developed what is now used today: tiny proteins known as enzymes to “bio-stone” denim. These environmentally friendly chemicals are naturally created by living organisms, which is more economical. They also produce repeatable results and maintain the jeans’ structural integrity. It’s as if James Dean combined forces with Albert Einstein for the benefit of fashion!
IOGEN Corporation is a leader in enzyme research and implementation. They manipulate micro-organisms to produce specific enzymes that facilitate production of a wide variety of products, including ethanol, papers and textiles, and, of course, blue jeans—so, if one drives to a clothing store using ethanol-enhanced gasoline and writes a check for blue jeans, IOGEN can be thanked for making the entire process possible.
How micro-organisms shape the blue jean industry.