#ModicSustainability - KERING MATERIAL INNOVATION LAB + S|STYLE 2025

Kering Material Innovation Lab Presents S|STYLE 2025 – Denim Lab

In September 2025, Milan Fashion Week hosted a landmark event in the realm of sustainable fashion: the Kering Material Innovation Lab (MIL) unveiled S|STYLE 2025 – Denim Lab. This initiative brings together a curated selection of emerging fashion brands globally to explore sustainable innovation, with a special emphasis on the future of sustainable denim and the critical issue of water use in the textile industry.

Launched in 2020, S|STYLE Sustainable Style has evolved as a vital platform for responsible fashion. This year’s special edition, SISTYLE – DENIM LAB, is an ambitious project conceived by Giorgia Cantarini. Aimed at engaging young international brands, the lab showcases a unique denim look created utilizing fabrics developed through advanced, sustainable processes, simultaneously showcasing the potential for reduced usage of natural resources. The creative looks designed for this event received technical support and innovative materials from Kering’s MIL, a dedicated hub for sustainable textile innovation.

The theme this year pivots around water, marking it as the most essential resource for the textile industry—particularly denim. This focal point directly aligns with Kering’s newly unveiled Water Strategy, which aspires to achieve a Net Water-Positive impact by 2050. Traditional denim production is notoriously water-intensive; producing a single pair of jeans can require thousands of liters of water due to the processes of cotton cultivation, dyeing, and finishing. Consequently, denim was chosen as the material of focus for this project, serving as both an iconic textile and a symbol of environmental impact and water consumption.

Designers participating in S|STYLE – DENIM LAB faced the challenge to creatively reinterpret denim through a conscious and experimental approach. They employed advanced technologies for dyeing, washing, and finishing that drastically reduce water usage, minimize or eliminate harmful chemicals, and utilize cotton sourced from regenerative farming practices—marking a cutting-edge approach to sustainable natural materials.

Thanks to Kering’s MIL, designers had access to next-generation denim fabrics, developed through advanced sustainable materials and processes:

– Smart Indigo® by Sedo Engineering: This electrochemical dyeing process employs water, electricity, and pure indigo pigment to drastically reduce and recover polluting chemicals. Used by Institution, Gerrit Jacob, Gisele Ntsama, and Macy Grimshaw, this innovative technique highlights the potential for reducing the environmental impact of dyeing.

– D(y)enim® by Sonovia: Utilizing ultrasonic and cavitational dyeing technology, this material reduces water usage by 85%, eliminates harmful chemical products, and cuts CO2 emissions by 79%, while lowering energy consumption by 60%. Designers Jeanne Friot, Nadya Dzyak, Phan Dang Hoang, and Sia Arnika incorporated this revolutionary fabric into their collections.

– Tonello Srl Technologies

– Laser 2.0: This technology eliminates harmful chemicals while enhancing precision and operator safety, speeding up production processes. Used by Gerrit Jacob, Macy Grimshaw, Phan Dang Hoang, Sia Arnika, and Institution, it is a transformative approach to denim finishing.

– EGO: Utilizing ozone as an oxidizing agent for decolorizing indigo, this method conserves both water and chemicals. This technique featured prominently in collections from Gerrit Jacob, Jeanne Friot, Nadya Dzyak, Phan Dang Hoang, Sia Arnika, and Institution.

– NoStone®: By replacing pumice stones with an innovative abrasive coating, this technology mitigates the environmental impact associated with stone extraction and disposal. It was utilized by Jeanne Friot, Nadya Dzyak, and Sia Arnika.

– UP: This system promotes the continuous recycling of wash water, achieving a reduction in water and energy consumption of up to 53%. This technology was embraced by all participating designers.

– Wake: A sustainable dyeing technique utilizing local plants and vegetable waste without harmful chemical additives was featured in the works of Nadya Dzyak and Phan Dang Hoang.

– Tonello Dryers: High-efficiency dryers designed to ensure rapid, uniform drying with lower energy consumption were employed by all designers in the exhibition.

– Regenerative Cotton: Used by all emerging brands, this cotton comes from the Kering

Regenerative Fund for Nature, launched in 2021 in partnership with Conservation International. The initiative promotes farming practices aimed at increasing soil carbon capture, restoring habitats, conserving water, and improving farmers’ livelihoods by eliminating synthetic chemicals.

– Post-consumer recycled cotton fused with regenerative cotton for high-quality fabrics was incorporated by Institution, Gerrit Jacob, Gisele Ntsama, and Macy Grimshaw to enhance their designs while adhering to sustainable practices.

The exhibition features an impressive lineup of international talents who harness creativity, experimentation, and sustainability to reinterpret denim, including:

INSTITUTION – Georgia – Italy – GALIB GASSANOFF

Gerrit Jacob – Germany

Jeanne Friot – France

Macy Grimshaw – United Kingdom

Nadya Dzyak – Ukraine

Sia Arnika – Denmark

Gisele Ntsama – Cameroon – Italy

Phan Dang Hoang – Vietnam

Taking place at the iconic Fondazione Sozzani —a venue synonymous with cultural innovation and circular fashion—the opening of S|STYLE – DENIM LAB was slated for September 26, followed by public access on September 27 and 28.

The exhibition space hosted a site-specific installation by Italian-Argentinian artist Mariano Franzetti, designed to enhance the designers’ creations and transform the exhibition into a fully immersive artistic experience. He used recycled and regenerative denim fabrics provided by Berto, further showcasing how sustainability can harmoniously coexist with creativity.

Giorgia Cantarini, founder of S|STYLE – DENIM LAB, expressed the essence of the initiative: “Denim is a universal fabric, but also one of the most complex in terms of environmental impact. With this edition of S|STYLE, we aim to prove that it’s possible to rethink denim sustainably by merging research, innovation, and creativity. Not just workwear, but couture and cutting-edge design. Thanks to the support of Kering’s Material Innovation Lab, designers gained access to technologies and materials that represent the future of responsible fashion. Milan Fashion Week thus becomes the perfect stage to launch a powerful message: water is life, and fashion must learn to respect it.”

For over a decade, Kering’s Material Innovation Lab (MIL) has been at the forefront of research focused on denim, even developing a tool to assess the environmental impact of individual jeans. Denim—long viewed as a timeless emblem of identity and rebellion—now stands at the center of a paradigm shift, moving beyond merely adopting organic cotton or the elimination of harmful treatments. This new edition of the DENIM LAB embodies Kering’s vision of fostering a transformative narrative in textile innovation and sustainability.

Christian Tubito, Director of Kering’s Milk, emphasized the importance of this initiative, stating, “At Kering, supporting S|STYLE and emerging brands is part of our ongoing commitment to driving positive change across the fashion industry. With this new edition of the DENIM LAB, we want to demonstrate how creativity and innovation can reimagine this iconic fabric in a more responsible way, drastically reducing water use, eliminating harmful chemicals, and embracing next-generation materials. This initiative serves not only as a showcase of style but as a tangible sign of change that, beginning with luxury, inspires a more sustainable future for the entire textile sector.”

Kering is a family-led global luxury group, encompassing a multitude of creative Houses including Gucci, Saint Laurent, Bottega Veneta, Balenciaga, McQueen, and more. In 2024, Kering employed over 47,000 individuals and generated revenue of €17.2 billion, fostering a culture that nurtures creativity while upholding a commitment to sustainability. Established in 2013, Kering’s Material Innovation Lab (MIL) serves as a research center dedicated to exploring sustainable materials, processes, and technologies. Boasting a comprehensive textile library that aligns with Kering’s principles of sustainability, MIL acts as a catalyst for transformation, aiding Kering brands and selected partners in embracing validated and tested solutions.

Founded by journalist and independent curator Giorgia Cantarini, S|STYLE Sustainable Style has connected the realms of fashion and responsibility since its inception. Showcasing over 40 emerging brands, many of which have gone on to earn international acclaim, S|STYLE has emerged as a notable focal point for identifying innovative trends and spotlighting the talents of the next generation of designers.

As these talented designers present their groundbreaking work at S|STYLE – DENIM LAB, the event signifies not only a step toward a sustainable future in fashion but a powerful call for the industry to embrace responsible practices. With water conservation at its core and innovation as its guiding light, S|STYLE 2025 reminds us that fashion can—and must—evolve to respect the planet.

S|STYLE 2025 – Denim Lab serves as an essential milestone in the fashion calendar, symbolizing how collaborative creativity can lead to a more responsible future and it stands as a testament to the strides being made in sustainable denim, inviting both the fashion industry and consumers to reflect on the footprints they leave behind while ensuring that the future of fashion is one that aligns with respect for the ecosystem.