Kiabi signs up to Denim Deal to accelerate recycled-cotton offering

Kiabi is using Circular Fashion Week, held in Lille on December 4 and 5, to formalise its entry into the Dutch Denim Deal coalition, which aims to scale up the recycling of jeans into new garments.

The northern French brand chose its home city of Lille to announce this next step, with the goal of standardising the integration of recycled fibres across its collections. This ambition aligns with that of Denim Deal, which brings together around sixty organisations (brands, spinning mills, weavers) across ten countries to take the use of recycled cotton beyond individual brand initiatives.

Founded in the Netherlands, the Denim Deal reports the production of 12 million pairs of jeans incorporating at least 20% recycled cotton between 2021 and 2024, and has set a target of one billion. Already working with Scotch & Soda, Tommy Hilfiger and Kuyichi, the Amsterdam-based foundation has found a strategic partner in Kiabi, crowned the “most attractive” fashion retailer a year ago.

For the Mulliez group retailer, this agreement continues the work undertaken at the Denim Center in Neuville-en-Ferrain. In 2024, the brand launched its first “Made in France” jeans there, made with 33% recycled cotton. That experience now informs the coalition’s technical working groups.

“The brand already has a solid base that makes it legitimate to contribute to this shift in the model,” said management. Kiabi, which reports that 86% of its collections now incorporate lower-impact materials, is maintaining its course for the end of the year: to reach 95% sustainable fibres and 25% recycled materials in its mainline range.

In addition to recycling, the brand is continuing to invest upstream in the value chain, notably via the Organic Cotton Accelerator, which supports 24,000 regenerative farms in India.

This strategic alliance will be the focus of two dedicated workshops at the Circular Fashion Week. Julie Silvert, Kiabi’s Collections Director, is expected on 4 December to detail this roadmap and call for “stronger industrial cooperation” in Europe.

Kiabi, which claims the title of French leader in ready-to-wear, posted revenue of 2.5 billion euros in its last financial year (+5% compared with 2023). The company operates a network of 653 stores across 40 countries and employs almost 10,000 people.