Central Saint Martins collaborates with Miss Sixty to drive circular denim

University of the Arts London (UAL) has announced a partnership between Central Saint Martins (CSM) and fashion conglomerate Trendy Group, which includes Italian brand Miss Sixty “to pave the future for circular denim”.

In a statement, Central Saint Martins said the partnership centres around the new Future Denim Lab, an ambitious five-year initiative dedicated to advancing circular denim and sustainable fashion, which will collaborate with denim brand Miss Sixty to combine cutting-edge research and innovation with hands-on student activity.

The aim is for the collaboration to set a new benchmark in fashion education and sustainability to ensure the next generation of designers is equipped to create a circular, environmentally responsible industry.

Professor Rathna Ramanathan, head of Central Saint Martins and pro-vice chancellor of UAL, said: "At Central Saint Martins, we are ‘Regenerating Creativity’. Deepening our partnership with Trendy Group exemplifies our shared commitment to pushing the boundaries of sustainability and innovation.

“Through this collaboration with Miss Sixty, we will continue in our mission to expand the impact of the creative industries and to champion essential environmental change in this more-than-human world."

Future Denim Lab will bring together a dedicated team of researchers at CSM, including a fully funded PhD studentship, to drive sustainable innovation in denim recovery, recycling and reuse. Using advanced technologies such as biotechnology, the team will explore new solutions for recycling both organic and synthetic materials.

Undergraduate and postgraduate students from various courses will collaborate with researchers and students on Future Denim Lab projects, gaining experience and providing interdisciplinary insights in sustainable design and research.

The partnership has also created two prestigious awards to celebrate and encourage student innovation, recognising excellence in repurposing and reusing denim.

Jacky Xu, founder and chief executive of Trendy Group, added: "Our collaboration with Central Saint Martins on the Miss Sixty Future Denim Lab project is focused on researching sustainable fashion. We hope that the research outcomes will contribute to the global fashion industry's sustainable development, promoting a lasting symbiosis between fashion and nature.”

Trendy Group has been a key partner in supporting Central Saint Martins since 2018, and in 2019, the college named its central walkway and meeting place The Trendy Group Street in recognition of a “generous donation”.