Pili partners with Citizens of Humanity and Orta
Pili, a French pioneer in biobased dyes and pigments, partners with Orta, the Turkish denim mill and Citizens of Humanity, a California-based high-end denim brand known for its commitment to quality and sustainability.
They are beginning a transformative shift in the denim industry with the commercial launch of the first products dyed with Pili’s biobased indigo. The first products will debut in January in the Spring 2025 collections of Citizens of Humanity and AGOLDE.
A New Ecological Standard for the Denim Industry
In 2024, Pili achieved a major milestone by producing its first tons of biobased indigo, enabling the creation of sustainable denim articles, a turning point in the company's efforts to decarbonize the textile industry especially denim.
Pili has developed unique processes combining fermentation and organic chemistry to offer a high-performance, eco-friendly alternative to petrochemical dyes. Their ecological alternative significantly reduces the use of toxic chemicals and fossil resources, while aiming to cut CO2 emissions up to 50%. It meets the same performance as petrochemical indigo while seamlessly integrating into existing dyeing processes without requiring additional investment in commercial dyeing equipment.
Pili’s colors development is based on standardized Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs), ensuring a rigorous process to measure and minimize their environmental impact.
A Partnership Driving Sustainable Transformation in the Industry
Fiber and dye are the two main components of denim products and also the ones with the greatest impact on their production. The partnership between Citizens of Humanity, Pili, and Orta establishes one of the highest ecological standards in the market with the use of regenerative cotton and biobased indigo.
Pili biobased indigo will make its debut in Citizens of Humanity and AGOLDE’s Spring 2025 collections. This long-term partnership between Citizens of Humanity, Orta, and Pili will continue to expand in future collections. The launch will be exclusive on NET-A-PORTER on January 6, 2025, before being extended to agolde.com, citizensofhumanity.com, and other global retailers.
A Key Step Towards the Decarbonization of the Color Industry
Building on this first success, Pili is accelerating the development of coloring solutions for various industrial applications, particularly in the inks, paints, and polymers sectors. The aim is to decarbonize everyday products using high-performance biobased pigments, with the first applicative tests set to begin this year. Pili continues its mission to decarbonize the color industry, paving the way for a sustainable revolution.