G-Star RAW partners artist to refashion denim waste

By

Sandra Halliday

Published
Apr 17, 2023

Milan Design Week sees G-Star RAW and artist Maarten Baas refashioning denim waste into design and art pieces via the ‘More or Less’ exhibition. It shines a light on “the endless possibilities of denim and the tension between the desire for more but the need for less”.

Designed to be “thought-provoking”, the pieces made from denim waste explore “one of the fundamental predicaments of our time”with the exhibition showcasing a trio of cabinets in the shape of jeans, and a 15-metre long private jet — all made using recycled G-Star jeans. 

The company worked with Baas as he’s “one of the most important designers of the 21st century, with a track record for surprising and intriguing the public. He was the obvious choice as a creative partner for a project exploring the boundaries of denim design”.

It approached him with a brief to create a series of pieces from a new textile board material derived from recycled denim.

It said the results are “both playful and functional. As well as being made from denim, and resembling a pair of jeans, the furniture can also be used to store pairs of jeans (and other denim items)”. 

All three cabinets are made of the material created from recycled G-Star jeans that was developed by Danish textile innovator Really/Kvadrat. 

The jeans were collected from G-Star stores across Europe via the 'Return your Denim' recycling programme and during the exhibition, visitors can also bring their worn garments to screen print them with the signature message ‘More or Less’. 

The exhibition will be housed in the 17th century church of San Paolo Converso while the show “demonstrates new and creative possibilities in recycling, and is set to spark contemplation and discussion around the duality of the desire for more in these current times,” we’re told. 

Baas himself said: ”Every year in Milan I witness the tragicomic dialogue between green design and mass consumption. When G-Star approached me to collaborate, it was the perfect opportunity to focus on this relevant dilemma. After all, we are all part of the same puzzle: we enjoy our Prosecco next to this private jet made from recycled materials. We are not saving the world, but are we contributing to an improvement? More or less…”

The exhibition launches on 17 April and is open to the public from 18-23 April.

The cabinets are available to purchase and are made to order, with price and delivery time available on request. The Denim Waste Plane will become part of the G-Star RAW art collection.