Agenda-setting intelligence, analysis and advice for the global fashion community.

The Denim Brand Making a Business of Upcycling

E.L.V. Denim founder and creative director Anna Foster has built a profitable start-up turning unwanted cast offs into handcrafted denim sold at Neiman Marcus and Moda Operandi.

Anna Foster preparing used jeans for upcycling in E.L.V Denim’s London studio. (E.L.V. Denim)

Sarah Kent

03 November 2023

BoF PROFESSIONAL

Late in August, Anna Foster is standing in front of me in her studio in Dalston, London contemplating the future of a pile of old jeans. “This could be a boyfriend or a flare,” says the founder and creative director of upcycled denim brand E.L.V. Denim, picking up a pair of jeans that’s been neatly labelled with a complicated code of letters and numbers indicating key measurements and quality attributes.

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About the author

Sarah Kent

Sarah Kent is Chief Sustainability Correspondent at The Business of Fashion. She is based in London and drives BoF's coverage of critical environmental and labour issues.

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The Denim Brand Making a Business of Upcycling

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Can Julie Pelipas Make Upcycling Work at Scale?

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