Committed to the planet and to the people who inhabit it
From product stewardship to supply chain investment, Outland Denim is a brand that is committed to the planet and to the people who inhabit it now and in the future.
Founded in 2011 as a means to combat the illicit human trafficking trade by creating a safe haven for its survivors, an enduring penchant for good jeans and a cowboy heartbeat eventually culminated into the growing collection of effortless, timeless and coveted denim that you see here today.
It also saw Outland become the first Australian, and second denim brand globally, to become B Corporation™ certified. Certified B Corporations™ are leaders in the global movement for an inclusive, equitable, and regenerative economy.
Outland takes a human-centred approach to everything from design to wholesaling: people are deeply important to us.
Our vertically integrated factory, incorporating our design lab, cut-make-trim and wash house facilities, employ the best water and energy saving technology by Jeanologia, allowing us a high degree of control over our operations and our environmental footprint.
Each Outland Denim piece is made with the cleanest raw materials sourced from across the globe with care and integrity by designers who are passionate about sustainability. We prioritise sustainable, vegan-friendly raw materials, and biodegradable packaging.
Our garments are constructed with skill and expertise by staff who are offered fair, safe and fulfilling employment before our wash engineers put the finishing touches on our denim using industry-leading sustainable washing techniques and technology.
As a result of more enlightened customers, we have been able to realise our mission of giving work to victims of human trafficking. This has placed Outland at the forefront of global citizenship in the fashion industry.
Each pair of Outlands spares the earth and elevates the women and men who artfully craft each garment, all while making our customers look (and feel) amazing.
Our Origins
We started as an avenue for victims of sexual exploitation to engage in safe, dignified employment as they rebuilt their lives, and have since widened our doors to accept employees from varying backgrounds of vulnerability and exploitation.
We support our staff using the four pillars of training, opportunity, living wages, and education. Through this approach we have proven a sustainable career path is the key to lasting social change, both in the lives of our staff and their families and communities.
More than 750 people have benefited from stable employment with Outland Denim to date.
We know our seamstresses by name and they are given support to build a brighter future for themselves and their families. They are the reason we do what we do. They are our partners in creating the beautiful products that you get to enjoy when you purchase Outland Denim.
A movement united by the pursuit of freedom.
Passion for Humanity
Freedom and liberty are the core of Outland Denim. Our passion for humanity and equality drive our every action. We also know that with freedom comes responsibility. These two things go hand-in-hand. This is why we move towards freedom for all people; it’s a responsibility to our fellow humans and our mandate.
We choose to celebrate the irreducible value of humanity by championing the vulnerable. Freedom isn’t a buzzword at Outland; it is a call to work. We do this day-by-day, changing the landscape of global business practice as we re-write the rule book. We uplift and advocate. We rebel against a ‘them and us’ mentality and believe in only ‘US’. An outward focus and faith in humanity’s potential underline our philosophy.
Empowering
Freedom
Outland’s passion for humanity is purposeful. It is focused directly at empowering freedom. We have found that our operations as a business are successful when we operate out of this passion and love. Outland isn’t a hero company seeking high rank or validation. We consider ourselves to be the platform to empower the people who we co-labour with. We partner with our customers and seamstresses in order to provide tools and resources for a better life.
Our full-circle model demonstrates how directly connecting the customer to the maker informs positive change. Together is the only way this model works.
Movement of Change
We are a fashion movement for change. Outland is inspired by beautiful design and the superiority of a perfectly made garment. In our view, superior means zero compromises. We strive to change the fundamental wrongs of a system built on exploiting both people and the planet.
We believe consumerism can be harnessed for good. For too long, fashion has come at the expense of the people making it. It has cost their freedom and the earth. Outland offers a new cycle of empowerment. It’s simply set in motion by purchasing from our brand. The power to change is in the hands of our customer.
Dream with
Scale
We’re not afraid to dream, to think differently… even if it’s Outlandish. We don’t shy away from the big idea, nor reduce it with pessimism. Nor are our heads in the clouds. We are grounded but look with optimism to what could be. What if by creating fashion you could empower the people who need it the most? What if you could heal the planet and turn back the damage we’ve inflicted? What if instead of always taking we could create a cycle that gives? What if it works?
We marry our dreams with pragmatic ideas and hard yakka. We don’t have all the answers or solutions… yet. But that’s our dream and our commitment, and we are well on the path. We are not deterred by the setbacks or the roadblocks; we are driven by our passion for people, our desire for freedom, our vision for change. Undeterred, uncompromising, passionate, hopeful and already on our way. Our feet face forward and that’s where we must go.
Design with Intention
For Outland Denim, a great story is not enough; it has to be paired with a great product. Finding the perfect pair of jeans is a shared human experience. Good denim offers self-expression, timeless style, and utilitarian function. We cannot imagine life without a worn-in pair of jeans, personified as a trusty sidekick, an ol’ faithful…our denim travels through life’s journey with us.
Outland denim is designed with intention, curated meticulously and executed with precision. We aim to exceed our customer’s expectations when they purchase a pair. An Outland garment becomes a source of identity for the wearer. They are made with a story woven into the fabric of their design. This is what sets Outland apart. Each garment declares, “I contribute to change. I empower freedom, I belong to that tribe!”
Why We Do Denim
Jeans are like the sky; predominantly blue, always there and they take up half our view no matter where we look.
They’re the kinda thing we take for granted yet also would be utterly lost without.
Can you imagine Earth without a sky? Try and imagine our society’s sartorial landscape without denim…
When NASA takes a telescopic photo of earth from space, you know that blue atmospheric haze around it is denim, right? Well, denim and some other important stuff, but the point is, jeans are as ubiquitous as they are desirable.
Reportedly, the average American woman owns 7 pairs of jeans at any point of time. About 2 billion pairs are made every year. Most of these are truly sub-par on a human and environmental level. Have you seen the doco River Blue?
The thing is, if those jeans were made in a way that didn’t cost the earth (literally) or human lives, the world would be a much better place for it. There would be more peace about our trousers. More freedom of movement (in denim). Less slavery.
So we set about creating denim products with dignity sewn right in. The idea being that if you had a choice between a pair of denims that were the same price and superior quality but vastly different in their material make-up, you would choose the pair that were made without a hint of human rights abuse or environmentally compromised standards; the pair that actually improved the quality of life for their makers.
