#Denim

2025-09-18

Artistic Milliners acquires majority stake in Cone Denim

Artistic Milliners, a global leader in denim innovation, today announced the acquisition of a majority stake in Cone Denim from Elevate Textiles. The new multi-national company will operate under the historic Cone Denim name. Artistic Milliners' Pakistan operations and business will continue to operate independently. The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2026.

Cone Denim and Artistic Milliners leadership at signing ceremony. Left to right: Steve Maggard, Murtaza Ahmed, Jeffrey P Pritchett, Omer Ahmed. © 2025

Cone Denim will offer fully vertical, end-to-end solutions – ranging from premium denim fabric to expertly finished garments. "We are committed to bringing the full breadth of our expertise to help unlock Cone's competitive strengths. Cone Denim will preserve its unique identity while continuing to drive its own business strategy. Our goal is to collaborate closely with the Cone Denim team, building on the legacy and achievements of more than 130 years," said Murtaza Ahmed and Omer Ahmed of Artistic Milliners in a joint statement.

The new entity will operate a global platform spanning both hemispheres and will be comprised of a combination of selected assets from each organization. Cone Denim will now operate its existing mills in Parras and Yecapixtla, Mexico and its facility in Jiaxing, China; as well as Artistic Milliners' recently inaugurated garment facility in Parras, Mexico; and its Star Fades International (SFI) laundry and development center in Los Angeles.

The Ahmeds continued: "Cone Denim's distinctive position as the iconic American manufacturer joins Artistic Milliners' global portfolio, creating an international organization that leverages our collective infrastructure and expertise to offer customers unparalleled service and flexibility. Our multinational manufacturing locations will offer speed, scale and surety of supply."

Cone Denim will continue to operate as a standalone portfolio company under Artistic Milliners. Steve Maggard, President of Cone Denim, will lead the new entity, reporting to the Board of Directors, which includes Omer Ahmed, Murtaza Ahmed, and Jeffrey P. Pritchett alongside to-be-determined directors.

Pritchett, CEO and member of the Board of Directors, Elevate Textiles added, "We are excited to unite two global denim leaders with shared values furthering the Cone Denim name and legacy. Cone Denim and Artistic Milliners both possess long-standing textile heritage and are recognized worldwide for their commitment to innovation, traceability, and sustainability. They are both well respected, responsible, and ethical manufacturers. As the new Cone Denim, we are able to better leverage synergies across our brands, operations, and global footprint including the return of Cone Denim production capabilities in the US and expansion into new global regions."

Cone Denim and Artistic Milliners customers will continue to interact with their existing product and sales representatives and can anticipate the same high standard of service, delivery, and quality to be upheld.

"We remain committed to providing enhanced fabric variety, design innovation, and comprehensive garment services to our customers — this includes our planned expansion into North Africa," Maggard added.

Cone Denim to launch collaborative hub The Cone Collective

Cone Denim® will debut The Cone Collective, a virtual hub for its cross collaborations with designers and students at the end of June. The Cone Collective is a creative initiative within Cone Denim aimed at supporting and highlighting designers, brands, and students who help tell Cone’s story using its denim fabric through unique creations and art.

Cone Denim 2025 Sustainability Report highlights key initiatives, sustainable innovations, and collaborative projects

Cone Denim®, a leading denim innovator for more than 130 years, is pleased to release its 2025 Sustainability Report. Within the report, Cone reflects upon its sustainable progress over the previous year and discusses metric goals set by parent company Elevate Textiles that it aims to achieve by 2030.

Cone Denim and AMK Atelier honor Rooted collaboration at Kingpins Amsterdam

Cone Denim® will debut Rooted, a denim collaboration with AMK Atelier and videographer Eduard Nijgh, at Kingpins Show Amsterdam April 16-17. The collection follows the work of farmers at De Stadsgroenteboer in Amsterdam, documenting wear patterns and testing fabric durability for a full year in custom workwear designed by AMK Atelier. Rooted garments utilize a range of Cone Denim fabrics, including the most recent Cone Denim Community Deforestation selvedge fabric.

Archroma expands denim possibilities at Kingpins Amsterdam

Archroma, a global leader in specialty chemicals, will present a portfolio of six sustainable denim innovations at Kingpins Amsterdam from April 15-16, 2026. Under the theme “Creating Possibilities in Denim”, the showcase reflects Archroma’s commitment to giving brands and mills solutions that are as commercially compelling as they are environmentally responsible.

Jeanologia launches Billy

The new AI extracts precise laser designs from a garment image in minutes, transforming how vintage denim is recreated for production. If Jeanologia’s laser changed the way jeans were made at the end of the last century, its AI now takes the next step: moving from reproducing wear to designing it. / archive photo © 2026 Jeanologia

New study shows low environmental impact by Cotton made in Africa Organic Cotton from Tanzania

Today, the Aid by Trade Foundation (AbTF) is announcing the results of a comprehensive life-cycle analysis (LCA) for cotton produced in Tanzania under the Cotton made in Africa Organic (CmiA Organic) standard. The study emphasises the small ecological footprint of CmiA Organic verified cotton. This can largely be traced back to the absence of synthetic pesticides, artificial fertilisers, and artificial irrigation. Consequently, CmiA Organic cotton can help the textile industry meet regulatory requirements as well as science-based targets. The results also show that the consequences of climate change threaten the livelihoods of these cotton farmers, even though the type of agriculture they practise barely contributes to climate change.

PERFORMANCE DAYS proves its relevance as the industry’s key meeting point

Held on March 18–19, 2026, PERFORMANCE DAYS once again confirmed its position as a leading international platform for functional textiles. A total of 3.366 trade visitors and around 560 exhibitors gathered in Munich, with the event already kicking off successfully on DAY 0, which received highly positive feedback for its interactive format. Despite challenging conditions caused by the public transport strike in Munich, the event saw strong attendance and a consistently high level of activity across both exhibition days.