Denim with built-in protection

GRAPHITO is our graphene fabric created in partnership with Directa Plus. This antibacterial and antiviral denim combines the unique properties of two patented technologies: G+® Graphene Plus and Kitotex®. GRAPHITO represents a perfect blend of innovation and sustainability, made possible by its peculiar features and short supply chain.

What is GRAPHITO, and how does it work?

GRAPHITO is a graphene-based denim fabric we developed in collaboration with Directa Plus. Giulio Cesareo founded Directa Plus in 2005. The company is based in Lomazzo, close to Como, and is now one of the largest producers and suppliers of graphene-based products for consumer and industrial markets worldwide.

The partnership between Candiani and Directa Plus was formed based on our shared approach to groundbreaking research and development and environmental care. Our production facilities are only 50 km apart, allowing us to minimize the carbon footprint of our products.

Why a graphene fabric?

Graphene is often referred to as the wonder material due to being the lightest, strongest, and most efficient heat and electricity conductor. Even if it is very lightweight, it is incredibly strong and flexible, and it can be bent without breaking. When added to other materials, it can improve their properties or give them superior characteristics.

Graphene is a single layer of carbon atoms arranged in a honeycomb structure. It was first isolated in 2004 by Professor Andre Geim and Professor Konstantin Novoselov at the University of Manchester.

In the textile industry, graphene offers various benefits to fabrics:

• Strength and durability: graphene makes fabrics more resistant to wear and tear
• Lightweight nature: it does not significantly increase fabric weight, allowing for lightweight textiles
• Thermal conductivity: it helps regulate temperature, making fabrics suitable for various climates
• Moisture-wicking: graphene manages moisture and enhances comfort in sportswear
• Antimicrobial properties: it has antibacterial and antiviral qualities that lead to fresher and cleaner clothing

Graphene has, hence, a high potential to enhance performance in sportswear, create smart medical textiles, produce durable military and protective gear, and be used in high-end fashion applications to blend aesthetics and functionality. Technical fabrics are also a denim trend in 2024. They combine style and comfort with performance, durability, and versatility.

Directa Plus patented G+® Graphene Plus, the purest form of graphene. Every gram of graphite becomes a gram of G+® through a waste-free process with no chemicals or solvents. G+® is completely made in Italy and certified as safe, skin-friendly, non-toxic, and non-cytotoxic.

The impact of domestic washes

Many denim enthusiasts never wash their jeans because denim becomes more beautiful with age and wear as the indigo fades, reflecting the unique story of the wearer. While this approach may seem too extreme for some, do we really need to wash our jeans every second or third time we wear them?

According to the Levi Strauss & Co Life Cycle Assessment 2015, citizens of the U.K. and France wash their jeans every 2.5 times they wear them. Wearing jeans 10 times before washing them reduces water and energy consumption and CO2 emissions by 75%, as shown in the graphs below.

Antiviral denim with superior thermal comfort

We understand that wearing the same pair of jeans for ten days can feel like an eternity for many people. That’s why we have a solution with our GRAPHITO denim fabrics. GRAPHITO is infused with G+®, making it an antibacterial and antiviral denim.

GRAPHITO has undergone testing for antibacterial activity against Klebsiella pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus in accordance with ISO 20743:2021. The test results indicate that, within five days, G+® reduces the bacterial load by up to 50% compared to regular denim. Furthermore, the antimicrobial activity of G+® increases over time, allowing you to wear your jeans more than five times before needing to wash them. You don't have to worry about any unpleasant odors either, as G+® has odor-neutralizing properties!

GRAPHITO also ensures thermal comfort. It is a fabric suitable for all seasons, providing an equally comfortable feeling during hot and cold months. Tests conducted on five individuals of varying ages, weights, and body mass indexes in a climatic chamber showed that jeans treated with G+® exhibited lower skin and higher external surface temperatures, indicating better heat dissipation and improved thermal comfort for the wearer.

The bacteriostatic properties of G+® are further enhanced by the inclusion of our patented Kitotex® technology in GRAPHITO. Kitotex® is a sizing technology applied to the yarns after the dyeing process, utilizing the smart material chitosan instead of the conventionally used synthetic PVA. This biopolymer has exceptional binding and film-forming properties, which significantly improve the color retention and overall aesthetics of indigo-dyed yarns, giving them a polished look and feel.

GRAPHITO stands out with its deep blue-grey color. It is available in both selvedge and full-width denim fabric. Selvedge fabrics are the most traditional type of denim, woven on shuttle looms, which create a characteristic edge along the borders to prevent fraying. We take pride in preserving the heritage of selvedge denim, which is now quite rare in the industry due to the slower and less precise nature of shuttle looms compared to more modern full-width looms. We also incorporate the latest textile innovations, such as GRAPHITO, into it.

Candiani’s denim innovation

GRAPHITO perfectly fits into our broader sustainable denim innovation. It all starts with the ingredients, and our selection includes materials with unique properties to enhance the quality, performance, and aesthetics of our fabrics while keeping their environmental impact low.

Our current denim innovation focuses on sustainability, as the industry still has a negative impact on people and the planet. We are working on innovating from fiber to finished fabrics, aiming to improve both manufacturing processes and products.

Since cotton is the main ingredient of every denim fabric, we prioritize the use of preferred fibers such as Better Cotton, regenerative cotton, and organic cotton. We are also striving to increase the use of recycled, biodegradable, and compostable fibers in the industry. In addition, we are developing and patenting technologies to reduce the consumption of water, energy, and chemicals in the production process and throughout the entire life cycle of garments made with our denim fabrics.

One of our notable innovations is COREVA™, our patented technology that produces the world’s first plastic-free and compostable stretch denim. COREVA™ fabrics can be composted at the end of their useful life and used in agriculture to grow new plants, as tests have shown.

Managing clothing end-of-life to promote a circular economy is one of our main focus areas due to the large amount of textiles that are discarded each year, often without being used. Therefore, we are also developing recycling programs for both post-industrial and post-consumer materials to give new life to the waste generated by manufacturing processes and old, worn-out jeans.

We also believe that strengthening collaborations with local partners and suppliers, such as Directa Plus, is crucial for reducing the negative impact of the fashion industry. Candiani and Directa Plus share a vision to lead in innovation and a mission to deliver top-quality products in the most sustainable way possible. Short supply chains minimize the carbon footprint of products. Moreover, trusted partners make the supply chain traceable and transparent, ensuring control over its environmental and social impact.