This episode reveals how AG Jeans built a resilient brand by prioritizing product quality and vertical integration. Sam Ku emphasizes that sustainable practices are now non-negotiable for consumers, driving innovation like their biodegradable "Jean of Tomorrow." Ecommerce brands must focus on product excellence, sustainable operations, and agile supply chains to thrive in a demanding market.
From the Revolutionary War that facilitated the founding of the United States to the Black Lives Matter movement, America has shown that nothing is set in stone if people are willing to fight for change. Also intertwined within the country’s foundation is denim, which, despite its seemingly benign presence as a fabric, denotes social change, as well. As fashion brands across the industry respond to calls for eco-consciousness, AG Jeans, a denim brand founded in 2001, has been a trailblazer in promoting sustainable denim. “In the last 12-24 months, we're finding that customers are caring more than ever,” said Sam Ku, president and creative director of AG Jeans, on this week’s Glossy Podcast. “They've decided that, yes, I am willing to pay a little bit more for something that is better for the planet. I am [also] willing to buy a little bit less and buy better quality and make it last longer.” For AG, this shift in the industry manifested in the Jean of Tomorrow, a 100% biodegradable jean made of “eco-friendly” cotton and hemp fibers, complete with a “Coronado nut” button. “Building a brand based on great product is the most important thing,” said Ku. Unlike a majority of jean retailers, AG operates and manufactures its jeans at its L.A. and Mexico facilities that are “100% owned and operated by us,” said Ku. But despite this, the brand has not been exempt from the Covid-related supply chain challenges within the fashion industry. “We're able to stock a lot of our raw materials that we consistently use, [but] those that we don’t carry are hard to keep up with,” he said. As for the future, Ku is focused on getting the company back to 2019 sales levels and “continuing to deliver the right product on time,” he said. “The brands that can do that right now will win.”