This Denim Brand Is Working to Eradicate Human Trafficking

The denim industry is a competitive, heavily saturated market — and in the era of sustainability, standing out means standing behind a cause. And that’s why Outland Denim, a premium denim company based in Australia, has gained a lot of traction of late, with the likes of Meghan Markle spotted wearing the brand. Its noble cause — fighting or even eradicating human trafficking — is more than a passion project; it’s an initiative for enduring, requisite change. Here, James Bartle, founder and chief executive officer of Outland Denim, talks to WWD about the brand’s unique business model, sustainability and love of denim. WWD: Tell us about your jean-making journey. What inspired you to found Outland Denim? James Bartle: I was aware of the issue of human trafficking in terms of it being a very lucrative global business. I’d seen the movie “Taken,”{ and had learned more through an NGO doing work in the field. But what really inspired me to begin laying the foundations for what’s now Outland Denim was a trip to South-East Asia in 2010. I saw a very young girl being prostituted on the streets, so the issue became very real. It still haunts me, and I often wonder what happened to

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