MK SONS Denim Research will make its debut at Kingpins Amsterdam on 14–15 October 2026 in the Green Area, T.
The new denim proposition comes with a clear message: “WE UNDERSTAND DENIM.”
The initiative began seven years ago with a simple question. Could an established garment manufacturer combine its industrial expertise with the product knowledge of a specialist denim development studio?
That question led to the creation of MK SONS Denim Research.
A Specialist Approach to Denim Development
Created within the MK SONS group, Denim Research brings together denim development and manufacturing expertise.
The team looks at fabric, fit, wash, construction, chemistry, wear and commercial viability as part of the same process. As a result, brands can assess key product decisions before they move into industrial production.
The team follows a simple principle:
The quality of a garment is determined long before it reaches a sewing machine.
Therefore, MK SONS Denim Research does not treat development as a step between design and manufacturing. Instead, it uses development to connect both areas.
The goal is also clear. The team wants to help brands make better decisions before production starts, reduce development risks and repeat successful results at an industrial scale.
Denim Development Starts with Better Decisions
For example, the right fabric can support a specific wash more effectively. Similarly, a fit may need another round of testing before production.
The team therefore focuses on testing rather than assumptions. It validates finishes before committing to larger volumes. It also assesses whether an idea makes sense before taking it into production.
This approach puts product judgement at the centre of denim development.
Exceptional denim begins with judgement.
Connecting Development with Manufacturing
The relationship between MK SONS and MK SONS Denim Research also sets the new proposition apart.
Denim Research operates as a focused development and manufacturing platform within the wider MK SONS manufacturing organisation. At the same time, it remains connected to the group’s industrial infrastructure.
This structure helps bridge a common gap in the denim industry.
Specialist development can deliver strong product results, but scaling those ideas can prove difficult. On the other hand, large-scale manufacturing can deliver efficiency, but it may begin only after important product decisions have already been made.
MK SONS Denim Research brings these two areas together.
The company describes the proposition as:
A denim development and manufacturing house with extended, industrial capabilities behind it.
Supporting Brands, Designers and Product Teams
For brands, this approach provides access to denim development expertise while keeping price, repeatability, delivery and production economics in view.
For designers, the team can discuss denim through fabrics, washes, fit and construction. Therefore, conversations can move beyond minimum order quantities, capacity and lead times.
Product teams can also develop more distinctive denim without automatically moving into an unrealistic cost range.
As a result, MK SONS Denim Research aims to offer a more connected route from concept to production.
MK SONS Denim Research Targets Long-Term Partnerships
The ambition goes beyond manufacturing jeans for brands.
MK SONS Denim Research wants to become a trusted partner for designers, product developers and sourcing teams before they begin their next denim line.
The platform aims to give teams a place to observe, question, develop, test, validate and produce ideas.
Ultimately, the company wants manufacturing to start with understanding.
MK SONS Denim Research.
We understand denim.
