Canadian denim brand DUER is redefining what it means to wear jeans

We spoke with the founder about denim industry disruption and the sustainability movement

Published Sep 23, 2024  •  Last updated 0 minutes ago  •  6 minute read

DUER Performance denim has been built for all of life's adventures. Photo by DUER

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Canadian denim brand DUER has been shaking up the clothing industry since 2015, after a successful two-year Kickstarter campaign. The company has created a range of “stretch performance denim” crafted from plants and various recycled materials, putting an entirely new spin on jeans.

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Denim has long been a staple in modern society, but its origin story dates back to the 17th century when weavers in Nimes, France created a durable, coarse cotton fabric by mistake. They called it “serge de Nimes” which was eventually shortened to “denim.”

Not to be outdone, the Italians were also working on a new fabric made with sturdy cotton and Indigo-dyed wool. Made in Genoa, the material was later called “gene” and eventually “jean” as we know it today. 

Beloved by the working class, sailors, miners, cowboys and farmers started the denim trend and it continued to grow from there, to modern-day denim which is still tough, versatile and durable, but now also sustainable, technological and comfortable. 

We spoke with Gary Lenett, founder of DUER, about the shift to performance fabrics and sustainability in the denim industry, plus what’s next for the brand. 

DUER founder Gary Lenett. Photo by DUER

Q&A with DUER founder Gary Lenett

Q: Who are you?
A: My name is Gary Lenett and I’m the founder of the Vancouver apparel brand DUER. We believe that getting dressed should be simple, and by that, I mean with a few well-made, versatile pieces in your wardrobe that look great and perform, you should be able to do everything you want in a day without having to change your clothes. We’ve built the business based on this philosophy by combining natural and performance fibres to create premium fabrics with stretch, softness, moisture management, strength and style. 

Q: What made you start a denim brand?
A: Before launching DUER, I had been in the denim industry for over 30 years. I started my first company by partnering up with my brother on a manufacturing business, and over the years we designed and manufactured denim for some of the biggest names in fashion, including Levi’s, The Gap, Guess and Ralph Lauren. Our father had been a clothing maker, so I suppose the industry was in our blood.  

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The idea for DUER came to me at a point in my life when I’d become tired of the endless trend cycles that had been brought on by fast fashion, and the constant travel my job demanded. As a result, I decided to wind down my business, focus on my health and figure out what was next. This included selling my car and relying on my bike to get to and from meetings. What I quickly realized was that there wasn’t a pair of jeans on the market with enough stretch and comfort to handle the ride, that was also sophisticated enough to wear to work. This was how DUER’s Performance Denim came to be, which then led to additional categories of performance fabrics for bottoms, tops, and outerwear for men and women. I guess you could call this one of the more unique “retirement” gigs.

Since opening our first store in Vancouver eight years ago, we’ve grown into an omnichannel business with dedicated storefronts across North America, a growing e-commerce business and a network of independent retailers across 25 countries. 

Performance Denim Girlfriend Jeans. Photo by DUER

Q: Tell us about your fabrics.
A: Performance has always been a priority, but we knew we wanted to be more than another high-synthetic athleisure brand. You could say we’re on an anti-polyester mission — not just because of my personal preference in the look and feel, but from a sustainability standpoint and what the poly filaments are doing to our oceans. That means that since day one, we’ve relied on plant-based fibres for their natural comfort and performance. And, since we didn’t want to limit ourselves to the conventional high synthetic or existing organic fabrics on the market, we developed our own collection of fabrics that blend natural and technical fibres, giving our clothing incredible comfort and the ability to perform across any activity. 

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Q: What are your favourite products in the DUER range?
A: The men’s Performance Denim jeans, which are available in a range of fits, and for women, the Performance Denim Girlfriend is always a really popular choice. The Men’s Performance Denim Short (also available for women) is also a great option for summer.

Q: Why DUER over other denim?
A: From my experience, people are no longer looking for clothing with specific use cases. They want a pair of pants they can wear into the office or out for dinner, but that can handle a bike ride and are comfortable for a day outdoors. Our Performance Denim meets this need with stretch, comfort, and sophistication all in one pair of pants. To achieve this, we took the classic look of a heritage five-pocket and integrated stretch and performance features like our signature gusset for a lot more flexibility and comfort than your average denim. Added technical benefits like moisture control and antimicrobial properties keep the denim dry and fresh feeling, regardless of what the day throws at you.

Men’s Performance Denim jeans in slim fit. Photo by DUER

Q: What is DUER doing to support the sustainability movement?
A: I recently read that we consume 60 per cent more clothing compared to 20 years ago yet wear each item of clothing half as long. As a brand, we’re on a mission to reduce our collective impact by making high-quality, versatile and timeless apparel that allows our customers to do more with what’s in their closet and hold on to each piece for longer. Moving towards 100 per cent natural-based clothing is a future-looking goal for us. Currently, our fabrics are crafted from 95 per cent natural and recycled fibres. The more we understand the impact of microfibres on the environment, the more we see this as a place for us to have an impact and lead the charge with natural alternatives to synthetics.  

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Q: What other apparel brands do you love?
A: Based on DUER’s “do more with less” philosophy, it’s probably not surprising that when I buy clothing from another brand, I lean towards classic, high-quality items that I can wear for a long time. I particularly like supporting smaller brands with similar values to DUER, and if I think back to my most recent purchase, it was in L.A. from an emerging, sustainable brand that I admire called Industry of All Nations. Like us, they advocate for buying consciously and buying less and believe that the way we shop is one of the most impactful actions we can make as individuals. A couple of other brands I admire for their innovative approach to design are Snow Peak and Stone Island. 

Q: What’s next for DUER?
A: We’re continuing to focus on our U.S.-based wholesale partners like Nordstrom and REI, to support our growth in this market, and are looking ahead to EU expansion.  

Check out DUER’s full range of performance denim or read our overview of the best jeans for all body types.

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