The Lab Report - Reimagining Denim, Reimagining Fashion with AFROGRUNGE
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The Lab Report is an innovative interview series that explores the
intersection of fashion and sustainability.
This series will feature a diverse
lineup of guests from across the fashion industry. Our goal is to shed light on
the latest trends, challenges, and advancements in sustainable fashion,
offering valuable insights and inspiring discussions.
Sustainability within the fashion industry, is about the stories we choose to tell and the impact we choose to make. For Anita Hlazo, founder and designer of AFROGRUNGE, that story is stitched together from denim scraps, cultural roots, and a deep respect for the planet.
AFROGRUNGE was born from Anita’s desire to merge the unapologetic energy of grunge with the vibrance and pride of African identity. But at its heart, her brand is also a rebellion against fashion’s wasteful norms. Rather than only creating from virgin fabrics, Anita collects discarded denim offcuts from her own work, forgotten jeans from closets, and scraps destined for landfill; and gives them new life.
"Denim is durable, but it’s also personal; it moulds to your body, creases with your movements, and carries the memory of the life you’ve lived in it."
This belief is what drives her repurposing process. Every faded patch, every frayed hem tells a story. By sewing these fragments together, Anita creates garments that are not only sustainable but deeply unique, pieces that feel lived-in and loved before they even reach their new owner.
In an industry where over 92 million tonnes of textiles are discarded annually, Anita’s approach stands as a blueprint for how designers can work within the limits of our planet’s resources. Her collections often feature intricate patchwork denim jackets, skirts, and accessories; each one assembled by hand, each one impossible to replicate.
Beyond her own label, Anita collaborates with other brands, transforming their unsold or damaged stock into fresh, reimagined designs. This process doesn’t just reduce waste; it challenges the idea that fashion has to be linear; produced, purchased, discarded. Instead, Anita works in a circular model, where creativity becomes a tool for renewal.
AFROGRUNGE is more than a sustainable brand. Anita’s work embraces heritage, individuality, and responsibility in equal measure. In her eyes, every garment is an archive: a tactile record of its past and a symbol of its future.
By centring her work on denim, a fabric known for its longevity and adaptability, Anita creates designs meant to be worn for years, not just seasons. This stands in stark contrast to the disposable culture of fast fashion, where clothing is treated as temporary.
In an industry where over 92 million tonnes of textiles are discarded annually, Anita’s approach stands as a blueprint for how designers can work within the limits of our planet’s resources. Her collections often feature intricate patchwork denim jackets, skirts, and accessories; each one assembled by hand, each one impossible to replicate.
Beyond her own label, Anita collaborates with other brands, transforming their unsold or damaged stock into fresh, reimagined designs. This process doesn’t just reduce waste; it challenges the idea that fashion has to be linear; produced, purchased, discarded. Instead, Anita works in a circular model, where creativity becomes a tool for renewal.
AFROGRUNGE is more than a sustainable brand. Anita’s work embraces heritage, individuality, and responsibility in equal measure. In her eyes, every garment is an archive: a tactile record of its past and a symbol of its future.
By centring her work on denim, a fabric known for its longevity and adaptability, Anita creates designs meant to be worn for years, not just seasons. This stands in stark contrast to the disposable culture of fast fashion, where clothing is treated as temporary.
From Waste to Wearable Art
Anita’s message is clear: fashion can be fearless and expressive without costing the earth. Every AFROGRUNGE piece challenges us to rethink what we value in our clothing. It invites us to cherish the stories woven into our garments, and to see beauty in what was once considered waste.
In a time when the fashion industry is reckoning with its environmental footprint, Anita Hlazo is proof that the future of style lies in preservation, not excess. Through AFROGRUNGE, she’s building a legacy where culture, sustainability, and artistry are inseparable.
This is denim with memory. This is fashion with purpose.
In a time when the fashion industry is reckoning with its environmental footprint, Anita Hlazo is proof that the future of style lies in preservation, not excess. Through AFROGRUNGE, she’s building a legacy where culture, sustainability, and artistry are inseparable.
This is denim with memory. This is fashion with purpose.
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