Nudie Jeans
Svenska Jeans Holding · Sweden
Nudie Jeans is a Swedish denim brand founded in Gothenburg in 2001 by Maria Erixon and Joakim Levin. It is known for dry denim, a policy of free repairs and a global network of Repair Shops. The brand is a leading example of circular business models in denim.
| Founded | 2001, Gothenburg |
|---|---|
| Founders | Maria Erixon and Joakim Levin |
| Parent company | Svenska Jeans Holding |
| Headquarters | Gothenburg, Sweden |
| Known for | Free repairs and organic denim |
| Website | nudiejeans.com |
What is Nudie Jeans?
Nudie Jeans is a denim brand headquartered in Gothenburg, Sweden. It became known for dry denim, jeans that are not washed during production and are broken in by the wearer, and for building its brand around repair, reuse and transparency. Wikipedia names Svenska Jeans Holding as the parent company.
History
The company was founded in 2001 by designer Maria Erixon and Joakim Levin. It grew from a small team into an international brand, with own stores in cities including Stockholm, Oslo, Tokyo, Sydney and London. Its denim became fully organic in 2012, and from 2017 the entire collection moved to organic cotton. The brand has been a member of the Fair Wear Foundation since 2009.
Products and positioning
Nudie sits in the premium denim segment. The core of its range is men's and women's jeans in raw and washed finishes, complemented by shirts, knitwear, T-shirts and jackets. Most manufacturing takes place in Italy, according to Wikipedia, with cotton sourced from India, Turkey and Italy.
Business model and distribution
The brand sells in more than 50 countries through its own stores, its online shop and selected retailers. Its distinctive feature is the after-sales model:
- Free repairs for Nudie jeans, without time limit
- More than two dozen Repair Shops worldwide
- A Reuse programme, launched in 2017, that exchanges worn jeans for a voucher
- Resale of second-hand Nudie jeans in its own stores
Wikipedia reports that the company repaired more than 68,000 pairs of jeans in 2024 and collected nearly 20,000 used pairs, of which 3,500 were resold and the rest recycled.
Why it matters
Nudie Jeans is frequently cited as a pioneer of circular fashion. By treating repair and resale as part of the product, it shows how a premium brand can extend garment life while keeping customers coming back to its stores, a model that larger denim companies have since tried to emulate.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Nudie Jeans from?
Nudie Jeans is from Sweden. It was founded in Gothenburg in 2001 and is still headquartered there.
Does Nudie Jeans repair jeans for free?
Yes. Nudie offers free repairs on its jeans through its Repair Shops and stores worldwide, and runs a Reuse programme that takes back worn pairs in exchange for a voucher.