While we overload on things that we “must have” we always come back to those core, versatile, comfortable pieces. Dressing should be easy and Gary Lenett, founder of DUER apparel, thinks so too. “DUER language is centered around shifting the mentality of different outfits for different occasions; and instead owning a few pairs of comfortable, stylish pants for all day, every day.”
Cool, Calm, and Collected
At the age of 56, Lenett was biking daily to and from work. After repeatedly changing in and out of athleisure to appropriate work attire, “it was then that I realized that something was lacking in the market—a pair of pants that I could wear riding [on my bike] into the office and then straight into my meeting. I saw this as an opportunity to solve a real problem that people face and knew it was one I could tackle given my experience in the industry.” Following in his father’s footsteps, Lenett pursued the denim industry, with his own twist of course. Lenett founded his company on the mission to change people’s everyday lives from the getting ready process to how they consume. Sustainability was established as an important part of the company’s ethos where unique fibers were utilized, ranging from wood chips, to eucalyptus trees to recycled plastic bottles. They pair these elements with natural-based components and integrate Lycra Spandex for ultimate stretch and strong recovery. Other noteworthy features to DUER’s performance denim include being anti-bacterial and temperature regulating. The result? The best pair of pants on the planet.
Sustainability Front and Center
After being highly affected by COVID-19, Lenett quickly responded. Creative in his nature, he pivoted his business model and used the pandemic to his advantage to further deepen the company’s roots in sustainability. “We developed our NEXT Program, a quick response method that lines up demand with supply. This enables us to produce the exact amount requested by our customers so excess inventory stays out of landfills. It’s less wasteful and more economical.” This year also brought more change for DUER: the first American storefront, and it’s in Denver. “We chose Denver specifically because we already had an established customer base here, determined through our ecommerce and wholesale channels. The trendy neighborhood of RiNo felt like the perfect fit for our [global] brand with the strong affinity toward outdoor and active living.” DUER’s doors are now open to the Mile High City.
