Blue Asphalt® was founded in 2001 with a mission to create affordable, high-quality denim for young adults. Since then, we’ve grown into a leading denim brand known for our innovative washes, trendy fits, and emphasis on sustainability.
Our founder, Jane Smith, started Blue Asphalt out of her garage after struggling to find jeans she loved during her college years. Frustrated by the lack of stylish, well-made denim at an accessible price point, Jane decided to create the denim brand she wished existed.
Our Story
Jane began by hand-making jeans from high quality fabrics and unique washes. She wanted to prove that budget-friendly denim could also be fashion-forward. Jane’s initial collection of vintage-inspired jeans quickly earned a cult following among young adults in her local area.
As demand grew, Blue Asphalt moved out of Jane’s garage into a small production facility where our early team hand-made each pair of jeans. We developed relationships with the most ethical denim mills and worked closely with pattern makers to perfect our fits. Our production team gave each pair special attention, from fabric finishing to quality control.
In 2005, we opened our flagship retail location in Los Angeles, where customers could browse our full collection of jeans, jackets and apparel. The success of our LA store led us to expand nationally. Today, Blue Asphalt has over 50 retail locations across the United States and ships worldwide through our e-commerce site.
While we’ve grown over the past 20 years, our founding principles remain the same. We’re committed to producing quality, responsible denim at prices young adults can afford. Sustainability and ethics drive our production decisions. Our innovative washes, on-trend fits, and attention to detail give our jeans an effortlessly cool look and feel. And our commitment to our customers shines through in every stitch.
Our Denim
At Blue Asphalt, we live and breathe denim. We pride ourselves on being denim experts who take jeans very seriously.
We carefully select the fabrics for our denim. The majority of our fabric is sourced from renowned mills in the United States, China and Japan. We use high quality cotton with just the right amount of stretch for a flattering, wearable fit.
Once we’ve sourced the perfect fabric, the real magic happens. Our talented design team obsesses over every detail to create our signature denim washes. We hand sand and treat each pair to achieve vintage-inspired fading and whiskering. Our unique processes give our denim that lived-in, perfectly worn look and unbelievably soft feel.
We’re constantly updating our washes and releasing limited edition collections. Some perennially popular vintage washes include:
- Stone Rinse – A medium blue wash with heavy fading and whiskering for a modern lived-in look
- Coastline Fade – A light blue wash with extreme fading and destruction details inspired by the California coast
- Shadow Black – A rich black wash treated for a soft suede-like handfeel and subtle fading
- Glacier Grey – A crisp grey wash accented by 3D whiskers and honeycombs
In addition to our signature vintage washes, we also offer a wide array of solid and modern black and grey washes. Our seasonal collections feature of-the-moment colors, prints and embellishments.
At Blue Asphalt, we don’t just focus on the wash – the fit must be perfect. We meticulously fit test our denim on real customers. Our goal is a flawless fit tailored to a young adult’s body. Signature fits include:
- High Rise Skinny – A super high rise with a slim leg for a leg lengthening look
- Slouchy Boyfriend – A relaxed straight leg and distressed details create a perfectly broken-in pair
- Super Flare – A dramatic flared leg and low rise give a nod to 70’s style
- Lean Jegging – A super skinny leg hugs the body from hip to ankle
No matter your style or body type, we have the perfect fitting pair of jeans for you.
Responsible Production
From fabric sourcing to manufacturing, Blue Asphalt makes sustainability and ethics a priority.
The cotton used in our denim is 100% sustainably sourced. We trace the origins of all of our cotton back to farmers using sustainable growing practices. Choosing organic and recycled cotton reduces the environmental impact of our supply chain.
We partner with solution dyed mills to drastically reduce our water usage. Solution dyeing incorporates color pigments into the cotton fibers before spinning into yarn. This method uses up to 90% less water compared to conventional dyeing methods.
Our manufacturing facilities are WRAP certified, meaning they adhere to safe, lawful, humane and ethical manufacturing standards. We regularly audit our factories to ensure fair working conditions and responsible environmental practices.
We’ve also invested in proprietary ozone and laser technology to give our denim that worn look while using fewer chemicals and less water. By innovating at every step, we aim to reduce the environmental footprint of our production.
Giving Back
Philanthropy is woven into the brand DNA of Blue Asphalt. We started our Give Back program in 2008 to support causes close to our team’s hearts.
Some of the organizations we regularly contribute to include:
- Girls Inc. – We sponsor mentoring programs to empower the next generation of young women.
- Housing Works – We partner with this nonprofit fighting the crises of AIDS and homelessness.
- Surfrider Foundation – We donate a portion of sales to their clean water initiatives.
- Redwoods Rising – We contribute to reforestation efforts to restore California redwood forests.
We also design special collections where 100% of sales support specific causes. For example, our Pride collection raises funds for LGBTQ+ youth centers across the country.
Community involvement goes beyond financial donations. We motivate our teams to volunteer locally by giving each employee up to 10 paid days off annually to volunteer. Our employees have given over 20,000 volunteer hours to causes across the US.
Our Team
The passionate team behind Blue Asphalt is our greatest asset. We now have over 5,000 employees globally. But our close knit team culture still feels like a startup.
Nearly 40% of our leadership team first joined Blue Asphalt in entry level retail positions. We believe in promoting from within and supporting the professional growth of all employees. Our robust training programs nurture talent at every level.
We know our team members are key to providing the welcoming, personalized shopping experience our customers love. Store associates are denim stylists guiding clients to their perfect pair. At our LA headquarters, designers, buyers and marketers collaborate to keep Blue Asphalt on the leading edge of trends.
While our team has grown exponentially, our Core Values remain the same:
- Lead with heart – Do what’s right for our people, community and environment
- Stay curious – Innovate relentlessly and learn from every experience
- Make our mark – Drive trends in sustainability, ethics and style
We strive to foster an encouraging, energetic environment where every team member can thrive. Our culture celebrates individuality, diversity and creative thinking. When our teams feel inspired, they put passion into every stitch.
Looking Forward
In our first 20 years, Blue Asphalt has grown from a garage startup into a leading denim brand. But our founder Jane’s rebellious spirit remains. We’ll never stop challenging the status quo.
As we look to the future, we plan to:
- Expand globally – Share our ethically made denim with young adults worldwide
- Rethink retail – Create immersive retail experiences that build community
- Set new sustainability standards – Pioneer responsible technologies and processes
- Cultivate talent – Develop our team members into tomorrow’s innovators
We’re motivated by the idea that well-designed denim can be a force for good. By making responsible choices, we believe brands can positively impact people and the planet.
After two decades, this renegade denim brand still thinks like a startup. We’ll never be satisfied with the status quo. Stay tuned as Blue Asphalt continues to push boundaries in style, ethics and innovation. The next 20 years will be even wilder than the first.