Why it belongs in ORBIS
New York denim label founded in 2008 by husband-and-wife team Faisal and Maliha Ahmed. A family-owned, vertically integrated operation built around its patented XFIT Lycra stretch fabric, with a stated focus on reduced-water-use production and named a Fast Company Most Innovative Company in 2023.
DL1961 was founded in New York in 2008 by Faisal and Maliha Ahmed. The company describes itself as family-owned and vertically integrated. Its core technical claim is XFIT Lycra, a patented stretch-denim fabric developed to help jeans hold their shape and fit over time; the brand has also promoted lower-water-use manufacturing processes. DL1961 sells womenswear, menswear and kids' denim. In 2023, Fast Company named DL1961 one of its Most Innovative Companies.