What DAWN does

DAWN GmbH is a Berlin-based, privately held sustainable apparel brand founded in 2015 that designs, manufactures, and sells denim jeans and related clothing across Europe. The company operates its own production facility in Saigon, Vietnam, giving it direct control over labor conditions (validated by Fair Wear Foundation Leader status) and supply-chain transparency (delivered to consumers via the Retraced platform). DAWN sells a curated portfolio of women's denim fits (DEW flared, BLINK wide, ASH barrel, STARDUST O-shape, STELLAR slim straight, SUNNY wide leg, SUN UP skinny, and others), a men's line (DUSK, VEGA, RISE, plus jackets and shorts), and a 2025-launched NON-DENIM collection in Tencel, paper-touch regenerative cotton, and other sustainable fabrics, supported by a proprietary materials library that includes organic cotton blends, Repreve recycled polyester, CiCLO biodegradable polyester, hemp blends, and Lyocell Tencel.

DAWN's go-to-market is a hybrid model: direct-to-consumer e-commerce across 30+ European countries through dawndenim.com, complemented by a wholesale network of over 200 retail partners spanning DACH, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Italy, and other markets, with anchors such as Peek & Cloppenburg and PKZ. The company supplements this with the DAWN Fit Lab showroom in Berlin for personalized fitting consultations, an affiliate program, and a range of brand-building sustainability initiatives (tree planting, garment-worker tipping, upcycling programs). Pricing is positioned in the mid-premium band (women's jeans €109.90–€179.90, men's from €109.90, accessories from €19.90), and the company is bootstrapped, profitable, and independent of external investors.

Name

DAWN

Legal name

DAWN GmbH

Website

https://dawndenim.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

DAWN is a Berlin-based sustainable denim brand that designs, manufactures in its own Vietnam factory, and sells womenswear, menswear, and non-denim apparel across Europe through DTC e-commerce and 200-plus wholesale partners at mid-premium price points.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sustainable Denim Apparel

NAICS

Apparel Manufacturing (315), Cut and Sew Apparel Manufacturing (except Contractors) (315250), Clothing and Clothing Accessories Retailers (458110), Clothing and Clothing Accessories Merchant Wholesalers (424350)

SIC

Apparel & Other Finishd Prods Of Fabrics & Similar Matl (2300), Retail-Women's Clothing Stores (5621), Wholesale-Apparel, Piece Goods & Notions (5130)

akta.pro primary industry

Denim & Casualwear Brands (CRAAAAAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Denim & Bottoms Cut & Sew (Jeans/Trousers/Shorts) (IMAOAEAD), Luxury Denim & Premium Casualwear (CRAAAFAK)

Keywords

• Sustainable denim apparel
• Fair trade fashion
• Organic cotton jeans
• Size-inclusive denim
• Ethical fashion manufacturing

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. E-commerce Product Sales: Direct-to-consumer sales of sustainable jeans and apparel through their online store. Products include women's and men's denim jeans, jackets, tops, and accessories. One-time purchase model with no subscription.
2. Wholesale/B2B: B2B sales to retail partners through their B2B portal. They supply to over 200 retail stores across Europe including boutique shops and larger retailers like Peek & Cloppenburg.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

DAWN designs, manufactures, and sells sustainable fair-trade denim apparel — including women's and men's jeans, denim shorts, jackets, overalls, tops, accessories, and a growing non-denim line of Tencel and paper-touch apparel — produced in its own factory in Saigon, Vietnam. Products are distributed through the DAWN e-commerce store and a network of 200+ European retail partners, with mid-premium unit pricing, fit diversity across Curvy/Petite sizing, and supply chain transparency via the Retraced platform.

Product overview

DAWN is a German sustainable denim brand offering a comprehensive portfolio of womenswear and menswear jeans with multiple fit systems and non-denim apparel. The womenswear collection features signature fits including DEW (flared), BLINK (wide barrel), ASH (barrel leg), STARDUST (O-shape), STELLAR (slim straight), MORNING (regular straight), SUN UP (skinny), SUNSHINE (tapered), SUNNY (wide leg), and MID SUN (slim mid-rise), plus BLINKY shorts. The menswear line includes DUSK (regular straight), VEGA (relaxed straight), RISE (relaxed tapered), QUIET jacket, and SHORTY shorts. DAWN also offers a growing non-denim collection including Tencel joggers, paper touch shulottes, jumpsuits, oversize shirts, wide leg pants, dresses, and skirts. The brand manufactures in its own factory in Saigon, Vietnam, and uses proprietary fabric blends including Organic Soft Denim, Organic Powerstretch, Organic Comfortstretch, Organic Minimal Stretch, Organic Non-Stretch (hemp blend), 100% Organic Cotton, and Soft Tencel. Accessories include kind mind socks and caps, and DAWN bags.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• DEW Flared Jeans Women's modern flared fit jeans with high waist and wide flowing leg; offered in Classic, French Pocket, Worker, and Curvy variants and made with Organic Soft Denim, priced from €139.90.
• BLINK Wide / Barrel / Culotte Jeans Women's wide barrel-leg jeans with high waist and relaxed hip, available in wide, barrel, and culotte styles with soft stretch material and removable belt options, priced from €129.90.
• ASH Barrel Leg Jeans Women's barrel-leg jeans with mid-rise waist and a distinctive barrel silhouette providing a relaxed feel, wide thighs, and tapered hem; available in Classic, Cutline, and Fringes variants from €109.90.
• STARDUST O-Shape Jeans Women's signature O-Shape fit jeans with high waist and relaxed hip that tapers at the hem for a narrower leg opening, available in Classic and Curvy variants from €129.90.
• STELLAR Slim Straight Jeans Women's timeless slim straight fit with high waist and 5-pocket design; made with Organic Comfortstretch material for an ultra-comfortable feel.
• MORNING Regular Straight Jeans Women's regular straight fit jeans with relaxed 5-pocket design and mid-rise waist; made from organic cotton with slight stretch for comfort.
• SUN UP Skinny Jeans Women's classic skinny jeans with high waist that hug the body from waist to hem; made with Powerstretch material that shapes without constricting.
• SUNSHINE Tapered Jeans Women's sporty tapered fit that sits relaxed on the hip with room for thighs, tapering toward the hem; made with Organic Tencel for comfortable everyday wear.
• SUNNY Wide Leg Jeans Women's wide-leg fit with mid-rise waist and straight leg silhouette; a modern wide fit combining casual elegance for multiple occasions.
• MID SUN Slim Jeans Women's slim fit jeans that sit comfortably on the hip with a narrow leg from cuff to hem; a mid-rise alternative to classic high-waist skinny.
• BLINKY Denim Shorts Women's high-waist denim shorts with wide cut, rounded front pockets, and no back saddle; made with Soft Denim as a summer staple, priced from €89.90.
• TWITTER Short Sleeve Overall Women's short-sleeve overall made from Minimal Stretch denim with a relaxed summer fit, priced at €179.90.
• DUNE Boxy Jacket Women's boxy-style jacket made from Recycled Blue non-stretch denim with a relaxed silhouette.
• SUNSHINE Tapered Tencel Jogger Women's tapered jogger-style pants made from Tencel with a relaxed fit and elastic waistband for comfortable everyday wear; part of the NON-DENIM collection.
• EDEN Paper Touch Shulotte Women's pants made from a paper-touch material (98% regenerative cotton) that moves with the wearer; a comfortable everyday essential in the NON-DENIM line.
• ONESIE Tencel Jumpsuit Women's Tencel jumpsuit offering an all-in-one design with a comfortable complete look as part of the NON-DENIM collection.
• AIR Oversize Tencel Shirt Women's oversize shirt made from Tencel with a relaxed silhouette for effortless style as part of the NON-DENIM collection.
• BLAZE Super Wide Leg Pants Women's super wide leg pants made from Tencel with a flowing, elegant silhouette as part of the NON-DENIM collection.
• DAY Tencel Dress Women's Tencel dress offering a feminine silhouette with comfortable everyday wear as part of the NON-DENIM collection.
• BREEZE Tencel Skirt Women's Tencel skirt with a flowing, comfortable design suited for warm weather as part of the NON-DENIM collection.
• DUSK Men's Regular Straight Jeans Men's regular straight fit jeans with mid-rise waist and straight leg, available in Regular Straight and Regular Slim variants made with Minimal Stretch fabric, priced from €109.90.
• VEGA Men's Relaxed Straight Jeans Men's relaxed straight fit jeans with comfortable Minimal Stretch fabric for relaxed everyday wear, launched as part of DAWN's first menswear collection in 2025.
• RISE Men's Relaxed Tapered Jeans Men's relaxed tapered fit with mid-rise waist, relaxed hip, and narrowing leg to the ankle; a versatile menswear basic launched with DAWN's first menswear line in 2025.
• QUIET Men's Relaxed Boxy Jacket Men's relaxed boxy jacket made from Tencel denim with two chest pockets, snap-button front closure, and full lining for comfort, launched with DAWN's first menswear collection in 2025.
• SHORTY Men's Hemp Shorts Men's shorts with mid-rise waist, wide cut, French pockets, and elastic back waistband; made from Lightweight Hemp and launched with DAWN's first menswear line in 2025.
• kind mind Socks & Caps Organic cotton socks and caps in rainbow and solid colors, part of DAWN's social initiative 'kind mind'; priced from €19.90 for socks and €39.90 for caps.
• DAWN Tote Bag Branded DAWN tote bags available in Ecru and Medium Blue, priced at €29.90.
• DAWN Fit Lab Berlin Fitting Service Company-owned fitting showroom in Berlin offering personalized one-on-one consultations to help customers identify their ideal jeans fit across DAWN's fit range, supporting conversion for both online and retail customers.

Quantifiable outcome

• 4,200 trees planted through 11 for 1 initiative
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration13 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• DHL Go GreenminorOthersDHL Go Green is DAWN's shipping partner for deliveries within Germany and the EU. This partnership enables carbon-neutral or reduced-carbon shipping for DAWN's e-commerce orders.
• Meineinkauf.chminorOthersSwiss returns partner that handles returns from Switzerland and Liechtenstein, coordinating shipment to DAWN's warehouse in Germany.
• Fair Wear FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDAWN is a Fair Wear Foundation Leader brand, meaning they work with Fair Wear to continuously improve labor conditions in their Vietnam factory. Fair Wear provides auditing, training, and verification of fair labor practices.
• RetracedcoreTechnology or IntegrationTransparency platform partner that enables DAWN to provide supply chain transparency to customers, allowing them to trace products back to production conditions and origins.
• Repreve (from Unifi)minorOthersRepreve provides recycled polyester fiber made from plastic bottles, which DAWN uses in their Powerstretch material for jeans.
• Tencel (from Lenzing)minorOthersLenzing's Tencel Lyocell fiber is used in DAWN's Soft Tencel products. Tencel is made from sustainably sourced wood using eco-friendly processes.
• Retail Store Partners (200+)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorExtensive network of over 200 retail partners across Europe including boutiques, sustainable fashion stores, and department stores like Peek & Cloppenburg that stock DAWN products.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• MUD Jeans: Dutch circular denim brand offering sustainable, organic cotton jeans with take-back and recycling programs. Directly comparable to DAWN in product category, target customer, and European sustainable denim positioning.
• Nudie Jeans: Swedish sustainable denim brand with strong European wholesale distribution, free repair service, and organic cotton focus. Mirrors DAWN's fair labor ethos, fit-based product architecture, and retail partner model.
• Boyish Jeans: Los Angeles-based sustainable denim brand using organic cotton and recycled materials with vintage-inspired fits. Comparable in fabric sustainability claims and women's denim category focus.
• Armedangels: Cologne-based sustainable fashion brand covering denim, tops, and accessories with GOTS-certified organic materials and fair production. Comparable in DACH distribution, sustainability story, and price positioning.
• Closed: Hamburg-based premium denim and knitwear brand with strong European wholesale and DTC presence. Comparable in German heritage, premium denim category, and B2B + DTC distribution model.
• Kings of Indigo (KOI): Amsterdam-based sustainable denim and apparel brand using organic and recycled materials with mid-premium pricing. Comparable to DAWN across category, target market, and European wholesale footprint.

Regional players

• Reformation: US-based sustainable fashion brand with strong DTC and limited denim offering. Comparable in sustainability messaging and premium positioning, but operates primarily in North America versus DAWN's European focus.

Broad incumbents

• Patagonia: Established sustainable apparel brand with strong European wholesale and DTC. Comparable in fair labor, transparency, and environmental positioning, though broader outdoor focus versus DAWN's denim specialization.
• Levi Strauss & Co. Global denim incumbent with sustainability lines (Wellthread, Buy Better Wear Longer) and vast distribution. Comparable as a denim category leader but at vastly larger scale and broader sustainability approach.
• Stella McCartney: Global luxury sustainable fashion house operating at much larger scale across multiple apparel categories. Comparable in sustainability positioning and premium pricing, though not a direct denim specialist.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/dawndenim
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dawndenim

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about DAWN