Wrangler, MNTGE Unveil NFC-chipped Vintage Denim
A new collaboration combines Wrangler’s denim heritage with blockchain technology.
The Kontoor Brands-owned label teamed with MNTGE to create a collection of vintage western shirts, denim jackets and co-branded NFC-chipped patches.
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Founded by Nick Adler, Sean Wotherspoon and Brennan Russo, MNTGE is a vintage clothing brand that integrates blockchain technology into garments. The company previously applied NFC chips to vintage Levi’s jeans it sourced and has released its own collections of digital and NFC-chipped physical patches.
For the limited-edition collection with Wrangler, MNTGE sourced the heritage brand’s vintage western shirts and denim jackets from the ’70s through the ’90s.
The two brands explored Wrangler’s archives and drew inspiration from the heritage brand’s logos, branding and past collections like “Mr. Wrangler” and the psychedelic Peter Max collaboration from the 1960s. The patches feature artwork inspired by archival design elements from the Wrangler vault, including a Blue Bell patch that nods to the Blue Bell Overall Company, which acquired the brand in the 1940s.
Through these NFC-chipped garments and patches, MNTGE can provide counterfeit-proof authentication for the product, allowing it to be digitally “signed and saved” permanently on a digital record. Not only does this technology provide valuable storied info about the garment, MNTGE said it can also function as a utility in everyday life, opening doors to a whole new world of “digital wearables” and its capabilities.
“This collaboration celebrates the long history and enduring style of vintage Wrangler jeans, shirts and jackets. Products that have a story to tell. By partnering with MNTGE and using NFC chips and blockchain technology these stories can be told in a new and engaging way for a consumer,” said Sean Gormley, global creative director for Wrangler Modern.
Wrangler has dabbled in Web 3.0 technology before. In 2022, the brand auctioned its “Mr. Wrangler Legendary” NFT for 1.947 etherium in cryptocurrency or $2,609.17. The product was part of a virtual and digital offering created by Wrangler and Grammy-winning soul singer Leon Bridges to mark the brand’s 75th anniversary.
The Wrangler + MNTGE collection will be on display this week at the Future Fashion Summit in Paris alongside some archival vintage Wrangler pieces. While the initial collection is not available to purchase, a broader line will be when it launches later.
A tailor will be available on-site at the summit to allow guests to customize their own Wrangler product with the collaboration NFC-chipped patches.
Additionally, Adler will speak about how to “recode fashion and adopt new values” at the biannual event.
“We were very excited when Wrangler and the Future of Fashion Summit reached out to collaborate,” Adler said. “Wrangler is such a classic brand that we all grew up wearing and collecting, so we immediately clicked on a concept inspired by some of Wrangler’s iconic artwork from their vault. This is going to be a very limited and special collection—one that we hope grows into something bigger.”
In 2022, Wrangler auctioned its “Mr. Wrangler Legendary” NFT for 1.947 etherium in cryptocurrency or $2,609.17. The product was part of a virtual and digital offering created by Wrangler and Grammy-winning soul singer Leon Bridges to mark the brand’s 75th anniversary.
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