Leadership
While most brands are chasing the fast fashion model, Dust Jeans is proving that young consumers value quality – and will pay a little more for it.
When we look at apparel brands with strong growth opportunities we are not often looking at Southeast Asia.
However just because a brand is not making international headlines doesn’t mean we should overlook it – especially when it has a huge share of its home market. When that market is Indonesia, a successful national brand is a big deal.
With a population of 270 million people (2020 national census), with a median age of 30 years old and an economy where GDP growth is forecast at 5.1% per year from 2024 to 2026 (according to the World Bank’s Indonesia Economic Prospects), Indonesia is a market that offers huge opportunities for brands – especially those targeting middle income consumers.
Dust Jeans is one of those brands to watch.
Matthew Aldo Susabda, Dust Jeans’ CEO, sat down with Inside Fashion to talk about this popular jeanswear brand that continues to win consumer loyalty – even in the face of fierce competition from international e-commerce brands.
Unlike many competitors who focus solely on retail or manufacturing, Dust Jeans manages both. This integrated approach allows Dust Jeans to control every aspect of production, from design to final product, ensuring quality and consistency. The company does not engage in exports, but focuses on the domestic market producing between 50,000 to 70,000 pieces of garments each month.
“One of our values for our brand is the local pride value. We present our brand as an original Indonesian brand. That’s one of our strategies to gain market share.”
– Matthew Aldo Susabda, CEO
In a competitive market, distinguishing oneself is crucial.
“One of our values for our brand is the local pride value. We present our brand as an original Indonesian brand. That’s one of our strategies to gain market share. Our customers actually like it. They have huge loyalty to Indonesian brands. But if we are talking about our market niche, that niche is between Uniqlo and Levi’s.
For example, Uniqlo is not really focusing on denim. Uniqlo has good materials, but are not as strong on the style, and not good for mix and match,” said Mr. Susabda.
“On the other hand, Levi’s is very good with denim style, but their price points are a bit higher. At Dust Jeans, we have the everyday style and everyday comfortable fit, but our denim is also very stylish.”
Another key differentiator for Dust Jeans is what it refers to as “comfort combined with style.”
“We focus on using high-quality materials and innovative designs to ensure our products are comfortable for everyday wear,” Mr. Susabda explained.
This approach helps Dust Jeans bridge the gap between the ‘everyday wear’ of brands like Uniqlo and more style focused brands such as Levi’s. “We aim to combine the best aspects of each of these brands in our collections,” he added.
The company’s stated mission is threefold: To increase the value of fashion in Indonesia by combining the concepts of Everyday Comfort (a simple yet attractive and fashionable style for comfortable everyday wear), Excellent Quality (good material quality) and Encourage Confidence (increasing the wearer’s confidence).
“A lot of brands face that pressure to try to compete on price, but then they lose the customer.”
Dust Jeans’ back story is similar to many of Asia’s leading apparel brands. The company began as a garment trading company in 1989 and in the early ‘90s launched its own fashion brand, Dust. Thus what was once a small family business started by Mr. Susabda’s father and a partner, has grown into a sleek vertical operation that goes from production through to retail.
From its start selling garments in a small shop in Jakarta, to opening shops under the DUST name in 1990, the brand has shown the kind of stable growth that is the foundation on which all strong brands are built.
By 2023, DUST had 242 outlets that are counters within department stores and showroom stores throughout Indonesia, as well as being present on all e-commerce channels in Indonesia.
“I originally joined Dust Jeans in 2012,” said Mr. Susabda. “After taking a short break to pursue postgraduate studies in the United Kingdom, I rejoined the company in 2014.” With a legacy spanning over three decades, Dust Jeans has evolved significantly under his leadership.
Dust has received several “Best Supplier and Brand” awards and has received multiple awards and acknowledgements from PT Matahari Department Store Tbk, Indonesia’s largest department store.
“We continue to sell very well in department stores, but we cannot solely rely on one channel to drive sales. That’s why now our focus is on developing our own stores, as well as growing on e-commerce channels.”
In the fashion industry, balancing quality with price is a constant challenge. Dust Jeans positions itself as a mid-tier, fast fashion brand, offering products that are slightly less expensive than Levi’s but on par with Uniqlo.
“We’re aware of the need to balance price with quality. I think that a lot of brands face that pressure to try to compete on price, but then they lose the customer,” Mr. Susabda said. “Our goal is to offer affordable fashion without compromising on the quality that our customers expect.”
At the core of Dust Jeans’ offerings are their denim products, ranging from skinny jeans to bootcut and wide-leg styles. Complementing their jeans are casual wear items like modern shirts and T-shirts. “Our core focus is on denim,” Mr. Susabda said, “but we also offer basics that pair well with our jeans.”
The company prides itself on the comfort and quality of its products, using soft materials like 100 percent cotton or cotton-rayon blends, and advanced washing techniques to enhance softness and fit.
Dust Jeans initially catered to a demographic of women aged 30-40, but recently the brand has shifted its focus towards younger millennials aged 25-35. “We’re aiming for a younger segment but want to stay clear of the teenage market,” Mr. Susabda noted.
This strategic pivot reflects Dust Jeans’ desire to remain relevant in a fast-evolving fashion landscape while retaining its core values of comfort and style.
The combination of cross-border e-commerce and the need to grow market share in the face of stiffer competition has prompted more brands to enter international markets – even markets that they previously would not have considered.
Dust Jeans has the unique advantage of having a huge, fast growing market in its own backyard. Not only does Indonesia have the world’s fourth largest population (behind India, China and the United States), but retail opportunities are expanding, thanks to ongoing government infrastructure investments.
“The hope is that this new infrastructure will elevate other areas in the country economically, giving people more business opportunities, in which case they’ll have more spending power, and that’ll be very good for Indonesian brands like ours,” said Mr. Susabda.
“The development outside Java is very fast right now, so we have to see if it continues. Sumatra, Kalimantan, where the nation’s new capital is being built, will see a lot of new job opportunities and this will attract more people to move to that area – and those people will spend. Right now there is lots of economic growth in Kalimantan cities around the new capital, including Balikpapan and Samarinda, as well as Makassar, Medan and Palembang.”
With the level of domestic growth opportunities, Dust Jeans isn’t looking at international expansion – at least not for now.
Dust Jeans is not just resting on its laurels. The company has been actively working on several new initiatives. Recently, Dust relocated its warehouse and distribution center to Central Java. “This move is aimed at increasing efficiency and improving logistics,” Mr. Susabda explained. Additionally, Dust Jeans is expanding its direct-to-consumer presence through e-commerce and social commerce channels like TikTok, while also enhancing its retail footprint with new showroom stores.
“We continue to sell very well in department stores, but we cannot solely rely on one channel to drive sales. That’s why now our focus is on developing our own stores, as well as growing on e-commerce channels.”
While expansion beyond Indonesia is not currently on the horizon for Dust Jeans, Mr. Susabda is open to future possibilities. “We’re considering international expansion but need to ensure we’re fully prepared before taking that step,” he said.
For now, the focus remains on strengthening the brand’s position in the domestic market and continuing to offer stylish, comfortable denim that meets the needs of its diverse customer base.
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