At TDC, we use the term Pre-Original to describe all of the jackets we made prior to our first bespoke collection, which we named "TDC Originals". A constant characteristic for any Pre-Original TDC piece is its upcycled nature.
The idea to upcycle second-hand denim jackets was inspired by a particular cool blue Levi's jacket that belonged to a friend who challenged us to add value to it. We used cut-outs from old branded T-shirts and collaborated with our local tailor to build something truly unique.
That process helped us discover an artistic side we had not fully explored and showed us the potential of working with second-hand denim sourced from local markets such as Gikomba and Toi.
During that stage, we also realized we needed a strong banner for our work. True Denim Collection was born, and our iconic logo was created by one of the founders using Canva's free version before an Instagram launch.
We eventually pushed to create physical touchpoints for the community and pursued opportunities at the K1 Flea Market in K1 Klub House. After repeated attempts, we were finally accepted as regular vendors and entered a major growth chapter for the brand.
As demand grew, the limitations of one-off upcycled stock became clear. We wanted to master every step involved in building the perfect denim jacket and transition toward creating our own pieces from scratch.
Looking back, every Pre-Original jacket remains a one-of-one artifact in TDC history. This is where the long story of TDC truly began.
Shop the collection: https://truedenimcollection.com/shop