Outland Journal

Getting to know you

By Caleb and Katie Bjorem

Outland Denim is proud to be a part of Holt Renfrew's H Project - a speciality department of extraordinary products with extraordinary stories.

We realise that the denim industry is awash with an array of choices, but we’re hoping our story will resonate with more than a few individuals wanting to use their purchasing power to change the world.

So perhaps an introduction is in order. With five years of perfecting our premium denim jeans and changing young girls’ lives in Cambodia, Outland Denim is now stepping into the commercial marketplace.

With the vision to produce high quality jeans and provide a better quality of life for young women escaping the sex industry in Cambodia, we are about the craftsmanship as well as the cause.

Over the years we've had the chance to hone our skills as designers and producers through trial and error with some highs and lows, and a lot of hard work. Now our team of girls have some serious skills and we have developed a sustainable employment model proven to break the cycle of human trafficking and exploitation.

When you buy a pair of Outland Denim jeans, you can be sure that our profits are reinvested into further extending our vision of creating an ethically manufactured denim jean while empowering young women who have been rescued form exploitation. And, of course, you'll also be receiving our premium denim jeans. Sounds like a win-win to us.

Caleb and Katie Bjorem are a Brisbane-based couple who are passionate about working with developing communities. Graduating from the University of Queensland, having both studied international politics and development as well as languages, they have recently returned from a year spent living and working with the Karen people of the Thai-Myanmar border region. They've been married for just three and a half years, are adventurous and adaptable, and can rarely be found apart.