A Japanese zoo has enlisted its resident lions and tigers and bears in a wildly entertaining fundraising initiative by helping to design a collection of limited-edition jeans.
Eager to find an eye-catching way to raise money for the Kamine Zoo in Hitachi City, local residents and volunteer zoo supporters the Mineko Club persuaded zookeepers to wrap the animals’ favorite toys—rubber balls and tires—in denim. They were thrown to the animals, who gnawed, clawed, and otherwise went wild on the denim, resulting in a pile of naturally shredded and distressed fabric that Japanese fashion designers pieced together into a series of jeans fit for human hipsters everywhere.
The Zoo Jeans are now on display at the Kamine Zoo until July 21 and are being auctioned off online starting today with proceeds going to the zoo and the World Wildlife Fund.
