Denim City Amsterdam — Copy & Tone of Voice
1 — Voice characteristics
Specific
We name the material. We name the process. We name the machine. Vague language erodes trust. If you can swap our name for any brand and the sentence still works, rewrite it.
“The only denim laundry lab in the Netherlands.” Not: “A state-of-the-art facility.”
Factual
We state what is. We let results speak. Numbers, materials, durations — these carry more weight than adjectives. Claims get questioned. Facts get remembered.
“5 days. 40 hours. 1 pair of jeans.” Not: “An amazing, life-changing experience.”
Warm
Warm, not soft. We invite people into the process. We are approachable at body copy level — sentence case, human pace. The warmth lives in the reading, not in exclamation marks.
“A pair of jeans that fits the way nothing off a rack ever will.”
Discovery
We create curiosity, not urgency. Every sentence should make you want to come see for yourself. We do not sell — we show. The experience is the argument.
“If you find us, you book. 90% of the time.”
Tone position: specific, factual, warm, discovery-oriented Not: salesy, generic, corporate, loud The test: could another denim brand say this? If yes, rewrite.
1b — Tone scale
Avoid
Corporate
Leveraging synergies, driving innovation, stakeholder alignment
Avoid
Salesy
Don’t miss out, limited offer, book now before it’s too late
Our zone
Factual
Specific, grounded, material-literate, shows rather than tells
Our zone
Warm
Inviting, human-paced, curious, respects the reader
Avoid
Soft
Overly poetic, dreamy, ungrounded, no substance behind the feeling
2 — Words we use / words we avoid
Words We Use
Make Learn Touch See Craft Process Material Fibre Wash Pattern Finish Lab Hands Indigo Selvedge Warp Weft
Material literacy: words that put you in the room, at the loom, at the table.
Words We Avoid
Sustainable Eco Green Responsible Innovative Unique Amazing Passion Journey Leverage Curated Exclusive
The work speaks for itself. If we have to say we’re innovative, we’re not showing enough.
Principle: name the thing, not the feeling about the thing Material literacy: use the correct technical term — fibre, not fabric; selvedge, not denim Sustainability: describe what we do, not what we call it “We use 70% less water”: good — factual, specific “We are sustainable”: bad — vague, unverifiable
3 — Sentence structure
Short
Five days. One pair of jeans. Your hands.
Over the course of five exciting days, you will have the opportunity to create your very own pair of custom jeans.
Active
We wash, laser, and finish every pair in-house.
Every pair is washed, lasered, and finished in our facility.
Factual
The only denim laundry lab in the Netherlands.
One of the most advanced and innovative denim labs in Europe.
Specific
From the 6-meter jeans wall to the laser lab.
From our impressive displays to our cutting-edge technology.
Discovery
If you find us, you book. 90% of the time.
Book now and don’t miss this amazing opportunity!
Sentence length: short — 8–15 words ideal Voice: active — we do, we make, we wash Statements: factual over claims — state what is, not what we think we are Punctuation: periods over exclamation marks — always Fragments: allowed and encouraged when they add rhythm Superlatives: only when literally true — “the only” is fine if we are the only one
4 — Key phrases
Towards a Brighter Blue
The tagline. It is a direction, not a destination. It signals ambition without overpromising. Used in Apercu Mono at tagline scale, always paired with the Topol wordmark above.
Context: tagline, hero moments, section dividers
Strictly Offline
A statement of belief, not a limitation. The real experience happens in De Hallen. This phrase drives physical visits and underscores that some things cannot be digitized.
Context: social posts, event details, store section
From fibre to Finish
Describes the full scope. From raw material to completed garment — we cover the entire chain. Used when explaining education programs, lab capabilities, or the store’s depth.
Context: education, lab, about section, social
Typography: Apercu Pro Bold + Regular mixed / uppercase Bold carries: the key concept — the word(s) that stay after reading Regular carries: the framing — what gives the key concept its context Never: all bold — the contrast is the message Scale: display — clamp(32px, 4vw, 56px) minimum
5 — Headlines
Section title — Topol, structure-first
Make Your Own Jeans.
Topol carries the architecture. The period adds weight. Always uppercase.
Subhead — Topol, naming the space
The Store.
“The” is intentional. It names a specific place, not a category.
Pull quote — Bold + Regular mixed emphasis
“After this tour, denim will never be the same again.”
Bold carries the key phrase. Regular carries the framing. The emphasis is editorial, not decorative.
Event title — Topol, factual
Friday Talk: The Future of Natural Indigo
Format: [Series Name]: [Topic]. No adjectives in the title. The topic does the work.
Section titles: Topol 700 / 56px / uppercase / period at end Event titles: Topol 700 / 28–36px / [Series]: [Topic] format Pull quotes: Apercu Pro Bold+Regular / clamp(56px, 6vw, 80px) / left-aligned Never: center headlines Never: use question marks in headlines — we state, we don’t ask Period: adds finality and weight — use on section titles, not on event titles
6 — Do’s and don’ts
Do
  • Use short, active sentences. State what is.
  • Name specific materials, processes, and machines.
  • Let numbers carry the argument: “5 days, 40 hours, 1 pair.”
  • Use sentence case for body copy. It is where warmth lives.
  • Use uppercase for structure: headlines, navigation, metadata.
  • End section titles with a period. It adds weight.
  • Describe what we do instead of what we call ourselves.
  • Write copy that could only belong to Denim City.
  • Use fragments for rhythm: “Strictly offline.”
  • Mix bold and regular weight to create emphasis in pull quotes.
Don’t
  • Don’t use exclamation marks. Ever. The content is the excitement.
  • Don’t say “sustainable” — describe the practice instead.
  • Don’t use superlatives unless literally verifiable.
  • Don’t write generic copy that could belong to any brand.
  • Don’t create urgency. Curiosity is the only pressure we apply.
  • Don’t use passive voice. We make. We wash. We teach.
  • Don’t use hashtags in visual materials. Captions only.
  • Don’t use question marks in headlines.
  • Don’t write long paragraphs. If it takes more than 3 sentences, break it up.
  • Don’t use buzzwords as a shortcut for substance.