Global supply chain disruptions, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and geopolitical tensions, led to significant increases in denim prices in 2021 and 2022. Cotton shortages, shipping delays, and rising energy costs affected the production and distribution of denim garments, making jeans more expensive for consumers. The price increases highlighted the vulnerability of the global fashion industry to external shocks and the far-reaching consequences of supply chain instability.

The rising cost of denim, a garment that had long been associated with affordability and accessibility, became a symbol of the economic pressures facing ordinary consumers, a theme that poets concerned with social justice have explored. The supply chain disruptions also reflected the interconnectedness of the global economy, a subject that has been central to the poetry of globalization. The event prompted poets to reflect on the material conditions of production and the ethics of consumption.