Calik Denim presented its latest innovations for its Spring/Summer 2023 “BlueVasion” line that meet the growing industry demands for easier sampling, environmentally friendlier fibers and more retro aesthetics.
The Turkish denim mill introduced E-Last, which aims to streamline the sampling process by providing better fabric consistency throughout its products. The concept virtually eliminates weft shrinkage, which is problematic as shrinkage rates can vary by product. With dimensional stability, garment makers can more easily and consistently lay a template, cut-sew and wash, resulting in a more streamlined sampling process. This is especially beneficial for super-stretch fabrics that are normally most prone to shrinkage.
The innovation builds off of Calik’s other sustainable concepts, including its E-Denim innovation. Developed for Spring/Summer 2022, the solution incorporates high levels of recycled content into denim without sacrificing quality. While incorporating recycled materials often leads to a lower-quality, more brittle product, E-Denim technology allows the mill to increase its total recycled content rate to 50 percent in stretch fabrics—soaring past the industry average of 20 percent—and 80 percent to 100 percent in rigid product groups.
Increasing the use of recycled fibers is a strong focus throughout the denim industry, and one that Calik had previously tackled with RE/J, a solution it launched in 2019 to provide a 100 percent recycled concept spanning post and pre-consumer waste. Using fibers such as EcoMade Lycra and Repreve PES—both derived from recycled plastic bottles—the concept provides authentic vintage denim looks with varying elasticities. It uses an open-end spinning process along with Calik’s Dyepro technology, which requires no water and produces zero chemical waste during the dyeing process.
The mill is continually raising the bar on its sustainability targets, and in March announced strategic plans to boost raw material procurement, reduce its carbon footprint and facilitate innovation and thought leadership by 2025.
Hemp is another industry-wide focus that’s getting extra attention in Calik’s S/S ’23 collection. The mill is using its Blue-H concept to continue offering a product range of rigid comfort jeans, super stretch jeans and 100 percent stretch jeans made from up to 20 percent hemp. This season, it will also include hemp in shirting fabrics featuring 13 percent hemp and 13 percent recycled cotton to avoid breaks caused by spinning in shirting fabrics and to maximize sustainable content.
The upcoming collection will also include its Selfsized fabrics, first introduced in 2020 to mitigate the risk of buying an ill-fitting jean. Featuring an ultra-high elasticity, this fabric allows one single size jean to fit a wide range of sizes. The mill worked with body-positive denim brand Good American to create Always Fit denim, a skinny fit, high-rise jean available in five size categories ranging from 00-32 with 100 percent stretchability.