Maritas Denim on Sustainability and the Impact of Design Choices
Balancing aesthetics and impact are at the core of Maritaş Denim’s design philosophy, as it recognizes the importance of creating visually appealing and functional spaces while ensuring long-term sustainability. Here, Fatih Kesim, deputy general manager of Maritaş Denim explains how new sustainable/circularity ideas demand attention from the market, and why the company is constantly working on R&D and revising factory and technologies along sustainable adaptations.
Rivet: By carefully considering material sourcing, how can Maritaş Denim contribute to a more sustainable and equitable built environment?
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Fatih Kesim: As of 2023, approximately 65 percent of our production quantity consists of sustainable fabrics. Our target is more and all. We create spaces that not only minimize environmental harm but also enhance the well-being of the people who use them. This philosophy is the main criteria of our collections and concepts:
TERRA DENIM is our innovation by nature. Produced with zero chemicals/zero impact in the dyeing process, its unique chemical-free coloring uses natural techniques and materials such as clay and plants.
CYCLE-FX is our sustainable, recyclable stretch technology with fibers that offer high elasticity and performance with excellent growth and recovery.
REJUVENATE focuses on regenerative cotton products, as regenerative materials are a key part of climate strategies. Regenerative agricultural builds soil health, allowing it to sequester carbon from the atmosphere while also generating other ecological benefits such as increased water retention and soil biodiversity.
NEO VINTAGE is another sustainable line of authentic denim using TENCEL.
What progress has been made with Maritaş Denim’s recent regenerative cotton project in Harran?
F.K.: The project was prepared to support Maritaş Denim’s sustainable production policy, to contribute to the limited regenerative cotton fiber production studies in our country, national and international literature by conducting process analysis on regenerative cotton agriculture, to contribute to the development of basic principles for regenerative cotton fiber production, to obtain commercial data by examining the properties of regenerative and conventional cotton fiber and yarn and denim fabric produced using these fibers. We are proud to be featured in the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s latest Insights Report on The Jeans Redesign (2021-2023) as a lighthouse project to encourage other producers to switch to regenerative agriculture approaches.
Climate change not only affects seasons and crops, but impacts trends. What are some ways Maritaş Denim is creating product to appeal to the 2024 consumer in this new climate?
F.K.: Seasons are no longer set in stone as they used to be. With record temperatures around the globe, climate change-related disruptions such as warmer winters and longer summers will transform how we dress, and brand and retailer projections are getting harder. Production is also more complex. Extreme weather impacts the whole supply chain. The denim market must adapt to new weather and behaviors. Maritaş Denim tries to transform denim fabric—keeping it authentic but adding softer and lighter constructions in our collections like Hi-Fly, Neo Vintage, etc. Sustainable-based fabrics and activations are certainly driving the narrative for many designers and brands.
What do you see as the innovation in the future of denim?
In the face of climate change, resource depletion and shifting consumer expectations, mills and brands are increasingly coming under pressure to drive meaningful change and to back up their sustainability stories with facts. Especially the conscious and effective shopping habits of the new generation have pushed manufacturers in the industry to redefine “fashion.” Nowadays, we see more brands identify themselves as sustainable brands. But rom my perspective, sustainability is a holistic approach that should be addressed from the raw materials to improvements in production processes, from the product life cycle to recycling, reuse, regenerate. I expect innovations mainly on these areas.
