Özak Textile Brings Ready-Made Denim Innovation
Founded in 1985 by the Akbalık family, Özak Textile has become one of the biggest ready-made clothing production companies in Turkey, counting such brands as Hugo Boss, Levi’s, Lacoste, Joop and Inditex Group on its roster.
We chatted with Aysun Acar Yuksek, Özak product development manager, to learn more about the company’s operations and their recent Calik collab.
Carved in Blue: Tell us about the type of equipment you use.
Aysun: Özak uses latest technologies for stitching and washing in their three facilities. Moreover, we use Clo’s 3D design software to make patterns and 3D designs, as well use more classic methods.
Carved in Blue: What are your sustainability initiatives? How do you incorporate laser and ozone?
Aysun: We are approved and certified by all leading international certifications including ISO 9001; 14001; 27001, OHSAS 18001, BSCI, GOTS, OCS, etc. We are one of the first garment makers of sustainable products in Turkey, and we use the newest technology from Jeanologia like E-flow, EIM score software and laser machines. We have six laser units in our İstanbul facilities, four units in Malatya and six in Şanlıurfa.
Carved in Blue: What innovations in garment making and laundry techniques do you see in the next 5-10 years?
Aysun: We really believe that the brands will ban potassium permanganate from the industry in the next 5 years. A lot of innovative replacements, such as laser application, can now be used, so the new decade is the right time to act, and we should do our part.
Carved in Blue: Can you tell us about the REFIBRA™ capsule collection with Calik? What has been the customer response?
Aysun: In our collaboration with Calik, we aimed to make sustainable products as much as we can. Therefore, we have preferred to use fabric that includes REFIBRA™ in order to reduce the percentage of cotton.
Then, we applied all sustainable washing methods and calculated the EIM Score by Jeanologia. All of them are in the low impact level, which means they are all eco-friendly garments. We strongly believe that we will have a high demand for sustainable products in the near future.