All in the Family: The Sisters of Artistic Fabric Mills Tell All
When certain forces align in just the right way, it’s a recipe for success.
And that’s what Artistic Fabric Mills seems to have going with its all in the family operation.
Three sisters, Farah Iqbal, Saba Iqbal and Haya Iqbal Ahmed, are some of the driving female energies helping fuel the business, and each brings their own unique skillset to elevate the manufacturer’s offering.
Here, Carved in Blue catches up with the sisters to get an inside look at the inner-workers of a well-oiled family operation.
Carved in Blue: Tell us briefly about your business.
Haya: We are a denim manufacturing company that offers sustainable solutions to denim makers across the globe. Denim is truly in our DNA and the family has been in the business for well over two decades. From cotton recycling, specialized yarn manufacturing to a complete denim product, we do it all. Our company has grown significantly since its humble beginnings and we are proud to be one of the leading denim mills in the region today. Artistic Fabric Mills (AFM) is also one of the only majority female-led textile manufacturing companies in Pakistan and we actively work to empower and encourage the employment of women in our industry.
Carved in Blue: What was your first impression of the denim business when you were younger?
Farah: Growing up, some Saturdays were spent at the factory with my father. I would usually find him on the floor, studying the machines, looking at the production reports and engaging with workers in technical discussions. In my mind, it was and still is a specialty fabric, full of character, that requires strong technical knowledge and skill to create.
Saba: As a kid the indigo dyeing process used to fascinate me; the beautiful color palette it created from one dye box to the next. I always thought of it as a marriage between art and science.
Haya: This one time I visited my dad at the fabric mill, there were a bunch of men crowding around an indigo shade blanket, debating the difference between the six denim swatches sown together. My dad asked me for my thoughts and I was so embarrassed because they all looked exactly the same to me! Of course, now I can understand the differences in character and variations in shade, but even then, I remember thinking that denim had to be so complex, that a slight change in its construction or process could impact its overall performance and appearance.
Carved in Blue: How did you start working together in denim?
Farah: I was the first child from the second generation to join the Artistic group in 2005. At the time, my father was setting up a new denim facility and it was a great opportunity to learn the business from the ground up—from operations to fabric development to marketing, I had to get involved in all aspects. My first day on the job, my father left me on production floor. He told me this is where you start and learn your way up. I had a great mentor who was the GM at the time. So, it all started on the machines for me.
Saba: I moved back from the U.S. in 2007. Seeing my father and elder sister’s passion for the business, I decided to give working with the family a try and I’ve been here since.
Haya: I joined the business in 2014 after graduating from Parsons in New York. During my time there I had interned with a couple of denim brands including R13 and Paper Denim & Cloth and even did a small stint at Blueprint Denim Washhouse, a denim development laundry, so I was really interested in the product development side of the business. It wasn’t until two years ago that I started working directly with my sisters, who have been working on the fabric mill side for 15 years.
Carved in Blue: Did you always want to go into the denim business?
Farah: Yes! After I graduated, I worked in finance for a year, but I knew I would eventually join my father’s business. He was in the process of setting up the fabric mill and I wanted to carry his legacy forward and help build the AFM from its beginnings. It was definitely challenging, though, to be the first woman to have come into the business, but I’m happy I stuck it out and created a space where my sisters and other female employees feel comfortable to work and be heard.
Saba: No. I studied Information Technology in college and then worked at Deloitte in D.C. for a few years before moving back to Karachi. I started off with implementing systems in the family business.
Haya: I wanted to work in a creative industry. Denim has allowed me to do that. I can see how much potential there is to create, how to do it differently and more importantly, responsibly. I feel like mills now have more responsibility to be creative, in their product and also in marketing their products so that it resonates with our customer’s end consumer.
Carved in Blue: Do you want your children to follow in your footsteps?
Farah: Of course, if they wish. I have two boys and a girl, all seven and under. As a working mother, I sometimes bring them to the mill and they always have lots of questions about how all the machinery works, so I can see an interest develop.
Saba: I would love to transfer the knowledge and love my family and I share for the business but at the end of the day they should follow their passion.
Haya: Only if they want to. I think it’s important to love what you do to be able to add value and for it to bring you happiness.
Carved in Blue: When did you realize you were a blueblood?
Farah: When I finally understood what my father meant when he said the noise of the annoyingly loud weaving machines was ‘music to his ears.’
Saba: When I became obsessive about researching innovative ways and technology to enhance our product. And realizing it brings me joy.
Haya: I would say about a few years ago as I got more exposure and freedom to experiment with ideas. I love how the denim business is changing into a more collaborative space for all segments within the industry, motivated by a shared goal to do better business.
Carved in Blue: What is the best advice you’ve gotten from your sister?
Farah: Work hard, never compromise on your ethics and have faith.
Saba: Continue to break boundaries as a woman in the denim industry, especially in Pakistan. Focus on the task at hand and don’t shy away from learning more.
Haya: To be uncomfortable in challenging situations and to do what I set out to in spite of it.
Carved in Blue: What do you think lies ahead for the denim industry in the future?
Farah: Circularity. For us, this is the most important goal and focus moving forward.
Saba: The denim industry is not what it used to be. Consumers are increasingly more informed and conscious of the manufacturing process, and that will have a great impact on the future of denim.
Haya: In general, the global retail landscape is changing very quickly. With consumers shifting their focus to responsibly made apparel, embracing clothing rental models and owning less, the denim industry has to keep adapting and providing products and services that match these behavioral changes. I believe moving forward, the denim industry will have to be mindful of closing the loop and implement circular business models. We have been recycling discarded jeans at our cotton recycling plant for the past few years. However, in February 2020, AFM received Gold Cradle to Cradle certification on a product that is made using recycled mill waste or pre-consumer waste. We are the only denim mill to have received this coveted certification on recycled denim and the future of the denim industry will look a lot like these innovative breakthroughs.
Carved in Blue: What does Carved in Blue mean to you?
Farah: The perfect blend of indigo and cotton to create something of purpose.
Saba: Imprinted in one’s DNA.
Haya: Blue in the denim industry is not just a color, it’s a culture. For me, Carved in Blue means innovating the future of denim, while honoring its heritage.