Blue Lenz: How and Why Orta Created its Regenerative Denim NFT
Carved in Blue recently hosted our second annual Blue Lenz Video Awards. Out of the many videos posted to our Blue Lenz YouTube channel over the year, we chose the top films in each of six categories, and the winners were announced at a ceremony on Aug. 31. Thank you to everyone who entered, our judges and our host, Bluezone at Munich Fabric Start.
Denim mill Orta Anadolu took home the Best Denim Design/Collection award for a video featuring its Blueskyer NFT collection, and it was also a runner up in the Future Forward category for its film Always Take the Scenic Route. Orta’s winning video shows a denim utility suit emerging from a pool in a “technorganic garden.”
Here, the manufacturer’s director of sales and marketing, sustainability, product development, R&D, planning and operations Sedef Uncu Aki explains its vision for a sustainable transformation in denim and how it is embracing new virtual concepts—including the metaverse.
Carved in Blue: What was the concept or inspiration behind your winning film?
Sedef: The Orta Blueskyer NFT represents a bluesky vision of conscious consumption and a regenerative system to create the future we want to live in today. This industry-first NFT represents Orta’s commitment to creating and supporting the #iamablueskyer movement that captures the spirit of the new generation of designers, artists, creators, climate advocates and more who aim to cancel climate change, eliminate waste, rewild biodiversity and improve social equity.
Carved in Blue: Why did you feel it was important to explore this topic?
Sedef: At Orta, we want to build a regenerative platform, a systems transformation of our denim industry through provocative innovation, open-source technology and collective action. Only then we believe that we can truly achieve a more optimistic and regenerative denim industry of tomorrow. The Blueskyer NFT featuring the 100 percent regenerative denim utilitarian suit rising is a symbol of this future, representing not only the regenerative fibers but the regenerative mindset that we embrace at Orta.
Carved in Blue: Could you describe the process behind creating this content?
Sedef: With our Open Ticket collection, we launched the industry-first VR denim journey. It was just the start to new denim possibilities. As an industry-first experience, it combined traveling in a hot air balloon with gaming gestures that let you explore Orta’s leading denim fabrics. This is how we entered to metaverse world by creating “the metadenimverse of Orta.” You can experience your denim in real life with the collection kits and physical garments and you can experience your denim in the virtual world with our VR journey.
As a continuum, we introduced the Blueskyer NFT. Developed in collaboration with Muse VR, the Orta Blueskyer NFT features the 100 percent regenerative denim utilitarian suit rising from a technorganic garden towards the blue skies above.
Carved in Blue: What was the most challenging part of producing this video?
Sedef: Of course, entering to a 3D digitized world was the trickiest part. That is why we collaborated with Muse VR from Turkey for both our VR journey and the Blueskyer NFT. We first generated the 100 percent regenerative denim utilitarian suit and sent this physical garment to our partner Muse VR, and they recreated it in the metaverse.
Carved in Blue: What stands out about the making of this content?
Sedef: Blueskyers are the regenerative generation who aim to cancel climate change, eliminate waste, rewild biodiversity and improve social equity. In line with that, true to its climate-positive mission, the Orta Blueskyer NFT is minted by Tezos, an energy-efficient proof-of-stake blockchain. Tezos is carbon-conscious, using one of the most energy-efficient algorithms for its proof-of-stake blockchain. Unlike proof-of-work blockchains like Bitcoin or Ethereum, Tezos’ proof of stake requires significantly less energy and cost to operate, making it an ideal alternative platform for building blockchain applications that are eco-friendly.
Carved in Blue: Why is video such a powerful medium for denim storytelling?
Sedef: Taking back the planet, Blueskyers champion conscious consumption and regenerative systems so humankind can live in a more beautiful, spectacular and abundant future. And the Blueskyer NFT is a great representation of this movement.