Millennials, Innovation and Trends with Hasan Javed
Artistic Fabric Mills (AFM) Director Hasan Javed’s path in denim was written in his bloodline. He completed his higher studies, traveled and dabbled in other industries, but as part of a family enterprise that has been in the textile business for over 60 years, Javed knew his path would eventually led back to the family business, fabric.
“My family does not believe in nepotism though, so I had to prove myself,” Javed said, adding that he interned and work at the mill each summer. “When I joined full time in 2009, I faced some challenging times, but quickly learned the importance of patience and perseverance. Looking back at the last seven years now, I have to admit, that it has been quite a rewarding journey so far,” he explained.
The Karachi, Pakistan-based mill, whose humble roots date back to 1949 when it began as a small retail shop, now has the capacity to produce 50 million meters of fabric and 25 million garments per year. In the 1990s, influenced by Javed’s father, the mill shifted its focus on denim—a move that has made AFM a fully vertical, go-to source for denim innovations, including body-sculpting Shapeform fabrics with Lenzing TENCEL® fibers.
Carved In Blue spoke to Javed about adapting to change, the hard work (and the rewards) that go into making denim fresh each season and how TENCEL® has helped edge those innovations along their way.
Carved In Blue: What is the main driver of innovation in denim today?
Javed: Innovation is the key to success in the denim industry. The market is always changing and consumers have become more informed and demanding. Denim and fashion go hand in hand, so you can’t be boring. You obviously need novelty and newness to stay relevant. Every couple of years we see trends that make a dent and then eventually fizzle out. Activewear has had a profound impact, perhaps a long lasting one, but it would not surprise me if it were superseded by something else next year.
As developers and producers, we have to adapt and evolve. There is a famous quote, “Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.” This is especially true for denim, and this is what keeps us motivated to try something different every day at AFM. We give our research and product development teams a free hand, to be brave and experiment, and sometimes amid all the craziness, we stumble across some brilliant new ideas.
Carved In Blue: How will the next generation influence denim?
Javed: The next generation is already having an impact. Everything is moving online away from the traditional brick-and-mortar stores. Technology is playing a more important role on a daily basis, and it is beginning to influence trends. Styles and fashion preferences have become more edgy. Gender lines have started to become blurry, and marketing has definitely become raunchier.
Spending habits have changed, as well. Young Millennials are now saving up for the next smartphone, tablet or gadget, basically spending less time at malls, less money on clothing and more on technology. They might be spending less on apparel now, but whatever they do buy should have a story attached to it and a certain degree of quality.
Carved In Blue: What are some key stories from AFM for the AW 2017-2018 season?
Javed: We will continue to develop performance fabrics this year with the focus on our Shapeform line. This unique collection provides body-shaping fabrics by marrying fabric stretch and compression technologies normally found in pro performance athletic apparel. The new Shapeform fabrics are available in exciting new colors, particularly one called Max Blue which is a revolutionary new indigo shade for us. Some of the more luscious options also feature Lenzing TENCEL® and Invista LYCRA® Beauty.
Additionally, we are really pleased to make a meaningful impact towards eco-friendly production by introducing our sustainable line that uses less water, reused chemicals, and most importantly, recycled fibers.
Lastly, we have been collaborating with some renowned denim designers and an exclusive collection will be unveiled at the upcoming Kingpins and Denim Première Vision shows.
Carved In Blue: Do you have a favorite trade show?
Javed: I would not really single out one as my favorite because each show has its own charm, and every season you have a different experience, but there’s two in particular that I enjoy, Denim Première Vision and Kingpins Amsterdam.
Denim Première Vision is, of course, very important as it is the biggest trade show in our industry, and where you can connect with the entire denim community, see the latest trends and also get an idea of where the market is heading.
Kingpins Amsterdam is great, as well. Since it’s relatively smaller, the show allows for a more intimate experience. Customers here are more focused, and the venue is awesome. The spherical layout gives all the exhibitors equal visibility to those walking the show. Plus, the city of Amsterdam has this really cool, laid-back-vibe and the people are really denim-savvy.
Carved In Blue: What is your biggest pet peeve about the denim industry?
Javed: The ever-changing trends, which leads to our R&D teams having to reinvent the wheel every season. It’s great to be able to exhibit your latest collection every six months, but it can also be draining and it creates a lot of waste.
Carved In Blue: What is the most notable way the denim industry has changed since you began working in jeanswear?
Javed: There is a lot more emphasis now on sustainable production and traceability.
Carved In Blue: What was your first impression of TENCEL® in denim?
Javed: We started using TENCEL® in our collections around 2011. I was amazed at the soft and plush hand feel the fiber provided. The fact that it was generated from wood pulp through an environmentally friendly process made it all the more fascinating.
Carved In Blue: What have been some of the mill’s most successful product lines with TENCEL®?
Javed: Lenzing has definitely impacted AFM’s business in a positive way. It has allowed us to be more flexible, show a more diverse product range and has helped us elevate our overall collection. The support levels have been great and we enjoy the exchange of ideas. Our TENCEL® PFD fabrics and TENCEL® and Invista Dual FX™ have been our success stories with Lenzing over the last few years.
Carved In Blue: What percent of product produced by AFM uses Lenzing fiber?
Javed: Currently around 15-20 percent of our collection uses Lenzing fiber. We experienced tremendous growth in demand for TENCEL® and modal fibers between 2011 and 2013. Since then the numbers have been more stable. This probably has a lot to also do with the cotton prices and the overall challenges the retail industry has been facing of late.
Carved In Blue: Why do you think the denim industry has been so accepting of TENCEL®?
Javed: It is a great alternate fiber to cotton. At the moment, cotton prices are at a five-year low, but there was a time when the difference was not that substantial. These changes are cyclical and if and when cotton prices jump up again, we will probably see buyers more willing to adopt more Lenzing-based fabrics in their collections. TENCEL® does add a premium factor because of its softness. It has great absorbency and has set high standards for sustainability, which has led to a great response from the denim industry.
Carved In Blue: When does a jean stop being a jean?
Javed: When its essence has been completely stripped away. While it is important to have an aesthetically pleasing jean, one should strive to keep things simple and not complicate the process too much by adding a lot of destruction or too many embellishments.
Carved In Blue: What is your first denim memory?
Javed: When I was in fifth grade, we got an introduction to cotton and textiles in our science class. The school wanted to arrange a field trip and they chose to visit our mill. I was around 10 years old at the time and was really fascinated to see how raw cotton was converted into yarn and then eventually into finished denim garments.
Carved In Blue: Who do you admire the most in the denim industry?
Javed: My father. Our family was always involved in the textile business in one way or another, but to narrow down our focus on denim was his brainchild. I really admire his passion for denim, dedication and entrepreneurial ideas.
Carved In Blue: Which item of denim have you had the longest?
Javed: A pair of Japanese denim that I bought from a small artisanal boutique on my first research trip to Tokyo.
Carved In Blue: What is the worst denim trend that you have seen?
Javed: Acid washes.
Carved In Blue: Light or dark wash?
Javed: It depends on the time of day and the season, but I generally prefer dark washes.
Carved In Blue: What if your favorite part of your job?
Javed: I enjoy several different aspects of my job—networking, traveling, presenting to customers—but what I love the most is being on the production floor and hearing the constant hum of the machines running smoothly. I appreciate being in an intense, fast-paced environment on a daily basis.