Pakistan Denim: A Moment With Naveena Denim Mills
Behind every successful denim company is a true blueblood who’s passionate about the business.
That’s certainly true for Pakistan’s Naveena Denim Mills, based in Karachi, which has been a leader in making fabric since 1967. Though the company began as an embroidery unit, it has come to be known as a leading purveyor of denim fabric bought by brands any manufacturer would be keen to call clients—Levi’s and Zara to name just two.
For Aydan Tüzün, head of global sales and marketing for Naveena, business has been about both bringing denim into the future and maintaining its beloved past.
Carved in Blue spent some time chatting with Aydan to understand a little bit better about what goes into making what comes out of the sought-after mill.
Carved in Blue: Tell us a little more about your company.
Aydan: Starting the journey into the denim industry in 2003 Naveena Denim Mill produces 15 million meters annually today and exports to well over 40 countries. Our diverse global network and sales offices in North America, South America, Europe and South East Asia give us the flexibility of operating in the globalized markets of today. In 2018, we are going to set up showrooms in Amsterdam and New York. Naveena Denim Mills has become one of the most prestigious and sought after companies in the denim industry due to the company’s extensive research and development activities and sound marketing strategies. Our objective is to perform flexible exclusive services to meet the expectations of our valued partners. By closely monitoring the latest trends as well as market needs, we successfully manage to integrate them with our know-how, and as a result create actionable insights and solutions. This is the main driving force behind our accelerated profitable growth.
Carved in Blue: Who are some of your customers?
Aydan: Gap, Old Navy, Banana Republic, Gymboree, Legacy, Aeropostale, The Children’s Place, Mango, Jordache, TomTailor, C&A, Tiffosi, Next, Zara, Bershka, Hugo Boss, Target, Levi’s.
Carved in Blue: What type of equipment do you have in your facility?
Aydan: Our state of the art plants have the latest rope dyeing ranges, 119 weaving looms (PICANOL Rapier/Air Jet), Goller mercerizing machines, Montfort’s stenters, Calendar, Gaston, and coating system that give us strength to make fabrics that are up to the latest trends.
Carved in Blue: What regions do you ship your garments to?
Aydan: Naveena is producing fabric only and shipping products worldwide depending on the manufacturing base of the brands. Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Mexico, Vietnam, China, Turkey, Morocco, Egypt and Italy are our main countries.
Carved in Blue: Which trade shows do you exhibit with?
Aydan: Kingpins Amsterdam, Kingpins New York, Denim by PV, Intertextile Shanghai, MFS (Blue Zone & Keyhouse), Bangladesh Denim Expo, Colombiatex,
Carved in Blue: What sustainability initiatives are you focused on at Naveena?
Aydan: Sustainable innovation is the key element of NDM’s philosophy. We believe that inner beauty matters as much as outer beauty and that our products and processes have to be functional and meaningful and made in a more sustainable and responsible way. Everything that we need for our survival and wellbeing depends, either directly or indirectly, on our natural environment. Sustainability creates and maintains the conditions under which humans and nature can exist in productive harmony, that permit fulfilling the social, economic and other requirements of present and future generations. Our sustainability division is constantly coming up with new concepts to communicate Naveena’s efforts in sustainability through conservation and preservation of our resources, endorsing the organic lifestyle and through various social projects. Our commitment to sustainability reflects in the processes, the products we make as well as the fibers and other raw materials we source in our supply chain.
Carved in Blue: Why do you like working with fabrics using TENCEL® and Lenzing Modal® fibers?
Aydan: Sustainable innovation is the key element of NDM’s philosophy. TENCEL® and Lenzing Modal® fibers are ecological products which conserve resources. They transport moisture, are skin frendly and hygienic. Denim made with TENCEL® fibers is a feel good product which hugs the body gently and boosts energy. We are working to add more TENCEL® fiber blends into the fabrics in our collection.
Carved in Blue: How is the current textile market situation in Pakistan? What do you see in future?
Aydan: The Textile industry in Pakistan is the largest manufacturing industry. Pakistan is the 8th largest exporter of textile commodities in Asia. Textile sector contributes 8.5% to the GDP of Pakistan. In addition, the sector employs about 45 percent of the total labor force in the country (and 38 percent of the manufacturing workers). Pakistan is the fourth largest producer of cotton with the third largest spinning capacity in Asia after China and India, and contributes 5 percent to the global spinning capacity. At present, there are 1,221 ginning units, 442 spinning units, 124 large spinning units and 425 small units which produce textiles. In recent years, Pakistan has faced competition from regional players including Bangladesh, India and Vietnam. In the past decade, Pakistan’s share in the global textile market decreased to 1.7% from 2.2%, Bangladesh saw an increase from 1.9% to 3.3% and India from 3.4% to 4.7%. Barriers to growth include: cost of production, the energy crisis, and research and development.
We will have to expand our export markets to ensure a sustained and shock free textile exports of Pakistan. Cotton yarn, cotton cloth, knitwear, bed wear and garments are the five categories in textiles that earn more than $1 billion in foreign exchange a year. Together these four categories accounted for $9.606 billion (78 percent) out of $12.357 billion in textile exports in 2011-12. Barring cotton cloth where exports are evenly distributed, exports in other four categories are concentrated to few economies. The other major buyers of Pakistani cotton cloth were China with 11 percent, Turkey and Italy with 5.6% each, and the remaining was destined to 20 different countries.
Carved in Blue: What innovations in denim do you see in the next 5-10 years?
Aydan: In the next five to 10 years, we will see the smart textile innovation in denim and performance based technology. The smart textile innovation will be integrated into the sustainability. Smart cities and Internet of Life will require the textile industry to adapt design and material development accordingly. Climate change and water scarcity will also define a new segment and our denim will be technology enhanced to help the modern urban consumer.
Carved in Blue: A little about you now—what is the oldest jean you still wear?
Aydan: My vintage jeans are mainly from the vintage stores in Tokyo and Rose Bowl Pasadena.
The one I still wear is a vintage jumpsuit from Dreams.
Carved in Blue: When does denim stop being denim?
Aydan: Denim will never stop being denim. It’s redefined, refined, tech-integrated, but still it is our beloved fabric.
Carved in Blue: What is your favorite city for denim inspiration?
Aydan: I have a few favourites and my affinity is linked with the way these cities define the denim culture. Tokyo for the authentic edge, New York for the contemporary urban, and Amsterdam for all the blues.
Carved in Blue: What does Carved in Blue mean to you?
Aydan: Carved in Blue means an inspirational platform to learn from and I have been long enough in the industry (like most of the Carved in Blue fans) to say that my heart is Carved in Blue.