Rasen Textile on Market Changes and Turkey’s Denim Outlook
Denim suppliers have been tested during the pandemic, and finding ways to adapt has been crucial.
Based in Istanbul, Turkey, Rasen Textile is among the producers that have rethought elements of their business to navigate the crisis. Despite the adjustments, the laundry and garment maker remains focused on a central pillar of respect for people and the planet.
Carved in Blue caught up with the company to discuss how it is shifting gears due to COVID-19, the state of the local denim business and its sustainability strategy.
Carved in Blue: Can you tell us about your company?
Rasen: Rasen Textile has been established in 1993 to provide denim and cotton blends fabrics to the manufacturers in Turkey. We are currently producing denim and non-denim trousers, skirts and jackets for women, men and children.
The corporate strategy of Rasen Textile depends on “continuous customer satisfaction.” Experienced merchandisers take all responsibility for each order and transparently monitor the production process from sampling to shipping.
Acting with responsible manufacture understanding for a sustainable ecology is an irrevocable value for Rasen. We respect you, ourselves and the world.
Carved in Blue: Who are some of your customers? What regions do you ship garments?
Rasen: Denmark (Gabba, Blue de Genes, Just Junkies, Basic Apparel, etc.); Italy (Versace, Marlboro, Cavalli, etc.); Germany (Rich&Royal, Lieblingsstück, etc.), Netherlands (Sissy-Boy, Silver Creek, etc.), and South Africa (Fabiani).
Carved in Blue: What are your sustainability initiatives?
Rasen: We transformed some of our laundry machines into e-flow washing machines. The chemical PP spray equipments have also been replaced with laser machines. This cause saving of chemical and nonpolluting processes. The EIM Score software gives us the chance to improve our washes regarding sustainable concept. We also developed a stoneless washing machine, which gives the same stonewash effect but without any stone used.
Carved in Blue: How did Covid affect your way of product development for customers?
Rasen: We had to decrease our sustainability collection and go ahead more with our bestsellers. But we developed some antibacterial washes on denim trousers, which will visible on our customers’ new collections soon.
Carved in Blue: How are you trying to reach brands with tradeshows cancelled, travel bans, and customers not working in the office?
Rasen: We make online meetings on Zoom or share our collection presentation on video. Social media opportunity is also a good way to present our ideas where we share our collections.
Carved in Blue: Why do you like working with TENCEL™ Denim?
Rasen: TENCEL™ Denim is comfortable, very soft and absorbent. Handfeel is a lifestyle. Customers are taking care to see an evidential difference, which is measurable.
Carved in Blue: How is the current textile market situation in Turkey?
Rasen: The market is unstable, undecided and changeable. So, it’s not possible to foresee the demand of the market long before. But Turkey’s advantages as a supply hub for the fashion sector is the development of the entire value chain in the country, from the production of raw materials until manufacturing in short process as well. This structure gives our country speed in the response and other advantages.
Carved in Blue: What do you think the denim industry is missing today?
Rasen: Unfortunately, we don’t have any educated labors, which can also fulfill our new processes easily. The textile education in Turkey does not satisfy our and denim industries’ requests. Graduated students don’t learn anything and don’t have the practice. There is only denim schools in Netherlands and Italy. Maybe it’s necessary to open more schools, which can teach and give the practice as well.
But we are also missing a platform where we can share our developments, facilities and have the possibility for B2B meetings.
Carved in Blue: Are there influencers in the denim industry that inspire you?
Rasen: Researching current fashion trends and making predictions of future trends is the first step in creating the design. Therefore, we subscribe to WGSN and other sites to support our customers. Some fashion designers share their trend reports published by fashion industry trade groups. These trend reports let you know what styles, colors and fabrics will be popular for a certain season in the near future. We as a textile manufacturer use these trend reports to design fabrics and patterns. The designers from our customers also share their aspect of fabrics and figure out which fabrics to use with which designs.
Carved in Blue: What are your favorite cities?
Rasen: Amsterdam, Copenhagen, London and Italy.
Carved in Blue: What does Carved in Blue mean to you?
Rasen: I guess it’s a useful platform where all vendors can share their inspirations and developments. In this way we can also see the statements of all vendors who are working on sustainable solutions.