Soorty’s Second SpaceD Open House Highlights Power of Collaboration
Last fall, Soorty launched its New York showroom SpaceD with a week-long event. Now, on July 18 and 19, the creative hub will once again open its doors for the denim community to come explore its partnerships, with a focus on sustainable development.
One of the highlights during the two-day event will be TENCEL™ fabrics created at Soorty’s Nasda Innovation Lab. Soorty will also showcase the results of some of its other supply chain collaborations.
Carved in Blue chatted with Eda Dikmen, marketing and communications manager – Amsterdam at Soorty, about the plans for the upcoming event, including what visitors can see and experience at the showroom.
Carved in Blue: Why have you decided to host a second open house at SpaceD? What was the industry reaction to the first open house?
Eda: We had started thinking of what SpaceD will feel like at the very beginning of the pandemic. And we were thinking of a purpose-driven space even then. SpaceD was never meant to be solely a showroom or an office. From day one, we have dreamt of it as a hub where we can get together with different creatives, industry players, cross-industry experts or other stakeholders with shared values. It is intentionally designed to be a welcoming room where anyone can find transparent information, their options in making responsible denim, creativity and heritage.
I, however, need to admit that we were beyond happy with the reaction to the first event. It was beyond what we’ve expected! At a time where we’ve missed being with one another so much, getting together with our denim friends, showcasing responsibility and partnerships, discovering future possibilities, and cooperating felt like a much-needed act. We had a very satisfactory crowd visiting—from brands, buyers and designers to students, who are the designers of the future, NGOs to press. Therefore, starting to work on the second event right after the first one honestly felt very natural.
As Soorty, we’re working hard to make jeans that look, feel and do good at scale, and we want people to be aware of their options the next time they go shopping, do buying or resourcing or think about denim and jeans. Therefore, owning a platform that is all about sharing transparent information on these makes perfect sense for us.
Carved in Blue: What do you have planned for the upcoming open house?
Eda: Very excited about it! The main theme we’ve defined is “Responsible Innovation for a Better Tomorrow,” and it’s going to be bringing the pioneering and game-changing supply chain players of the denim industry together by highlighting the power we unlock when working in cooperation. Denim as a Power of Good is a driving motto for us at Soorty, and we are well aware that a change for the better is only possible if the entire denim value chain works in partnership. Our second event is going to be all about celebrating this collective movement.
This time, taking a closer look at what collaborating for shared values makes possible in manufacturing, we’ve invited our esteemed supply chain partners Lenzing, The Lycra Company, Tonello, Garmon, Halexia and Terra Dyes to join us and co-own this platform as we, together, show what responsible innovation can look like. These events at SpaceD are run with an open-house mentality, and considering the wide audiences we reach out to, education and transparent communication become main pillars of the conversation. Therefore, these events are perfect to share the options available with today’s resources when it comes to responsible denim.
We’ve worked closely with each of our partners to utilize their latest conscious technologies as well as our extensive, global setup and capabilities. We came up with beautiful lines and very easygoing, user-friendly displays for each of the responsible innovations they will present, ensuring the information flow is simple for all stakeholders. Soorty’s own game changing initiatives like Future Possibilities, SOCI and Seasonless Collection will be in display as well. And we’re planning small engaging occasions during both days as well.
On Monday, July 18, we’ll have an interesting roundtable to discuss a bit about partnerships and the SDGs with dearest Tricia Carey (Lenzing) and Ebru Özaydın (Lycra).
On Tuesday, July 19, we’ll have a presentation by Haelexia, where they’ll share how their technology enables tracing and authenticating fibers during the day, and have an afternoon tea session with Terra Dyes as they explain to us how they’re using nature’s gifts that are edible to color clothes.
Carved in Blue: Could you share the story behind Nasda? What led Soorty to create this innovation lab?
Eda: Of course! Nasda Innovation Lab is Soorty’s experimental hub. Less than an hour drive from Istanbul Airport, Nasda welcomes global designers, buyers, denim aficionados and students to co-create unique collections and craft stories under the guidance of our professional denim experts. It has 250 pieces garment wash capacity and a full machinery set up for jean production, pattern production, cutting, sewing and laser, along with complete wet and dry sustainable laundry set up, always targeting an EIM score of 33 and below with low impact for every single garment washed. No PP (potassium permanganate), no hypoclorite and no bleaching laccase enzymes are used in our laundry.
Developing the collection you desire or conducting a workshop at Nasda Lab is a very easy, efficient and productive. It takes an average of three days. Providing a platform of pure collaboration, our professional team of denim experts working with our guests through the whole course.
The innovation lab has multiple reasons of existence—the first one being experimental. While innovation is still a core part of our production in Pakistan too, our day-to-day operations run in a certain rhythm. However, in Nasda, finding out what inspires your innovative story is the main driver. Having a space dedicated to understanding our customers’ needs, working with them closely in a quite concentrated manner while providing a smooth yet highly creative experience in an easy-to-travel location is the other main reason.
Carved in Blue: How does TENCEL™ factor into Soorty’s innovations? How are you working with the fibers to create new denim looks?
Eda: The fibers are utilized in production to enhance the functionality of the fabrics we engineer on many levels.
We aim to offer high-quality products that are made to last, therefore longevity and durability are key areas of focus for Soorty. Using TENCEL™ improves the strength of the final product, which is appreciated. The fibers also help us add value when focusing on wear comfort—with better breathability and absorbency of the fabrics as well as soft hand feel and the premium look it provides with its unique shine and glaze. We’re able to craft skin-friendly fabrics that are ideal for sensitive skins as well, and the superior moisture control keeps wearers cool and comfortable. Last but not least comes the responsible production aspect: transparency, traceability and sustainability. Achieving all these in a 100 percent certified material helps us be confident in what we purchase and what we offer.
Carved in Blue: What TENCEL™ denim creations from Nasda will be on view at SpaceD during this event?
Eda: Our capsule Elevated Essentials will be on display during the event. In a nutshell, it is a collection of timeless, everyday go-to silhouettes that define authentic jeans wear representing responsible materials. Designed in NYC and produced by Nasda Lab in Turkey, we can think of it as a key and lock project of fabrics woven with responsible materials, stitched and finished at Nasda, utilizing the most responsible laundry options available in the market—no stones, no PP, no hypoclorite or bleaching laccase enzymes but wet ozone, eco bleach and laser, which ensures 3D worn-in and heritage looks while respecting the people and the planet.
To truly highlight the versatility of denim, we’ve used a wide range of options as our fabric bases—from rigid ones to mid and high stretches and even a bi-stretch which offers freedom of movement by all means, we have really authentic looking ones to those that serve the needs of athleisure wear. The one I’m personally most excited about is the one using our fabric Simpson Zero Water Pulse Blue, not only because I’m a true Simpsons fan (which I am!) but because this rigid fabric was engineered with the certified carbon-zero TENCEL™ fibers, it utilizes Soorty’s proprietary Zero Waste Water dyeing and finishing technologies, which is a vertical innovation that saves an average of 90 percent water in production, has an amazing soft hand feel while being highly absorbent as well, adding value to wear comfort, which I find very important.
Carved in Blue: One of the purposes of Nasda is co-creation. What are the benefits of involving denim fans—whether designers or consumers—in the creation process?
Eda: As Soorty, we have implemented working collectively at the core of what we do in multiple layers of our operation, and have only benefited from it. We believe denim to be much more than just an industry driven by an extensive supply chain. Considering the passion, heritage, creativity and know-how of millions around the world involved, we see it more like a value chain. Unlocking these values is much easier when you’re working together with others sharing a similar vision.
When it comes to Nasda specifically, the reason why is simply why not. Denim is the most versatile fabric there is, and the perfect canvas for all wearers, adapting to different tastes and lifestyles. It offers endless possibilities when you utilize the correct tools. While being the most commonly used and loved fabric around the world, it also is the most personal one. Our common passion towards indigo is what unites us all, but at the same time, we all have our personal take on it. So, working with brands with different personalities, designers with different needs and wants or denim aficionados with different targets, we can co-create unique collections and craft stories under the guidance of our professional denim experts. We can expand our borders, add value to each other, and hopefully inspire one another. This inspiration is the main goal. That is what drives responsible innovation.