Calik’s examines the human and technological forces shaping denim in its Spring/Summer 2028 collection.
“One of the most interesting tensions in denim right now is that consumers want authenticity back, but they are not willing to give up the performance and comfort they have become accustomed to,” said Eray Karaduman, Calik Denim’s general manager.
That tension was the start point for Second Nature, a theme that frames denim as a living material that changes, evolves and gains character through time, touch and wear. Denim is unique in that more than any other fabric, it carries the trace of human hands—from the way it is crafted to the way it becomes personal through use, Karaduman said. “At a time when technology is becoming increasingly present in every aspect of our lives, we believe this human element is becoming even more valuable. Second Nature celebrates exactly that connection: the human touch, the evolving nature of denim and the craftsmanship that brings the two together,” he said.
This dynamic comes through the mill’s fabric families like D’enovated, which applies contemporary constructions, comfort stretch and a broad spectrum of indigo shades to authentic-looking denim. “In other words, stretch does not necessarily need to look or feel like conventional stretch denim anymore. We are interested in hiding performance inside authenticity,” Karaduman said.
To address the demand for soft fabrics, Calik’s Retro Soft collection combines distinct twill structures with eco-soft technologies and natural fibers, with a strong focus on cellulosic fibers. “We are pursuing fluidity, breathability and an exceptionally soft hand without allowing the fabric to lose its denim identity,” he added.
Taken together, Karaduman said these developments illustrate what we find most exciting about denim today. “Rigid fabrics can have memory, stretch can retain the appearance of authentic rigid denim, softness can coexist with pronounced twill character, workwear can become lighter and more seasonal, and color can become part of the fabric’s structural identity. Rather than developing one definition of performance, we are expanding the different ways denim can perform while remaining unmistakably denim,” he said.
Holistic approach
The mill does not define sustainability by a seasonal collection or a single technology. “It has been embedded in our way of doing business since our foundation and today forms an integral part of how we approach production, R&D and product development,” Karaduman said.
This is evident in how the mill addresses the most material challenges facing denim manufacturing, particularly water and chemical management, energy and carbon reduction, responsible raw materials, circularity and the environmental impact of products throughout their lifecycle. “Rather than treating these areas independently, our objective is to translate them into measurable improvements both in our manufacturing processes and in the fabrics and technologies we bring to the market,” he said.
Water is a key focus area. “Denim is traditionally a water-intensive industry, and operating in a geography exposed to water stress makes reducing water dependency both an environmental and an operational priority,” Karaduman said. “This has shaped innovations such as Revo-Su, which reduces water consumption to one-eighth of conventional dyeing processes while also significantly reducing chemical use. Our broader R&D work continues to address resource efficiency, chemical management, biodegradability and lower-impact production.”
At product level, Calik is expanding the sustainability conversation beyond manufacturing. Qualities such as durability, longevity, material selection and end-of-life impact are increasingly being considered during the development process. Technologies like B210, which allows denim and other fabrics to achieve over 99 percent biodegradability within 210 days, have been developed specifically to address the post-use environmental impact of denim through accelerated biodegradation.
Another example of Calik’s product-focused strategy is Selfsized, which was specifically developed as an all-in-one fit solution. “By enabling greater flexibility in sizing and fit, the concept can help retail brands minimize size-related returns. Beyond its commercial value, reducing returns can also have a positive sustainability impact by helping avoid the additional transportation, handling and resource use associated with returned products,” Karaduman said.
Meanwhile, Calik’s True Fit concept explores durability through structural memory and enhanced recovery. The idea is to reduce deformation over time so that denim maintains its intended fit and remains wearable for longer. Karaduman added that its ability to retain shape can also reduce the need for frequent washing, potentially lowering water, chemical and energy consumption during the use phase of the garment.
“It is about continuing to integrate responsible innovation into the fundamentals of denim development—using fewer resources, being increasingly mindful of energy and natural resource consumption, improving processes, making more considered material choices and developing products designed to deliver value for longer,” he said.
This approach also extends to Calik’s production investments. Approximately 45 percent of the company’s production is powered by our solar power plant. “In 2027, thanks to our new investment in biomass-based energy production, which will further reduce our natural gas consumption and strengthen the sustainability performance of our manufacturing operations,” Karaduman said.
Market direction
Calik’s global footprint, spanning Europe, Asia and the United States, gives the company a unique global perspective. The mill tapped into the diverse markets to hear different interpretations of what denim needs to become and used those insights to inform its new collection.
“For S/S ’28, we have deliberately brought that market intelligence closer to the product-development process,” Karaduman said. “Our sales teams and customers provide insight into what is performing in their regions, where brands see whitespace and how expectations around authenticity, stretch, softness, responsible materials and price-value are changing.”
The result is not a collection built around one universal definition what’s next in denim, the exec said. Rather, the mill has had an “intentionally broader” outlook with different concepts that answer different human and market needs while sharing the same philosophy of denim designed to evolve.
“We also continue to use our R&D ecosystem and collaborations with universities and industrial partners to explore new materials, processes and technologies. For us, these partnerships are important because meaningful innovation increasingly requires knowledge from outside the traditional boundaries of textile development,” Karaduman said.
Calik sees denim assortments becoming more varied. “We believe the denim market is moving away from the idea that one silhouette needs to dominate an entire season,” he said. “Wide and relaxed fits remain relevant, but after several seasons of extreme volume, we are seeing room opening up for more controlled proportions—straighter silhouettes, tapered shapes and cleaner, more tailored interpretations of denim.”
This shift also changes what is required from the fabric. When silhouettes become cleaner and more precise, Karaduman said recovery, structure and shape retention become increasingly important. Calik’s True Fit and Fix-Fit—a Lycra Dual-FX technology that provides controlled stretch and lasting shape retention—are fashion and technical solutions for this trend direction.
While fluid denim has an important role for the season’s more realized and sophisticated silhouettes, Karaduman said authentic denim character is undoubtedly gaining momentum again. “Defined twills, visible construction, firm hands and fabrics that actually look and feel like denim are becoming increasingly important after a long period dominated by extreme softness and stretch,” he said.
What Calik does not see is a return to uncomfortable denim. Karaduman said the opportunity is to combine those authentic visual cues with invisible comfort and performance.
“Overall, we see S/S ‘28 as a season of controlled contrasts: rigid appearance with hidden performance, structure with movement, authentic indigo alongside expressive color, and heritage references interpreted through modern construction,” he said.