Denim Mill SM Denim Is In Business Since 1975
SM Denim has been in business since 1975 and is one of the leading exporters from Pakistan. They’re famous for their lighter-weight fabrics, however, their core product line hinges around commercial weights and very innovative blends. The denim mill is at the forefront of sustainable progression and believes circularity and responsible production is the only way forward for the denim industry. The mill has invested heavily in its infrastructures, training people and creating awareness about the future of the denim industry, and is leading its way towards bio-responsible business practices.
Asif Merchant is the CEO of the SM Denim company and is leading the mill along with his cousin Mr. Junaid Javed. Asif Merchant is a foreign graduate from Canada in business and has successfully implemented his brilliance in academics and leadership portfolio in his family business.
Next week, a new edition of the denim trade show Kingpins will take place in Amsterdam. Therefore, we sat down with Asif to answer a few questions and to share what they have been doing as a responsible manufacturer and their plan for the upcoming Kingpins show in Amsterdam.
Included in the article are teaser pictures of SM Denim’s Jeanatomy capsule collection.
LJ: For people who don’t know yet, can you tell what kind of denim mill is SM Denim?
For me, SM Denim is the nucleus that is at the center of which centers a people-friendly culture, innovative products, and sustainable processes and practices.
LJ: Does SM Denim develop everything in-house or do you work with co-partners as well? If so why?
We are a firm believer in collaboration. Though for us it is a need as we do not have our own spinning and garment-making facilities, yet in today’s interconnected world it is of utmost importance. Collaborating with fiber suppliers, yarn manufacturers, garment factories and brands helps us to develop the right solutions for our customers while retaining our competitive advantage of speed to market.
LJ: What is key for SM Denim when it comes to denim fabrics?
Our love for the fabric is at the heart of all that we create and what drives us. Denim like water is such an integral part of everyone’s lives that most people tend to ignore it. Yet at the same time, it is refreshing which makes people buy different blue jeans. It can exist in different forms. Water is essential for life and Denim is essential for the wardrobe. The key I would say would be our flexibility and approach towards clients, processes, and services.
LJ: Sustainability and Transparency are key these days. How is SM Denim working on these hot topics?
For SM Denim sustainability is not linear. It is circular on all fronts. It is an ongoing process as well and it entails all the aspects of the supply chain. Keeping that as the core concept we have designed the concept of INDICAN. INDICAN is a holistic concept that starts with the selection of sustainable fibers including Pre and Post Consumer Waste Cotton, Organic Cotton, Tencel, etc.
At the heart of the INDICAN concept is a special dyeing and finishing process that uses 75% less water in dyeing and finishing while reducing the environmental footprint of the manufacturing process.
LJ: This month SM Denim will exhibit at the denim fabric show Kingpins in Amsterdam. What can visitors expect at your booth?
We have been exhibiting in Amsterdam for the second consecutive time. We always plan ahead of time and update our booth with trends. Although we are a denim mill we have come up with a complete lookbook in a physical form where we have projected an odyssey of denim through the years. It’s a timeless classic and will be available for a show labeled “Jeanatomy”. We presented our all-day denim concept in the last Amsterdam show labeled as Circadian and Jeanatomy is a gift from SMD to the fashion-forward community out there and I must say it’s well a well-researched and detailed presentation.
People visiting are sure to love it. On the sustainable side, we are focused and are presenting our SGS-certified process optimization technique called INDICAN. It’s less water and less chemical up to 75% usage in the whole process and it’s right there at the top of the ideas generated for sustainable production.
LJ: Is there one fabric that stands out in the new collection? Or one fabric that you are most proud of?
Well, there is not one but several products that I would like to talk about, however, it would be great if the customers would get a taste of it once they visit us in KP this month. We have played around with a lot of new sustainable fibers, we are bringing a great deal of PFDs and PFGDs. We have lots and lots of design elements in weaves this time and it would be a tribute to the legendary weavers who laid the foundation of this great industry. It will be worth a watch, I am excited.
LJ: What can people expect in the future of SM Denim?
The journey of SM Denim so far has been in fact a journey of adaptability and transformation. And we look forward to a future where we adapt to the needs of the time. With the development of AI and the mass scaling of its use, we believe that we need to remodel our traditional business manufacturing to that of a tech company that specializes in the trade of fabric making. The goal is to make SM Denim a smarter and greener company.
All the images are provided by SM Denim.