Calik Denim enters the Fall/Winter 2027–2028 season with both fresh leadership and a forward-looking collection.
On Wednesday, the Turkish denim mill announced the appointment of Eray Karaduman as general manager. Karaduman previously served as North America general manager at Kordsa Inc. and held senior HR roles at Unilever and Coca-Cola CCI.
“Calik Denim has a strong heritage, but more importantly, a powerful and exciting future ahead,” Karaduman said. “Our focus is clear: to lead the transformation of denim through innovation, responsible production, and a globally connected mindset. We are not only adapting to change—we are actively shaping it.”
His appointment coincides with the launch of the F/W 27–28 season. In the coming weeks, the mill will unveil its latest collection, Earth Echoes, at Kingpins Amsterdam. The collection merges advanced material engineering with innovative fiber compositions and a refined design language, offering a new perspective on how denim can evolve—both technically and aesthetically.
In conversation with SJ Denim, Karaduman shares his outlook for the season and outlines his ambitions for Calik Denim’s next chapter.
Eray Karaduman, Calik Denim general manager
Onur ONAT
SJ Denim: In your new role as general manager, what are your top priorities for the first 12–18 months?
Eray Karaduman: My priority is to further strengthen Calik Denim’s position as a global leader in denim innovation and trendsetting, while building a more agile and future-ready organization.
Over the next 12–18 months, we are focusing on three key areas: reinforcing our product innovation pipeline through closer integration of R&D and P&D, scaling our impact in strategic markets such as the United States, Europe, and the Far East, and accelerating our Net Zero roadmap.
At the same time, we are placing strong emphasis on organizational alignment and internal communication to ensure we move forward as one team with a shared vision.
SJ Denim: Looking back at your career, which experiences have most influenced how you lead today?
EK: My experience across both global and local roles, particularly in fast-changing and complex environments, has shaped my leadership approach significantly. Leading in different geographies has taught me the importance of adaptability, cultural awareness, and strategic clarity.
Most recently, my role as general manager of Kordsa North America, where I had full P&L responsibility, further strengthened my perspective on balancing operational excellence with strategic growth. Managing a business in a highly competitive and dynamic market such as the United States required a strong focus on performance, customer-centricity, and disciplined execution.
At the same time, my background in human resources reinforced the importance of people—building strong teams, fostering trust, and creating a culture where individuals can contribute at their best.
Today, I bring these experiences together with a clear focus: building a resilient and high-performing organization that can adapt quickly, act strategically, and grow sustainably in a rapidly evolving global landscape.
Calik Denim’s F/W 27-28 collection.
SJ Denim: How do you balance preserving Calik Denim’s heritage while pushing for transformation?
EK: For us, heritage is not something we preserve by standing still—it is something we evolve and build upon.
Calik Denim’s DNA is built on innovation, agility, responsibility, and craftsmanship. Transformation is therefore not a departure from our heritage, but a continuation of it. We respect our roots while continuously challenging ourselves to redefine processes, products, and impact. This is how we continuously evolve.
SJ Denim: What role does R&D play in maintaining your competitive edge globally?
EK: R&D sits at the core of our competitive advantage. It enables us to move beyond incremental improvements and develop breakthrough solutions that redefine industry standards.
Technologies such as Revo-Su, which significantly reduces water consumption, and B210, which enables biodegradability in stretch fabrics, are direct outcomes of this focus. Our R&D structure is closely integrated with product development, ensuring innovation is translated into scalable, market-ready solutions.
SJ Denim: Calik is working toward being a net zero company. What are the biggest challenges?
EK: Achieving net zero in denim is inherently complex, as emissions are distributed across a highly interconnected value chain—from raw materials to finishing processes.
The biggest challenges lie in Scope 3 emissions, particularly in raw material sourcing and downstream processes. Addressing these requires strong collaboration with suppliers, investment in new materials, and industry-wide transformation.
We approach this through innovation, renewable energy investments, and strategic partnerships—while maintaining transparency and measurable targets aligned with global standards.
Calik Denim’s F/W 27-28 collection.
SJ Denim: How are your clients and brand partners responding to these sustainability investments?
EK: Our clients and brand partners are increasingly aligned around the need for more responsible and transparent production. There is a clear and accelerating commitment across the industry to move forward in a more sustainable way.
What we are seeing today is a stronger focus on solutions that combine environmental impact with performance and scalability. In this context, our innovations such as Revo-Su and B210 resonate strongly, as they support our partners’ goals while maintaining product integrity and design flexibility.
Rather than a one-sided effort, this transformation is driven by collaboration—working closely with our partners to develop solutions and move forward together.
SJ Denim: Where are you seeing the most opportunity globally?
EK: Each region presents distinct dynamics.
The United States remains a key market for innovation-driven, performance-oriented products. Europe continues to lead in trendsetting, sustainability expectations, and regulatory transformation. The Far East, particularly Japan, places a strong emphasis on craftsmanship and product authenticity.
Rather than prioritizing one region over another, we see the greatest opportunity in aligning our strengths with each region’s specific needs.
SJ Denim: How does the new Earth Echoes collection reflect Calik’s overall mission?
EK: Earth Echoes represents a refined balance between structure and fluidity, heritage and innovation.
What truly defines the collection is the engineering behind it. It is not only a design story, but also a reflection of how we approach fabric development at a deeper, more technical level.
The collection integrates bio-based materials, advanced constructions, and performance-driven innovations, while maintaining a strong aesthetic narrative. It demonstrates how sustainability, functionality, and design can seamlessly coexist.
Calik Denim’s F/W 27-28 collection.
SJ Denim: Are we moving toward more performance-driven denim, or more aesthetic storytelling—or both?
EK: We are clearly moving toward a convergence of both.
Today’s denim needs to deliver on performance—comfort, durability, and functionality—while also carrying a strong aesthetic and emotional narrative. The real shift is not choosing between the two but integrating them.
We see the future of denim as a space where engineering and storytelling seamlessly converge to create meaningful and differentiated products.
SJ Denim: What excites you most about leading Calik Denim right now?
EK: What excites me most is the combination of deep-rooted expertise and forward-thinking innovation.
Calik Denim has a strong heritage, and at the same time, we are actively redefining what denim can be—through technologies such as Revo-Su, B210 and Dyepro.
We are at a point where sustainability, performance, innovation, and design are no longer separate conversations. Bringing all these together to shape the future of denim in a meaningful way is incredibly motivating, especially with the strength of our dynamic and experienced team.
