DNM Denim is stripping water out of its denim finishing for Spring/Summer 2028, applying zero-water techniques to achieve marble-like effects that traditionally require wet processing at volume.

The Istanbul-based mill, which runs its factories in Egypt, pairs the zero-water route with two new specialized blends — Giza Linen and Giza Hemp — built to deliver a vintage look with a soft hand feel. For buyers, the pitch is straightforward: authentic character without the water line item that increasingly sits inside brand environmental targets and EU compliance conversations.

Sedart Sualp, DNM Denim's deputy general manager, framed the collection as the visible edge of longer-running investments rather than a seasonal pivot.

"Our most important sustainability message for [the season] is, as always, our deep, enduring commitment to water and energy reduction across our overall production processes and core collections," he said. "Water recycling, wastewater recovery, and the integration of solar panels and natural gas for energy are not new trends for us — this mindset and our ongoing investments have been foundational since our inception."

What changes on the fabric side?

Three material moves stand out for sourcing teams weighing the S/S '28 offer.

• Tencel Lyocell – HV100: a range using controlled fiber variations that mimic natural staple irregularities. Sualp said the fiber offers "cloud-like softness" and "a significantly more elevated, premium visual aesthetic compared to standard Tencel grades — bridging the gap between luxury drape and heritage character."
• Creora Regen Bio Spandex: appears in a Denim Deal capsule, engineered from sugarcane-based feedstock and combined with more than 20 percent post-consumer recycled cotton. The capsule supports Denim Deal's circularity mission.
• Expanded Invista work: DNM is deepening its technical and developmental partnership with the fiber producer, which Sualp said "brings cutting-edge performance and bio-based solutions" to the collection.

Note the distinction. The Invista collaboration and bio-spandex capsule are confirmed programs with named partners. The sustainability framing around them — durability plus conscious material innovation — is the mill's own marketing language, and buyers will want capacity and certification detail before pricing it in.

Colour cuts a step out of the workflow

The most operationally interesting item may be the smallest: Sand Blue, a blue with an inherent brown cast, achieved through what the mill calls "pre-colored fabric architectures." The tinted, vintage-washed effect develops during washing, which DNM says eliminates traditional post-garment tinting and garment-dyed materials.

That is a lead-time argument as much as an aesthetic one. Remove a finishing step and you remove handling, chemistry and a slice of the production calendar — useful for programs running tight delivery windows.

Sualp said the fabrics develop "striking high-low fading effects and dimensional textures without losing their authentic denim identity."

Where the palette is heading

Directionally, DNM reads the market toward texture and earthiness. "We see a strong movement toward the integration of rich textural feelings with natural, earthy aesthetics," Sualp said. Greenish cast treatments and specialized washes are gaining momentum, with the mill's Matcha and Matsblue colors adding what he called "unexpected depth to heritage palettes."

What does this change for sourcing teams? A mill with Egyptian production capacity is offering zero-water finishing, recycled-content blends above 20 percent and a fibre platform — HV100 — positioned above commodity Tencel, all in one S/S '28 book. Whether that converts into volume depends on price points DNM has not disclosed.

The collection signals where mid-market denim suppliers expect brand scrutiny to land next season: water accounting, feedstock origin and finishing steps removed rather than added.