For more than six years I was the Head of the Market Research Laboratory at the TEXOVERSUM, School of Textiles at Reutlingen University in Germany, and delivered various lectures including International Marketing, Import/Export  Processes, Market Research and Sustainable Supply Chain Management. During this time, I was in continuous collaboration with international fashion retailers, sourcing agents, suppliers, NGOs, academia, and media. This allowed me to adopt multifaceted stakeholder perspectives in any of my short- and long-term sustainability projects and supported me to deep dive into public and private sustainability regulations and frameworks, particularly in understanding and translating the implications of the EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), the German Supply Chain Act, EU Taxonomy, and EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles. Therefore, EU wide regulations and latest developments in the standards landscape have always been crucial for his lectures, research, cooperations, and further public activities.

 

During his PhD field research in Vietnam and Indonesia (2017-2019), he gained deep insights into complex and globally fragmented garment supply chains and acquired his know-how on the spot. Therefore, he critically in-investigated SSCM strategies in multi-tier supply chains and specialized on human and labour rights in Tier 1, Tier 2 and (hidden) subcontractor factories. Through 14 Supplier Case Studies, he was able to deep dive into the realities of garment factories:

 

• investigated social compliance-, communication-, and supplier development strategies of global fashion brands,

• explored purchasing practices, goal conflicts, power imbalances, trust deficits, and incentive systems in buyer-supplier relationships,

• assessed social performance of suppliers

• identified social hotspots and risks,

• focused on regulatory frameworks such as legislations, policies and (private) social accountability standards.

Building on his investigations and deep insights, he shares his knowledge, perspectives, and ideas on different international stages. As such, he has been a speaker and panelist at multiple sustainability events and fairs and interviewed for highly influential magazines such as Glamour or the Textilwirtschaft, Germany`s most renowned and important textile and apparel magazine. Moreover, he served as an expert for the EU Project “Fashion DIET” funded by the European Commission. With soundofgarments he helps fashion businesses to embrace sustainability due diligence through social and environmental risk management in accordance with OECD and UNGP Guidelines. 

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but also in EU funded interdisciplinary and transnational sustainability projects which I was part of. Alongside my strong analytical, communication and presentation skills, I support fashion businesses to embrace sustainability due diligence through social and environmental risk management (OECD, UNGP). For example, in the context of a collaboration, he was advising the Director of Sustainable Supply Chains of a renowned Fashion/Lifestyle department store in Germany. I successfully supported the creation of a roadmap for sustainable supply chain management and provided expert guidance on risk management to prepare for the German Supply Chain Act, incl. the planning, implementation, and monitoring of human rights due diligence. Therefore, being up to date on global, political, and sustainable developments, investigating guiding principles and strategies to promote human rights and environmental responsibility in global supply chains are fundamental in his daily work.

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Deniz is achieved his PhD in Sustainable Supply Chain Management in 2019 at the Institution for Sustainable Corporate Management at the Ulm University (Germany). In light of his in-depth research on sustainability, he learned that it is fundamental to conduct research on the spot, to meet the affected people in sourcing countries. This supported him to understand the social and environmental impact of the textiles and fashion industry, which he believes is key to foster sustainable development. In order to complement his research on sustainability in Textiles and Fashion, he intensified his scientific activities on consumer landscape and sustainable business models with the ultimate aim to combine the social, environmental and economic dimensions.

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From 2015-2022, he was the Head of Market Research Laboratory at the School of Textiles & Design of the Reutlingen University (Germany) and Lecturer in International Marketing and Market Research. Besides his extensive understanding of the fashion industry`s specific characteristics, dynamics, and global interrelations he is a fascinated and passionate researcher in the field, who continuously runs short- and long-term research projects to investigate the ever changing marketplace and explore consumer behaviour and consumption processes. Moreover, he contributed as a sustainability and research expert for the EU Project “Fashion DIET” funded by the European Commission. Today, he serves as a strategic advisor to support start-ups and established fashion brands in the development and implementation of sustainable supply chain management,  social and environmental risk management and sustainable business models.

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Thanks to his vast knowledge in fashion and sustainability, his inspiring, as well as progressive nature to engage and activate audience, he is frequently invited for keynotes, panels, guest lectures and interviews. As such, he has been a speaker and panelist at multiple sustainability events and fairs and interviewed for highly influential magazines such as Glamour or the Textilwirtschaft, Germany`s most renowned and important textile and apparel magazine.