MELA was founded in 2014 by Henning Siedentopp at Leuphana University in Lüneburg with the aim of combining economic, social and ecological issues in the company and questioning the production conditions of the conventional industry. MELA's textile division was quickly expanded to include backpacks in 2016 and we managed to develop the first Fairtrade Cotton and GOTS certified backpack on the market. This is how we became known in the sustainability scene. A lot has happened since then, our range has continued to grow and our company moved to Kassel in 2018. What has not changed to this day, however, is our great commitment to sustainability and our consistent certification of all products.

MELA's vision is to make uncompromisingly sustainable fashion and to show that it is possible to produce products according to the highest ecological and social standards while offering them at affordable prices.

All MELA articles are triple certified according to Fairtrade Cotton, the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) and the Green Button. In our opinion, the social and ecological aspects of the standards complement each other perfectly, so that we can speak with a clear conscience about holistically sustainable textiles.

We have been producing in India since the company was founded. The country offers ideal climatic conditions for growing cotton, as the plant needs a lot of moisture in the growth stage (during the monsoon) and a lot of warmth in the ripening stage. Most of the world's organic cotton comes from India, so we want to keep the maximum added value in the country where the raw material originates. By keeping the entire production from cotton cultivation to sewing in the same country, delivery routes are shortened and emissions are saved. We think it is important to show that sustainable production can be carried out everywhere and that local working conditions can be improved.

It takes strong partners, commitment and the willingness to take responsibility to achieve the common goal of a holistic, sustainable textile industry. Since our founding, MELA has worked closely with various development policy actors and, for example, supported the creation of the first state textile seal, the Green Button, as a pilot and license partner. In 2020, MELA entered into a development partnership with GIZ (German Society for International Cooperation) and BMZ (Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development) as part of the developPPP.de program to promote private sector participation in sustainable development cooperation. MELA is now leading a joint project to support the development of the organic rubber sector in Sri Lanka until 2023.

The objectives of the project are:

To support plantations in switching to organic farming and obtaining EU organic certification.

To enable rubber tappers to set up their own organic vegetable garden.

To provide training on organic farming, composting and processing while maintaining high social and environmental standards for plantations and factories.

As a result, the soles of our sneakers will be the first in the world to be manufactured according to the Global Organic Latex Standard. We are proud that with our sneakers we are taking a big step together to do good for people and the environment.

Are you interested in a job with meaning in a sustainable company and a young and dynamic team? Take a look at our current job postings . Nothing suitable? We look forward to receiving your unsolicited application.

All of our products are made from natural materials and are certified according to the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), which means that they are free of harmful chemicals. GOTS is one of the strictest seals for organically produced natural fibers. From the cultivation of the cotton, which does not use pesticides or insecticides, to the coloring of the fabrics and packaging of the products, we ensure that the production is entirely environmentally friendly. This is regularly checked by independent certification bodies, not only at MELA, but throughout the entire supply chain.

In short, sustainable quality for us means: high sustainability standards, high-quality materials and timeless design. On our sustainability page you will find detailed explanations of what MELA pays particular attention to as a sustainable fashion label and how you can be sure that we are not engaging in greenwashing.

We always design our textiles, bags and shoes based on the Cradle to Cradle principle. We are constantly optimizing our products with the aim of developing closed material cycles in the textile industry. We therefore do not use material mixes and take care not to create inseparable connections between different materials. This enables us to recycle as many components as possible.

All textiles in the MELA range are vegan. For new products, we make sure to only use vegan materials. Exceptions are our Ansvar I backpack and our leather sneakers. We also indicate this in the product texts.

MELA's mission is to make sustainable fashion accessible to as many people as possible. We can only achieve our fair sales prices, which are comparable to conventional branded products, by having large quantities produced in India. Lean structures, timeless designs and only two collections per year conserve resources and avoid unnecessary costs. Our production sites are located close to each other, which saves additional transport costs. This is the only way MELA can expand the market for ecological and fair textiles and show that holistically sustainable fashion does not always have to be expensive.

Currently, companies like MELA that already produce sustainably are being penalized economically. Why? We spend significantly more on our products because we invest a lot of money in certifications and research and do not exploit the people in our supply chain but pay them fairly, while many conventional companies outsource their production costs to people and the environment. This is precisely why we believe that there must finally be a legal framework that makes companies accountable for their actions.

Of course, we don't rely on our standards alone, but personally select our partner companies according to strict sustainability criteria and build long-term, close partnerships. If you want to find out more about this topic, listen to our podcast "Step into the future". Here we provide deeper insights into our supply chain (Episode #4), as well as the GOTS (Episode #5) and the Fairtrade Cotton Standard (Episode #6). In our blog you will also find, for example, an interview with our textile producer Amit Narke, in which he tells first-hand what drives him personally and how he tries to continually improve the workplace of his seamstresses (Episode #19).

Let's start with the cotton: The cotton comes from a fair trade and organic certified cooperative of small farmers that was founded by the company anandi in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The region offers ideal climatic conditions for growing cotton, so that the fields do not have to be irrigated and considerable amounts of water consumption can be saved. The cotton is then processed, dyed and woven into fabrics by the company Maral Overseas. The fabric is then transported to our Indian producer Purecotz, where it is sewn into a T-shirt, packaged and shipped to us in Germany. You can find out more about our supply chain in our podcast episode 4 .

Our products have reduced emissions, but are not yet climate neutral. Reduced emissions because:

• Growing organic cotton produces fewer greenhouse gas emissions because no pesticides or artificial fertilizers are used.
• Some of our producers rely on renewable energy, alternative means of transport and composting. Suppliers are often in the immediate vicinity, so unnecessary transport routes are avoided.
• When transporting products to Europe, shipping is used rather than air freight.
• All MELA products are shipped climate-neutrally via DHL GoGreen.
• MELA in Germany obtains 100% of its electricity from renewable energies.

MELA is a slow fashion company with the aim of producing long-lasting favorite pieces for you fairly and sustainably. We view the fast fashion industry and the waste it produces critically and want to keep our ecological footprint as low as possible. Therefore, we consciously plan conservatively with smaller quantities of items for new collections so that we don't "get stuck" with our goods. Of course, your needs are important to us and we regularly reorder our sold-out bestsellers. Incidentally, the majority of our products are always in stock.

All of our products are made from 100% fairly traded and controlled organic cotton. In addition, all of our items are certified according to the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) and are therefore guaranteed to be free of any toxic chemicals. Cotton is a renewable raw material that also has the advantage of being particularly skin-friendly, breathable and easy to care for.

We do not use recycled materials. Instead, we focus on quality, fair trade and materials from controlled organic cultivation. We also make sure that our products are recyclable. This means that, for example, buckles or buttons can be replaced and we do not use mixed materials. Our products are also traceable - from the raw material to the finished textile. Recycled materials are often mixtures that are neither certifiable nor traceable.

We use 100% organic cotton for all our textiles. Cotton is a natural product and, unlike polyester, does not produce microplastic particles in the form of tiny fibers that rub off during washing. Mixed fibers are often much more difficult to recycle.

Our textiles are dyed with reactive dyes. These comply with the GOTS standard and are free of toxic chemicals. For this reason, our textiles are also suitable for allergy sufferers. The dyes are not tested on animals.

For our textiles, we recommend environmentally friendly machine washing at low temperatures. To avoid textile waste, our textiles are pre-washed and therefore do not shrink when washed. Our backpacks, bags and shoes are not suitable for machine washing and should therefore only be cleaned by hand. We recommend a GOTS-certified waterproofing spray to optimize the water-repellent effect of the organic cotton canvas (do not waterproof leather). To be on the safe side, we recommend that you pay attention to the textile care symbols on the label of our items.

Through intensive, two-year research and development as well as close cooperation with producers, international laboratories and certification bodies, MELA was able to develop the world's first sneakers that were certified according to the Fairtrade Cotton and Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) and the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOLS). The Mela sneakers are characterized by their unique composition of ecologically produced and fairly traded materials. Organic cotton canvas, organic natural rubber and water-based adhesive give the shoes their high quality, exceptional comfort and special durability. All raw materials are of natural origin and certified by sustainability standards.

We use goat leather from India, which is chrome-free and vegetable tanned.

Our bags and backpacks are not waterproof because they are deliberately not chemically treated or impregnated. Here we rely on the natural properties of the material. This means that the backpacks can still withstand light rain showers and you don't have to worry if you get caught in a shower. We recommend a GOTS-certified waterproofing spray to optimize the water-repellent effect of the organic cotton canvas (do not waterproof leather).

We only use zippers from YKK and buckles from PRYM, which comply with GOTS and are therefore, among other things, nickel and chrome free.

All packages within Germany are sent using the DHL GoGreen service. GoGreen is Deutsche Post DHL's climate protection program. The goal of GoGreen is to make the shipping of packages climate-neutral overall. The program uses a uniform method to assess and measure the CO² emissions generated when sending GoGreen packages, and offsets these through targeted, certified climate protection projects, or initiates or promotes climate protection projects.

We ship to the following countries: Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, United Kingdom. Your country is not listed and you really want to receive MELA products? Write to our dedicated service team (service@melawear.de) and we will try to find a solution.

Yes, we generally offer the option of picking up orders from our office in Kassel.
Please note that you must select SELF-COLLECTION as the shipping method when completing your order so that you are not charged any shipping costs.
All payment methods available in our shop are available to you. Please also note that cash payment on site is unfortunately not possible.
As soon as you have placed your order, you will receive an order confirmation from our system.
Once we have received payment for your order, our logistics team will pack your order. You will then receive another email informing you when the order is ready for collection.

Yes, delivery to a Packstation is possible. Please note, however, that you must be registered with DHL for this service. After registration, you will receive a postal number from DHL that you can use to have packages sent to Packstations.

Our delivery time is usually 1-3 working days. Since fair working conditions are particularly important to MELA and we are against night shift work and exploitation, delivery times can occasionally be longer on weekends and public holidays. With a long-lasting product, one day doesn't matter, does it?

The GOTS not only covers our goods in the production process, but also in the packaging. Our goods are currently still sent in a box and, depending on the product, in a plastic bag to protect the items from moisture and dirt. We are currently working at full speed on a way to reduce the plastic in this area and recommend reusing the bag until then, e.g. as a replacement for a new plastic bag in your bathroom waste bin.

First, you put the desired items in the shopping cart as usual and go to *checkout*. In the last step, before you submit the order, there is a field in which you can enter the voucher or discount code. Discount codes cannot be combined and therefore cannot be redeemed for reduced items.

Please check your spam folder in your email inbox first. In rare cases, it can take a few hours for the order confirmation to arrive in your inbox. If you really have not received an order confirmation, please contact service@melawear.de .

As long as the order has not yet been processed by our logistics department, changes or cancellations can still be made. Please contact our customer service as soon as possible (service@melawear.de). If you have already received a shipping confirmation by email, unfortunately an address change is no longer possible.

In this case, please contact our customer service immediately (service@melawear.de). Please also include your order number so that we can solve the problem as quickly as possible.

If you did not purchase on www.melawear.de , please always contact the retailer or online shop where you purchased the item(s). They will then contact us to process your complaint.

Many questions can be answered on our FAQ page. If you have any specific concerns, please contact our customer service ( service@melawear.de ).

For organizational reasons, we do not accept exchanges. We therefore ask you to return the item to us within the deadline and place a new order through our shop.

In the event of a complaint, please contact our customer support (service@melawear.de). Please send us your order number and a picture of the defect so that we can better assess the situation.

We generally recommend that you always send your return to us with tracking. This way you can see for yourself whether the package has already arrived with us. After receipt in our logistics department, your return is usually processed within a few days and you will receive an email with the credit note. The value of the goods will be refunded promptly using the original payment method.

In this case, please contact customer support (service@melawear.de), we will be happy to help you.

Please send your return to the following address:

Mela Wear GmbH

Schillerstrasse 50-52

34117 Kassel

Are you from Kassel or the surrounding area?

You are welcome to hand in your return personally at our location:

Mela Wear GmbH

Schillerstrasse 50-52

34117 Kassel

Our opening hours:

Monday - Thursday 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Friday: 8:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Please always enclose the return slip that was included with your shipment so that we can identify your return.

The discount code will be deducted from the price of the item when you return it, just as it was when you purchased it. You will therefore receive a refund for the value of the goods that you actually paid.

The return period is 30 days from receipt of the goods.

Hygiene products (socks) that are in their original packaging are excluded from the right of return. Returns are not possible if the socks have been unpacked. Thank you for your understanding.

You can subscribe to our newsletter here or in the bottom right of our footer. To receive our 10% welcome voucher, please click on "Subscribe" in the confirmation email. In our newsletter we give you an insight into the ecological and fair production of our clothing and keep you up to date with news and promotions. You can unsubscribe from our newsletter at any time. To do so, click on the unsubscribe link at the end of our newsletter.

Are you looking for a sustainable and fair gift for your loved ones? Why not give them a MELA voucher. It's also ideal for last-minute gifts, as you receive the voucher as a resource-saving PDF by email.

We are currently unable to offer a repair service. You can easily do small repairs yourself at home or you can support local crafts by visiting a tailor.

Repairing is an important part of sustainable consumption. We will be happy to send you replacement buckles free of charge. To do so, send us an email to service@melawear.de with the following information:

• Backpack model
• Description of the affected buckle
• First and Last Name
• Order date or order number
• Delivery address

You will find our bank details at the bottom of your invoice.

MELA is funded by the European Fund for Regional
Development supported. → To the European Fund