10 Years of Values - 10 Years of MELA
Since 2014, we at MELA have been showing that fashion can be ecological, fair and affordable. Our journey began with a simple goal: to challenge the conventional clothing industry and provide more sustainable alternatives. What began as a small startup in Lüneburg with just one product, a basic T-shirt made of fairly produced organic cotton, has now developed into one of the leading providers of sustainable clothing.
Over the last ten years, we have achieved many milestones that demonstrate our philosophy and commitment to sustainability. We are proud to be the only company in the world to have its entire range triple certified - Fairtrade, GOTS and Green Button.
We would like to present you our most important milestones. From the launch of our first fair backpack, other product innovations to sustainable steps that have generated a huge impact - discover how we are making a positive change in the textile industry together with our partners.
MELA's journey began during Henning's studies when he visited his friend and now colleague Jonas in India. There he met the founders of a fair trade and organic label whose values and commitment to sustainable practices inspired him. Back in Germany, he quickly realized that hardly anyone knew about the conditions under which textiles are produced, while the demand for fair and organic products was constantly growing.
A year later, in 2014, Henning and two co-founders traveled to India again to visit potential suppliers. The first order was symbolically sealed with a handshake: 10,000 T-shirts were produced before the company was even officially founded. Shortly afterwards, the time had come and MELA saw the light of day.
Side note: The first producer was Purecotz and is still one of our suppliers.
Why India, you ask?
In the podcast and here you can find out more about it:
The breakthrough with the backpack
This breakthrough then made MELA famous:
In 2016, MELA launched the world's first Fairtrade Cotton and GOTS-certified backpack made of organic cotton, "Ansvar I" - a "successful model" that is still available today. MELA is still the only company that offers Fairtrade Cotton and GOTS-certified backpacks.
Another milestone in 2017 was the launch of a T-shirt collection, for the production of which yarns and dyes were used at Cradle-to-Cradle level in addition to GOTS and Fairtrade.
The approach of thinking in closed material cycles accompanies us in our daily work. That is why we avoid mixed fibers . You can find out more about this concept here.
living wages
We are the first fashion label to be a licensee of the new Fairtrade textile standard . The new standard implements social standards along the entire textile supply chain for the first time.
For you, this means that our clothes are produced under fair conditions, with fair wages, improved working conditions and more say for the workers. We are particularly proud that we have not only introduced minimum wages, but real living wages - a milestone for more fairness and justice in the fashion industry.
The first triple-certified sneaker
In 2018, the first and to date only sneakers followed that are certified according to both the Fairtrade Cotton Standard and the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) and are also awarded the “Green Button”.
With a later model, the "YALA" sneaker, MELA even went a step further: The organic sole consists of at least 50% natural rubber and is the first sole in the world to be certified according to the Global Organic Latex Standard (GOLS) . The natural rubber of the sole comes from organic farming directly from our production country, Sri Lanka. Here we support rubber farmers in their transition to organic farming and finance the creation of organic vegetable gardens.
certification by the Green Button
MELA is uncompromising in its commitment to the highest certification standards: in addition to Fairtrade Cotton and the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), all products have also carried the state seal “Green Button” since 2019.
We even actively participated in its development – for fashion that meets the highest standards of fairness and ecology.
In fact, we only really started our own online shop in 2019. Until then, MELA was only available in stores.
MELA receives the Fairtrade Award
In 2020, Henning and the team were delighted to receive another award: MELA was awarded the Fairtrade Award this year for its special commitment to sustainability. The ansvar I backpack was also nominated for the German Sustainability Award.
MELA is growing and growing
Constant development and growth mean that our small startup loft is getting too small and we are moving to a much larger location in Kassel's Schillerquartier. The 2500 m2 space now houses offices, logistics, a showroom and a photo studio. While 30 employees currently work here, another 10 employees work in India.
Since 2023, the Kassel-based WELLGROUP has been one of the shareholders of mela wear GmbH and shares MELA's values for responsible business.
Range expansion with MELA HOME
The first sustainable home textiles will be available under the “MELA home” label at the end of 2023. In addition to bed linen and fitted sheets, other products will be available in the future.
The socks are also new and a real innovation! In addition to organic cotton, we use ROICA, a sustainable alternative to polyamide, and still manage to offer a pair of socks for under €10. That makes us pretty proud.
expansion of the management
Bernhard has been supporting our team as second managing director since 2024. As an expert in marketing, sales and e-commerce, he and Henning are setting the course for further growth and you can look forward to what the future holds for MELA and you as a customer!
Thanks to your support, we can make a difference together - for people and the environment, here and in India. Your contribution means that organic cotton is grown sustainably, water is saved and only natural, non-genetically modified seeds are used. In this way, we not only support a renewable raw material, but also promote added value for the local people.
Fair minimum wages for workers and sustainable production conditions are a matter of course for us and are only possible thanks to your support!
THANK YOU for being part of it!