MELA was founded in 2014 by Henning Siedentopp at Leuphana University in Lüneburg. The aim was to bring economic, social and environmental requirements together within one company and to question existing production conditions in the textile industry.

In 2016, backpacks were added to the textile range. As part of this, MELA developed a backpack certified according to the Fairtrade Cotton Standard and the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS). Since then, our range has grown, and in 2018 the company moved to Kassel.

Today, all MELA textiles are certified according to Fairtrade Cotton, GOTS and the Green Button.

Our vision is to develop certified textiles and offer them at affordable prices. Our textiles are certified according to Fairtrade Cotton, the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) and the Green Button. These standards set verifiable social and environmental requirements for different areas of production and the supply chain.

All MELA textiles are certified according to the Fairtrade Cotton Standard, the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) and the Green Button. The three certifications cover different social and environmental requirements.

The Fairtrade Cotton Standard focuses in particular on cotton cultivation and trade. GOTS sets requirements for the processing of certified organic fibres and includes criteria for areas such as chemicals, wastewater and social standards. The Green Button is a government-run certification label that sets requirements for both the product and corporate due diligence processes. Compliance with the respective requirements is checked as part of the certification process.

Since our founding, our products have been made in India. The country offers suitable climatic conditions for cotton cultivation: the plants need moisture while growing and warmth during the ripening stage.

Cotton cultivation and several subsequent processing steps also take place in India. Depending on the product, these steps may include spinning, dyeing, weaving, knitting and sewing. We provide information about the respective production facilities and supply chains on our website.

Since our founding, we have worked with various development organisations. As a pilot and licensing partner, MELA was involved, among other things, in the development of the German government textile certification label Green Button.

From 2020 to 2023, MELA participated in a development partnership with the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) as part of the developPPP.de programme. The project supported the development of the organic rubber sector in Sri Lanka.

The measures included:

• supporting plantations in transitioning to organic agriculture and obtaining EU organic certification,
• establishing organic vegetable gardens for rubber tappers, and
• providing training in organic farming, composting and processing.

As part of the project, natural rubber for soles was developed and certified according to the Global Organic Latex Standard (GOLS).

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 MELA textiles are certified according to the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS). The standard sets requirements for the processing of textiles made from certified organic fibres. These include specifications and limit values for the use of certain chemicals, wastewater treatment, and social criteria within the certified stages of production.

Compliance with these requirements is monitored by independent certification bodies as part of the certification system. You can find more information about GOTS and the scope of our certification on our “Certifications” page.

For us, quality means carefully selected materials, durable construction wherever possible, and timeless design. In addition, all MELA textiles are certified according to Fairtrade Cotton, GOTS and the Green Button. On our Certifications page, we explain the specific social and environmental requirements covered by these three standards.

During product development, we assess how many different materials are actually needed for an item to function as intended. Wherever possible, we also use cotton for components such as sewing threads, embroidery threads, labels and padding.

However, we do not avoid additional materials when they are necessary for a product’s function. These may include, for example, elastane for the fit of certain socks, as well as metal parts, buckles or zips. You can find the exact material composition on the respective product page.

For selected backpacks, individual components such as buckles can be replaced. Whether and how a product can actually be recycled depends on its material composition and the recycling processes available.

All garments 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.

We want to offer textiles certified according to Fairtrade Cotton, GOTS and the Green Button at affordable prices. To make this possible, we work with long-term production partners and order larger quantities of selected products.

We focus on timeless designs and usually launch two main collections per year. We also plan our order quantities as closely as possible to actual demand. Most of our production partners for the different processing stages are based in India.

Implementing and monitoring social and environmental requirements involves additional effort and costs for companies. At MELA, this includes certification fees, audits and ongoing collaboration with our production partners.

We therefore support a binding legal framework that requires companies to identify human rights and environmental risks in their supply chains and to take appropriate measures.

All MELA textiles are certified according to Fairtrade Cotton, GOTS and the Green Button. These standards set different requirements for cotton cultivation, textile processing and corporate due diligence. Compliance is checked as part of the respective certification processes.

In addition, we work with selected production partners on a long-term basis and stay in regular contact with them. You can find further insights into our supply chain, as well as more information about GOTS and Fairtrade Cotton, in our podcast “Step into the Future”.

The cotton used for the T-shirt described here comes from a Fairtrade- and organic-certified cooperative of smallholder farmers in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. Please note that the specific supply chain may vary depending on the product and production period.

After cultivation, the cotton is processed in India. At Maral Overseas, it is turned into dyed yarns and fabrics. The fabric is then cut and sewn into a T-shirt by our production partner Purecotz. The finished product is packaged and transported to Germany by sea.

You can find further insights into this supply chain in Episode 4 of our podcast.

Where possible, we transport our regularly produced goods from India to Europe by sea and avoid air freight whenever we can. Some of our production partners also operate their own renewable energy systems or implement additional measures at their facilities.

At our company location in Germany, we use electricity from renewable energy sources. Orders within Germany are shipped using DHL’s GoGreen service. Using this service does not mean that the products ordered or the individual shipment are climate-neutral.

For this reason, we do not describe our products as climate-neutral or make blanket claims that they are lower in emissions.

We plan the order quantities for new collections carefully, taking into account factors such as previous sales figures for comparable products. Our aim is to avoid ordering significantly more stock than we expect to sell.

Where possible, we reorder sold-out items that are in regular demand. Most of our range is available on a permanent or recurring basis.

Organically grown cotton is the main material used in our textiles. Many of our products are made from 100% cotton. Where additional materials are required for a product’s function, we list them in the respective product description. These may include, for example, elastane, metal components, zips or buckles.

The cotton used in our textiles is certified according to the Fairtrade Cotton Standard. Our textiles are also certified according to the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) and the Green Button. You can find the full material composition on the respective product page.

At present, we mainly use virgin materials in our products and recycled materials only in selected, clearly labelled components. The exact material composition is listed on the respective product page.

During product development, we assess whether different materials can be avoided or individual components can be replaced. For selected backpacks, for example, damaged buckles can be replaced. Whether a product can later be recycled depends on its specific material composition and the recycling processes available.

Many of our textiles are made from 100% organically grown cotton. Where the intended function allows, we also use cotton for components such as sewing threads, embroidery threads, labels and padding.

Some products require additional materials. Our socks, for example, contain elastane to ensure the necessary fit and stretch. You can find the full material composition on the respective product page.

Reactive dyes are used for our textiles. The dyes and auxiliaries used must comply with the requirements of the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS). The standard restricts the use of certain chemicals and sets limit values for specific residues.

However, this does not allow us to make a general claim that our textiles are suitable for people with allergies. If you are sensitive to certain substances, we recommend seeking medical advice before wearing the product or contacting our customer service team.

Please always follow the care instructions on the label of the respective product. Many of our textiles can be machine-washed at low temperatures. Wash them only as often as necessary and use the temperature stated on the care label.

Our backpacks, bags and shoes are not suitable for machine washing and should be cleaned by hand according to the respective care instructions. For items made from cotton canvas, you can use a waterproofing spray that is suitable for the material. Leather components should not be treated with waterproofing spray.

You can find more tips in our Care Guide.

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 and 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 craftsmanship 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