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 conventional industry. We quickly added backpacks to MELA's textile range in 2016 and succeeded in developing 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 grown and grown and our company moved to Kassel in 2018. However, what has not changed until today is our great commitment to sustainability and our consistent certification of all products.

MELA's vision is to make sustainable fashion without compromise and to show that it is possible to produce products according to the highest environmental 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 of holistically sustainable textiles with a clear conscience.

Since the company was founded, we have been producing in India. The country offers ideal climatic conditions for cotton cultivation, as the plant needs a lot of moisture in the growing stage (during the monsoon) and a lot of heat in the ripening stage. Most of the world's organic cotton comes from India, so we want to leave the maximum added value in the country of origin of the raw material. By keeping the entire production from cotton growing to sewing in the same country, we additionally shorten supply routes and save emissions. We think it is important to show that sustainable production is possible everywhere and that working conditions can be improved locally.

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 actors and, for example, supported the creation of the first national textile label, the Green Button, as a pilot and licensing partner. In 2020, MELA entered into a development partnership with the GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit) and the BMZ (Bundesministerium für wirtschaftliche Zusammenarbeit und Entwicklung) as part of the developPPP.de program to promote private sector participation in sustainable development cooperation. Until 2023, MELA is now leading a joint project to support the development of the organic rubber sector in Sri Lanka.

The objectives of the project are:

To help plantations switch to organic agriculture and become EU organic certified.
To enable the rubber tappers* to build up their own organic vegetable garden.
To provide training on organic cultivation, composting and processing while maintaining high social and environmental standards for plantations and factories.

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

You want 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 our products are made from natural materials and are certified by the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), which means that they are free from harmful chemicals. The GOTS is one of the strictest seals for organically produced natural fibers. From the cultivation of cotton, where pesticides and insecticides are avoided, to the dyeing of the fabrics and packaging of the products, attention is paid to a holistic environmentally friendly production. This is regularly monitored 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. Our sustainability page explains in detail what MELA as a sustainable fashion label pays special attention to and how you can be sure that we are not greenwashing.

We always design our textiles, bags and shoes according to the Cradle to Cradle principle. Thus, we continuously optimize our products with the aim of developing closed material cycles in the textile industry. Therefore, we do not use any material mixes and take care not to create inseparable connections between different materials. In this way, we enable the recycling of as many components as possible.

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

MELA's mission is to make sustainable fashion accessible to a wide range of consumers. Our low sales prices, which are comparable to conventional branded products, can only be realized by producing in large quantities in India and spending little budget on marketing activities. Only in this way can MELA expand the market for ecological and fair textiles and show that holistic sustainable fashion does not always have to be expensive.

Currently, companies that already produce sustainably, like MELA, are being penalized economically. Why? We have much higher expenses for our products because we spend a lot of money on certifications and research and we don't 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 exactly why we believe that there must finally be a legal framework that holds 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 learn more about this topic, take a listen to our podcast "Step into the future". Here we give deeper insights into our supply chain (Episode #4), as well as the GOTS (Episode #5) and the Fairtrade Cotton Standard (Episode #6). In addition, you can find an interview with our textile producer Amit Narke on our blog, in which he tells us firsthand what drives him personally and how he tries to improve the workplace of his seamstresses (Episode #19).

Let's start with the cotton: The cotton comes from a Fairtrade- and organic-certified cooperative of smallholder farmers founded by the anandi company in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The region offers ideal climatic conditions for cotton cultivation, so that the fields do not need to be irrigated, thus saving considerable amounts of water consumption. The cotton is then processed, dyed and woven into fabric by 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 by ship to Germany. Learn more about our supply chain in our podcast episode 4 .

Our products are emission-reduced, but not yet climate-neutral. Emissions-reduced because:

• Growing organic cotton consumes less greenhouse gas emissions because no pesticides or artificial fertilizers are used.
• Our producers partly rely on renewable energies, alternative means of transport and composting. Suppliers are often in the immediate vicinity, so that unnecessary transport routes are avoided.
• When transporting products to Europe, we rely on shipping and not on air freight.
   
• All MELA products are shipped climate neutrally via DHL GoGreen.
   
• MELA obtains 100% of its electricity from renewable energy sources in Germany.

MELA is a slow fashion company with the goal to produce long-lasting favorite pieces for you in a fair and sustainable way. We are critical of the fast fashion industry and the waste it produces and want to keep our ecological footprint as low as possible. Therefore, we consciously plan conservatively with lower article quantities for new collections, so that we do not "sit on our goods". Of course, your needs are important to us and we regularly reorder our sold-out bestsellers. By the way, most of our products are always in stock.

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

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

We rely on 100% organic cotton for all our textiles. Cotton is a natural product and, unlike polyester, does not produce micro plastic particles in the form of tiny fibers that are rubbed off during washing. Blended fibers are also often much more difficult to recycle.

Our textiles are dyed with reactive dyes. These meet 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 an environmentally friendly machine wash at low temperatures. To avoid textile waste, our textiles are pre-washed and thus do not shrink during washing. 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 you to follow the textile care symbols on the label of our items.

Through intensive, two-year research and development, as well as close collaboration with producers, international laboratories and certification bodies, MELA was able to develop the world's first sneakers 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 organically produced and fairly traded materials. Organic cotton canvas, organic natural rubber and water-based glue 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 goatskin 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 do not have to worry if you get into a shower. We recommend a GOTS-certified waterproofing spray to optimize the water-repellent effect of the organic cotton canvas (do not impregnate leather).

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

All parcels within Germany are shipped with the DHL service GoGreen. GoGreen is the climate protection program of Deutsche Post DHL. The goal of GoGreen is to make the shipping of parcels climate neutral in total. Under the program, the CO² emissions generated by shipping GoGreen parcels are assessed and measured using a standardized method and offset by targeted, certified climate protection projects or climate protection projects are initiated or supported.

We ship to the following countries: Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, United Kingdom. Your country is not included and you are eager 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 possibility to pick up orders at our office in Kassel.
Please note that you have to specify SELF-PICK-UP as a shipping method when completing your order, so that you are not charged shipping costs.
You can use all payment methods available in our store.
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.
After we have received the payment for your order, your order will be packed by our logistics team. Afterwards you will receive another mail with the information when the order is ready for pickup.

Yes, delivery to a Packstation is possible. Please note, however, that you must be registered with DHL for this service. You will receive a postal number from DHL after registration with which you can send packages to Packstations.

Our delivery time is usually 1-3 business days. Since fair working conditions are particularly important to MELA and we are against night shift work and exploitation, it may occasionally come to longer delivery times on weekends and holidays. With a durable product, one day is not important, is it?

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

First you put the desired items normally in the shopping cart and go *to the checkout*. In the last step, before you send the order, there is a field in which the coupon or discount code can be entered. Discount codes cannot be combined and are therefore not redeemable for reduced merchandise.

Please check your spam folder in your mailbox first. In rare cases it can take a few hours until the order confirmation arrives in your mailbox. 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, changes or a cancellation can still be made. Please contact our customer service (service@melawear.de) as soon as possible. If you have already received a shipping confirmation by mail, a change of address is unfortunately 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 soon as possible.

If you have not made a purchase on www.melawear.de, please always contact the retailer or online store 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 special questions, 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 in due time and place a new order via our store.

In case 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.

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

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

Please send your return to the following address:

Mela Wear GmbH

Schiller Straße 50-52

34117 Kassel

You come from Kassel or the surrounding area?

You are welcome to drop off your return personally at our office:

Mela Wear GmbH

Schiller Straße 50-52

34117 Kassel

Our opening hours:

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

Friday: 8:00 - 13:00 o'clock

Please always enclose the return bill that was enclosed with your shipment so that we can assign your return.

The discount code will be deducted from the price of the items when you return them, just like when you purchase them. You will be refunded the value of the goods that you actually paid.

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

Hygiene articles (socks) from their original packaging are excluded from the right of return. It is not possible to return unpacked socks. Thank you for your understanding. 

You can subscribe to our newsletter here or at 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 clothes and keep you up to date about news and promotions. You can unsubscribe from our newsletter at any time. Click on the unsubscribe link at the end of our newsletter.

Are you looking for a sustainable and fair gift for your loved ones? Gift them a MELA voucher. Ideal also for last-minute gifts, because you receive the voucher resource-saving as a PDF by mail.

Currently we can not yet offer a repair service. Small repairs can be done at home or you can support local crafts by visiting a tailor shop.

Repairing is an important part of sustainable consumption. We will gladly send you replacement buckles free of charge. 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 Regional Development Fund.
Development. → About the European Fund