2030 is the deadline that Mango has set for all its products to be made with recyclable organic materials and its garments follow circularity criteria, that is, they are not made with a mixture of materials and have a simple design capable of giving them a second life. . Last month, the Catalan textile giant took several steps to achieve this by launching its circular denim capsule, a series of completely recyclable and reusable pieces of denim. “Denim is a type of garment with a great environmental impact in terms of the use of chemicals or water in the finishing and washing processes. For this reason, Mango has made the garments in this denim collection minimizing their environmental impact in areas such as the use of chemicals or water, working with suppliers that can offer production processes with water savings, and we have incorporated a explanatory graphic for our clients on circular design, thus also minimizing the production of paper labels”, explains Andrés Fernández, director of sustainability and sourcing at Mango, to S Moda. But for a garment, in this case denim, to be completely circular, it has to follow more criteria, beyond environmental ones in its production. The new denim garments have been designers only with cotton fibers, a minimum of 20% of recycled origin, and the suppression of accessories such as trims or labels, which make recycling difficult. “Circular design represents a new way of working for all the teams: design, purchasing, product… The first challenge is the constant training and learning of all these teams throughout the development of the garment and throughout the manufacturing process. », explains Fernandez. The idea is that, in addition, these teams get used to working with design and pattern making in 3d, to minimize excess. «3D means not only a reduction in samples and therefore textile waste, but also mitigating part of the impact on the planet since CO2 emissions are reduced by having fewer samples sent. At the labor level, it does not mean a reduction in labor because the people who are in charge of the design are still necessary for the design of the garment, what changes is the technology of how this design is made”, argues the director of sustainability.
Photo: Courtesy of Mango
This is one of the many steps that Mango intends to take in the next six years: » the strategy establishes three lines of action: the first, Give it back to the loop It contemplates creating garments with a simpler design, with a single type of fiber or fewer accessories, to achieve greater recyclability. The second, Extended life, consisting of betting on designing more durable garments thanks to the use of selected materials with physical properties certified by AITEX, the reinforced construction of the garment and the timeless design; and the third, No Waste, is focused on maximizing the use of the materials used and the reincorporation of textile waste”, says Fernández.
Photo: Courtesy of Mango
However, circularity is a two-way street. It is useless to design a recyclable product if the consumer does not know what to do with it after use: «it is the responsibility of everyone in the textile industry (administration, companies, associations and entities) to do more pedagogy and explain more to society in general the end of useful life of the products”, says Fernández. Mango, in this case, has more than 780 containers in 18 countries for customers to deposit their garments, “and we donate them to different partners with whom we work both nationally and internationally for the correct management, reuse and recycling of this residue. In addition, the initiative is part of our loyalty program, Mango Likes You, so that customers who deposit clothes receive Likes to accumulate in their account and exchange for movie tickets, discounts or donate to social action projects”, he says. . «Adequate channels already exist for the correct management of textile waste, for example, in the containers that are on the street dedicated exclusively to this purpose, such as those that many brands have in their stores so that people can deposit them there your garments and they are managed correctly. In fact, in Spain, from 2025 the extended producer responsibility required by the Law on Waste and Contaminated Soils will come into force, which will also help increase the options available to citizens for the management of textile waste. Now it is only necessary to raise awareness among brands and their consumers.
Photo: Courtesy of Mango
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