Is Mango Fast Fashion? An Expert Breakdown!
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When someone says fashion brands, some names immediately go through our minds. Zara, Ralph Laurent, Calvin Klein, Mango, and more. These are some brands that have created a lasting impact on the fashion industry by introducing classic pieces and developing their sense of style that caters to a large audience. The start for today is the fashion brand Mango.
It is impossible for anyone to love fashion and not have heard about Mango before because it is everywhere. Although it was created in 1984 in Barcelona by Isak and Nahman Andik, who traveled from Istanbul to Spain to begin their fashion journey, Mango can now be found in almost every country of the world. It has become one of those brands that have always been there and you know you can rely on it to dress you up.
The brothers came up with the name Mango for a very simple reason. Just as the fruit mango is loved and adored by people all over the world, they also wanted this brand to be renowned across the globe. We can safely say that the brand has managed to achieve its central goal because fashion is incomplete without mentioning Mango.
This reflects the brand’s image statement which is “We are Mango. We create fashion.” These are two short lines but their impact is quite deep. It immediately helps associate the entire concept behind fashion with Mango for the reader. It is also a testament to the brand’s history of four decades where it managed to distinguish itself from a sea of other fashion brands, all wanting to make it to the top.
Mango admits to being fast fashion on its website by saying, “Mango’s creative team works every day to translate the fashion trends into our language.” This proves that Mango works on a fast fashion model of adapting recent market trends but it does this with a twist. Mango is not famous for no reason. It brings its twist to every trend and personalizes each article to suit the Mango image.
Sustainability Rating: 5/10
Category: Clothes, Shoes, Accessories, Jewelry
For: Women, Men, Kids
Products: Dresses, Tops, Denim, Boots, Necklaces
Style: Casual, Chic, Classic
Quality: Low
Prices: -
Size: 2XS – 2XL (International Sizes)
Fabrics: Cotton, Polyester, Nylon, Viscose, Elastane, Leather, Wool, Linen
100% Organic: No
100% Vegan: No
Ethical and Fair: No
Recycling: No
Manufacturing Countries: Not Transparent Enough
Certifications: Not Transparent Enough
In just over four decades, Mango has grown to the extent that it has 2600 physical stores in the world with each of them thriving in their way. Mango’s chic and classic styles attract customers of all ages. It represents the contemporary lifestyle with its minimal cuts and modern designs, combining high-end fashion with street-end fashion.
In 2008, it began a men’s fashion line called Mango Man which soared in fame because just like its women’s line, the brand made no compromises for men’s fashion either. The brand employed the football player, Zinedine Zidane, for this collection and it offers suits, jeans, t-shirts, and everything a man may need.
Mango is known for its affordable prices, at least as compared to other high-end fashion brands, and introduces new designs almost every other day. It is often grouped with the same company as Zara and Ralph Laurent, but Mango does not belong to the same company. It has its distinct style that sets it apart from other brands.
Just as Mango is passionate about fashion, it is also quite driven towards sustainability. It has a strong belief that fashion has the power to transform the world but the brand also strives to take responsibility for it. By incorporating eco-friendly materials, carrying out processes that do not harm the environment, and providing equal opportunities for all individuals, Mango wants to be 100% sustainable and ethical.
According to our research, we have concluded that Mango falls on the average spectrum on the sustainability scale. It does take admirable actions but it still has a long way to go. It started its sustainability journey in 2002 and since then, it has appointed a team that makes sure that the brand employs environmentally-friendly materials and takes steps to reduce its carbon footprint.
Mango’s Environmental Report is praise-worthy as it contains the necessary data and goals for the future and how it intends to take them. Denim is one of the most harmful pollutants in the fashion industry due to which many companies participated in being transparent about their denim manufacturing, and Mango was one of them.
According to Mango, many of its fabrics like cotton and polyester are certified by top companies like BSCI and FDA but it does not mention how much organic or recycled material can be found in each garment. Companies often label their clothing as recycled even though it only has a small percentage of such material. It has tried to reduce the emission of harmful gases and toxic wastes as much as possible but it has a goal to reach net zero by 2030.
In 2020, Mango joined SAC (Sustainable Apparel Coalition) which is made to promote ethicality and sustainability in the supply chain and urges companies to be transparent. However, it received a rating of only 20% from the Fashion Transparency Index for the brand’s lack of transparency. This casts doubt on other claims made by the brand.
Presently, Mango claims that 79% of its garments are made using sustainable materials and it intends to use 100% organic cotton in all of its items by 2025. It has further plans for using recycled polyester and cellulose fibers in its garments. It has intended to eliminate the use of plastic bags in all of its stores.
But Mango has not revealed its water consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, or the percentage of harmful gases released. It is quite vague in a lot of its details like not expanding on how much “some recycled material” or “some sustainable material” means. This is a significant reason that the GoodOnYou directory has given it a rating of “Not Good Enough” overall.
Mango is also not held in high esteem for its labor rights as it did not participate in a meeting held for the victims of the Rana Plaza factory. Also, it has failed to publish a list detailing its factories, workers, and suppliers. Mango claims though, that it does not use factories in Asian countries and instead has some in Spain and Turkey.
We suggest that you decide for yourself whether you should buy from Mango or not as an eco-conscious person because Mango is teetering on the edge between taking enough steps and not taking enough steps. Overall, it is making steady progress that should be appreciated.
Mango - Fashion Retailers: Ethical Sustainable Comparison- The Good Shopping Guide
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How Ethical Is Mango? - Good On You
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