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12 May

How Ethical Is Mango?

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Founded in 1984 by brothers Isak Andic and Nahman Andic in Barcelona, Mango is one of the leading fashion retailers, and aims to inspire the world by sharing its passion for Mediterranean style and culture.

With its feminine style and timeless classics, Mango is often compared to Zara and other Inditex-owned brands. But Mango has a mind and aesthetic of its own and has grown to have over 1,200 stores in more than 90 countries worldwide.

But what about Mango’s impact on our planet and its inhabitants? It has been reported that the Spanish brand is making progress on the sustainability front, so today we take a closer look at Mango’s environmental and social practices. We ask, how ethical is Mango? This article is based on the Mango rating published in February 2022.

Environmental Impact

Mango uses some eco-friendly materials, including organic cotton. However, we found no evidence the brand reduces its carbon and other greenhouse gas emissions in its supply chain, that it implements water reduction initiatives, or that it has taken meaningful action to reduce or eliminate hazardous chemicals. Despite some progress when it comes to the materials used, Mango still has a long way to go and its environmental impact is ‘Not Good Enough’.

Labour Conditions

Mango’s labour rating is also ‘Not Good Enough’. While some of its supply chain is certified by Business Social Compliance Initiative Code of Conduct – BSCI and Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit – SMETA Best Practice Guidance in the final stage of production, the brand is not fully transparent about its practices, having received a score of 21-30% in the Fashion Transparency Index. Mango likely publishes information about its supplier policies, audits and remediation processes, but it does not publish a comprehensive list of suppliers or information about forced labour, gender equality, or freedom of association. What’s more, when the Rana Plaza collapsed and killed thousands of garment workers in Bangladesh in 2013, Mango refused to disclose its donation to the fund set up by the ILO to collect compensation for the victims. We also found no evidence Mango ensures payment of a living wage in its supply chain, or that it has adequate policies or safeguards to protect suppliers and workers in its supply chain from the impacts of COVID-19.

Animal Welfare

While Mango uses wool, leather, exotic animal hair, and down, it stopped using fur, angora, and exotic animal skin. The brand has a general statement about minimising animal suffering but not a formal animal welfare policy, and we found no evidence it traces any animal products to the first stage of production. ‘Not Good Enough’!

Overall Rating: Not Good Enough

Mango’s progress on sustainable fibres is not enough to give a rating higher than ‘Not Good Enough’. The Spanish brand needs to start disclosing more information about its labour and animal welfare practices, but most importantly it needs to ensure its workers are paid a living wage and are protected from the impacts of COVID-19.

Note that Good On You ratings consider 100s of issues, and it is not possible to list every relevant issue in a summary of the brand’s performance. For more information, see our How We Rate page and our FAQs.

See the rating.

The good news is that we’ve found some fantastic alternatives to Mango! The brands below capture Mango’s Mediterannean essence without the negative impacts on the planet, people, and animals.

Good Swaps

Sustainable alternatives to Mango

MATE the Label

Rated: Good

MATE the Label creates clean essentials made with GOTS certified organic fabrics and lower-impact dyes. Its goal is to offer women everywhere a clean product that is just as beautiful as it is responsible. It is proudly female-founded and is predominately operated by women. This US brand also manufactures locally to reduce its carbon footprint.

Find the range in inclusive sizes XS-3XL.

See the rating.

Shop MATE the Label.

A.BCH

Rated: Great
Asian woman wearing red sleeveless skivvy dress by A.BCH.

A.BCH is a Melbourne-based, Australian-made fashion label for individuals who care about garment provenance. It utilises renewable, organic, and recycled materials.

Find the range in sizes XS-XL, or customise to fit you.

See the rating.

Shop A.BCH.

Mila.Vert

Rated: Great

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Mila.Vert makes chic, minimalist clothes that have a distinctly modern feel. The Slovenia-based brand produces clothes in small batches based on a pre-order system to minimise waste and help to avoid the ethical and environmental issues that the fashion industry represents.

Find the garments in sizes XS-XL.

See the rating.

Shop Mila.Vert.

Shop Mila.Vert @ Immaculate Vegan.

Dorsu

Rated: Great
woman wearing grey dorsu turtleneck

Based in Cambodia, Dorsu creates everyday basics and key signature favourites that form the core of any conscious wardrobe.

You can find the full range in XS-XL.

See the rating.

Shop Dorsu.

Shop Dorsu @ Wearwell.

Mashu

Rated: Good
Peach mashu mini tote

Mashu is a British more sustainable vegan accessories label specialising in handbags. Mashu’s environmental rating is "Good", crafting its exterior with vegan leather alternatives while its interiors feature vegan suede made from recycled polyester, ensuring you never have to sacrifice your morals for style again.

See the rating.

Shop Mashu.

Label By Three

Rated: Great
woman wearing floral blouse by label by three

Founded by three women of colour, Label By Three set out to “write the narrative of what an ethical brand truly is, and how meaningful our practices as a small business can be to our community.” Inclusive and transparent, Label By Three exclusively uses deadstock fabrics sourced in the USA, and all garments are vegan-friendly.

See the rating.

Shop Label By Three.

Editor's note

Feature image via Mango, all other images via brands mentioned. Good On You publishes the world’s most comprehensive ratings of fashion brands’ impact on people, the planet and animals. Use our Directory to search thousands of rated brands.

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