MINGO

MINGO designs its clothing in a Rotterdam-based studio and collaborates with small-scale workshops in Portugal for production. The brand opts for European partners due to the EU’s stringent labour regulations, ensuring ethical practices. This commitment has led to long-standing partnerships with these ateliers.

Additionally, MINGO makes regular visits to their sewing workshops to foster strong connections with the team and maintaining a good understanding of their production processes. During these visits, they capture photos and videos to provide customers with an exclusive behind-the-scenes glimpse into the creation of their clothing.

The primary material in MINGO’s collection is organic cotton, which is sourced from Portugal, claims MINGO. Due to their reliance on small production workshops, MINGO faces challenges in certifying their production process. Certification requires significant financial investment and time, which is not feasible for smaller workshops. Consequently, MINGO uses uncertified organic cotton in their clothing, acknowledging that without certification, it’s difficult to verify the absence of chemicals in the production process.

MINGO incorporates both polyester and recycled polyester in their products. However, due to the environmental impact of the polyester recycling process, the brand has decided to discontinue using recycled polyester from Autumn 2023. When polyester is used, it’s always as a mono-material, without blending with other fabrics, to facilitate potential recycling of the clothes after their use.

MINGO is committed to environmentally friendly practices in their packaging as well, using recyclable and recycled materials. Their shipments are packaged in degradable plastic and recycled paper bags.

A key factor in clothing circularity is the composition of materials. MINGO emphasizes the use of mono-materials, creating garments from a single type of material. This approach is adopted because blends can complicate recycling, as separating different materials is often challenging.

MINGO further supports circular fashion by providing repair services for a fee, working alongside the Rotterdam City Council to ensure local accessibility. Furthermore, if a parcel is returned, they conduct a thorough inspection for defects, clean the item, and prepare it for resale.

At a glance, MINGO appears to have a short supply chain with all its clothing produced in Portugal. However, the complete picture of the supply chain, particularly the origins of materials, remains unclear. Often, cotton and polyester are sourced from distant countries like China or India, which could potentially impact the efficiency and sustainability of MINGO’s supply chain.

MINGO does not use any animal-derived materials in their products.

The vibrant colours and prints in MINGO’s collection are a hit with both parents and children. Drawing slight inspiration from Scandinavian style, this Dutch brand creates playful children’s clothing, perfect for young explorers eager to discover the world!

Although the brand releases a collection twice a year, the clothes can be worn all year round. The timeless designs are therefore easy to combine across collections.

The brand produces in small runs to avoid overstock. When overstock does occur, MINGO collaborates with ​‘Across The Street’, an outlet shop for sustainable children’s clothing.

MINGO is transparent about their own inner workings and the Portuguese sewing studio. You can even visit their shop/​atelier in Rotterdam!

Unfortunately, there is limited information available about the origins of MINGO’s materials. This lack of clarity makes it challenging to determine the full extent of their supply chain and the environmental impact of the materials used.