MAG and Corporate Responsibility
Our shoes are designed in the Netherlands and crafted in Portugal, we maintain every aspect of production within Europe. By producing locally and following both Portuguese and European standards, we make sure that our shoes meet quality and ethical guidelines in every pair. Our leather comes from Spain, Portugal, and Italy. No animal is raised solely for our products; we make it a priority to source leather as a byproduct of the food industry to minimize environmental impact.
We also use naturally tanned leathers like Biocouro, a biodegradable, eco-friendly material that requires less water and fewer chemicals. Although this process may lead to occasional, subtle irregularities in the leather, we take pride in these as a mark of our sustainability efforts.
Handmade means truly handmade. With every pair of shoes we offer, we try to balance both durability and environmental care. This emphasis on durable materials and artisanal production means that our shoes come with a price tag. That is why we are online-only at mag.nl, eliminating the need for intermediaries and extra costs.
While the majority of our products are produced within Europe, we make an exception for our socks, which are sourced from a trusted partner in China, certified by BDSI. Much can still be done, but we will take the steps forward with ambition.
CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY
At MAG, we find it important to contribute within our possibilities to sustainable production and fair working conditions for everyone who contributes to our products within the chain.
We are well aware that many companies mention similar matters while they are not transparent about it. The danger is that concepts such as 'responsible', 'sustainable' and 'fair' become empty shells that are easy to claim, but lose their added value for the consumer. This does not seem to us to be the right way towards a cleaner and better world.
That is why we would like to give an account of how our products come about.
The entire collection is designed in the Netherlands, after which prototypes are developed in cooperation with Portuguese manufacturers.
All shoes are produced in northern Portugal in the area around Felgueiras. None of our partners/manufacturers outsource work to other countries, not even the so-called low-wage countries. The companies comply with all requirements of the Portuguese and European (EC) legislation. The production of MAG shoes involves a lot of handwork. The hand stitching of the traditional moccasin method for which MAG is known is partly done in special sewing ateliers and partly through home work. Always within the applicable rules of the labour laws.
The materials used in the making of the shoes are all of European origin. The leather comes from tanneries in Portugal, Spain and Italy. The "vegan" textiles used come from weaving mills in Spain. The soles are all made in Portugal and the raw materials for the soles come from Italy, Spain and Portugal. All other components such as lining, zips, laces, heel reinforcement etc. also have a European, mostly Portuguese, origin.
Many types of leather are tanned naturally or vegetally. This is always mentioned in the article description. This may mean that less water and few or no metals are used in the production process and dyeing. The 'Biocouro' process is special, in which less water and no metals are used and in which the leather is ultimately also 100% biodegradable. The result can be that small irregularities in the leather are visible (such as a scar). We believe that as long as these are small irregularities, this is not a problem and actually contributes to the traditional character of the shoes.
Although we inquire after the origin of all components. In all honesty, we do not have the means or the opportunity to actually check the origin of all components.
With MAG, handmade really means handmade. So not just a man or woman holding a shoe by a machine but actually work with a traditional character such as hand stitching and polishing effects on the leather. The traditional way of making shoes also gives MAG shoes that unique nonchalant character that distinguishes them from mass production.
Because we opt for 100% European production and a fair reward for the employees of the producers, MAG shoes have a price tag. It is our aim to offer the best possible and honest product at a reasonable price.
It is important that the Online-Only sales do not inflate the sales prices because of extra links (such as middlemen and shops). MAG also works directly with manufacturers in development and production, without intermediaries.
The exception to the European production is accessories. Socks and (toe) slippers are imported from China. We have had a good working relationship with the companies that supply us with these products for a long time and they are BDSI certified. This means that the companies are inspected and audited by a neutral authority that monitors the working conditions.
There is still a lot of work to do. The transition to the exclusive use of sustainably produced raw materials, clean transport and more monitoring of compliance with the agreements will still take years, but we promise to be ambitious and keep making steps forward.