Mango Mango 3D sandals joins a Biscay firm to create the most desired sandals

SARAI VÁZQUEZ

Tradition and innovation had never been so close.We talk about crafts, yes, digital, 3D printed.A paradigm that tends bridges between the past and the future in the present.We refer to the flowers made by Comme des Machines, a Biscay laboratory located in Sondika, which are the protagonists of the new collection of mango accessories, which is composed of seven pieces: a bag, sandals, a neck and four items ofimitation jewelry.A proposal inspired by the 60s and consciously produced with the environment.«The firm contacted us in November last year.They wanted us to design some details for their accessories in the most sustainable way possible, ”says Aran Azkarate, CEO of this company.A challenge that has required a titanic effort.And that has resulted in a collection that is available in all countries where the company's online store is present.

Low heeled sandals with hand -printed flowers of mango./ Mango

It was not the first time that the textile group and the Biscay company embarked on a joint project.In September of last year, they joined their strength to create the first collection of 3D printed jewels, which became a "milestone".«It was the first time that a fashion firm directed to the mass market manufactured an full collection with this procedure.The entire world press echoed the achievement, ”recalls Azkarate.Success pushed them to launch a second line, which is already in the online store of the textile giant.Of course, on this occasion, the bar of the challenge facing the Vizcaíno laboratory was raised considerably: the Spanish chain wanted the pieces to be flexible."Very few control the production of articles with this property," they indicate from Comme des Machines.The creation process should also be as artisanal and sustainable as possible.From an inspirational moodboard that created the Spanish brand, the Comme des Machines team began working on this new project: "They wanted to work with the crochet".

Low heeled sandals with hand -printed flowers of mango./ Mango

Sandalias en 3D de Mango Mango se une con una firma vizcaína para crear las sandalias más deseadas

Thus they devised the "most efficient" pieces they had ever created."They are 'Zero Waste', that is, with them we have not produced waste," they explain.They also began an exhaustive investigation to find the flexible filament that could be dyed, until they found the thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), a recycled material made from plant waste."These elements have a very poor chromatic range," they admit.And since the flowers had to be made in the most sustainable way, they decided to provide color with natural dyes that they made with onions, spinach, turmeric and indigo, all ecological."We did it to the old woman, but we knew that this technique was going to give the flowers the artisanal spirit that the firm wanted," they say.In those days, the facilities of the Biscay company, in addition to 3D printers, was filled with buckets with dyes of all colors."Do you think we have the weird work in the world?" The team was questioned between laughs.They took the pieces between 10 and 14 weeks.

Mango

From Comme des Machines, they say that the best thing about this new collaboration with Mango is the consolidation of 3D printing as a way of working."It seems hopeful, because when we started with the project, in 2016, this way of producing seemed science fiction," says Aran.But in this project, not everything was shot.The Vizcaíno laboratory had to overcome a series of difficulties: from the size of the project to the development of the collection, which was made at a distance due to the Covid-19 Pandemia."It was crazy," he admits.

Mango

With the collection already in the firm's online store, they could not be happier.«The pieces are liking a lot, although I am not going to lie to you, it is hard for me to be objective.They are so beautiful! ”He says smiling.With this new proposal, they are also aware that they have done something that in the 90s was impossible: «Before the products were serial and identical.Now, in the flowers that we have elaborated you can see differences between the tones, not all the blue are the same.I still find it to believe it ».

For the Vizcaíno laboratory, again collaborating with Mango has made other firms that 3D impression also serves to manufacture on a large scale.Since then, Comme des Machines phone has not stopped sounding to offer them new projects with which they dreamed and today already have in their hands.Although in truth, in this company, settled in Sondika, they knew it was something that sooner or later was going to happen."What we were not clear about was when," they confess.

Mango

When Mango proposed to elaborate a first joint collection, they recognize that they had to think about it: «In the beginning, we were afraid that our audience and the brands with which we already worked would sit them badly.I consider that we have many prejudices about large companies that will not take us anywhere ».For Comme des Machines, the construction of a "better future" includes everyone, small businesses and large.For this reason, they decided to take the step and get involved in the project."In addition, we were sure that the incorporation of this type of production in fashion giants was going to be a" very important lever of change ".

Mango

And from the laboratory, they ensure that 3D impression is "the advanced technology that takes care of the planet".«This way of producing has so many advantages that we could be talking about them a whole day: the pieces are made from waste, the materials are degradable, it allows to manufacture without inventories and the machines only draw what is going to be used, we can equateIts operation to a pastry bag...", bill.In addition, they underline that this process is "totally competitive" for companies, since it is very fast and allows modifications, ”he explains.In fact, fashion houses such as Moses Nieto, Corres, Betolaza or Becomely swell the list of clients of this Biscayan laboratory.And now mango points to these flowers born in Sondika.

Más sobre Comme des Machines

The laboratory was founded in 2016 by Aran Azkarate, Andrés Iglesias, Suso García and Jon Mikel Azkarate. «Llevábamos ya un par de años realizando proyectos vinculados a la impresión 3D", billn.They discovered what was happening in the sector and set out to enter it fully."We wanted to try to what extent was what we had heard and their alternatives," they indicate.In this way, they realized that the technique was useful for manufacturing all kinds of products."Challenging everything they said, we founded the Comme des Machines project," they indicate.In fact, one of his first orders was for Honest By, Bruno Pietters' fashion firm, which they consider "the most sustainable person on the planet".For him they developed, nothing more and nothing less, that the first downloadable fashion collection. «Los consumidores podían imprimirla con su impresora 3D", billn.

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Sondika, Moda
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