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Best Practice: Environment

Manual Divat Kft.

Fashion Business · Hungary

Pioneering Sustainability in the Glove Industry

Manual Divat Kft. won the local award in the category of environmental protection. The family-owned company was established in 2012 and boasts a close-knit team with strong professional skills. Though in Hungary the company distributes its products under the registered trademark “Karma Pécsi Kesztyű”, 80% of sales are made internationally under the name “Karma Leather Gloves”.

Taking ownership of a green future
Pécs, the city in which the company is located, has an impressive 161-year history of glove production. Despite the long tradition, the sustainable transformation of the industry appears to be a real challenge. Manual Divat Kft. has taken steps in this direction and has prepared its own sustainability plan and roadmap to put it into practice. A number of innovative projects have been launched in recent years in line with the company’s new strategy and in response to the global Covid-19 pandemic: a new line of disinfectable and antibacterial leather gloves, for example, has been developed.

Sustainable user experiences
The company intends to use the prize received from the local SME EnterPRIZE competition to extend the life cycle of its products by increasing their durability and tracking their lifespan. To make this ambition possible, the company will develop a section on its website dedicated to customers, who will be able to register purchased gloves by entering a unique production number. This will enable Manual Divat Kft. to better understand consumers’ glove use habits.

Registered users will also have access to educational content on how to extend the lifespan of their gloves. In addition, it will be easier to request glove repair and collect worn-out or unwanted pieces. Recovered gloves can be disposed of or recycled in accordance with waste management regulations, thus contributing to environmental protection. The company’s long-term goal is to develop an alternative material made from leather waste with properties similar to real leather.

For more information about the company, visit: www.karmapecsikesztyu.hu

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