We talk to Tavie Fife, the founder of eco-luxury men’s swimwear brand Mangata London.
Tell us about Mangata London…
Mangata London is a men’s swimwear brand built with the environment in mind. We use a fabric made from recycled plastic bottles repurposed from the ocean and landfill. The material is soft, super quick dry and durable, perfect for swimwear.
How long did it take you to create the brand, and how is it going?
I would say 3 years of research and trial and error to get the right suppliers in place (the manufacturing process has been one step forward and two steps back!) and then I launched the brand two years ago. I was still working full time until very recently so that would have slowed up the process! It’s an emotional rollercoaster but I am continuously learning and I love it!
What are the pillars of the company?
The brand came about from a love for the ocean having grown up on the north Norfolk coast but it has evolved into a desire to protect the ocean. Through Mangata I aim to build awareness of the environmental crisis we are in, to educate people, change consumer’s habits and encourage corporations to change theirs. Our values are to be transparent and authentic as we grow.
Who is your customer?
Our customer is someone looking for something different yet timeless; a man that values quality but not with an extortionate price tag. Someone that loves to travel and try new things but also loves the classics. Our varying designs span all ages so there’s something for everyone!
How would you like the company to evolve over the next 5 years? Do you have any immediate goals?
My immediate focus is the crowdfunding campaign I am currently working on. NatWest have partnered with Crowdfunder for a programme called Back Her Business – designed to combat the gender gap between entrepreneurs in the UK and encourage more female entrepreneurs! They will match your target if you reach it! This does involve me having to talk in front of a camera though which is terrifying!
We are shortly introducing a children’s range which I am really excited about. I would love to grow our community to children, they are the future and they have to live with the world we leave behind.
My main goal over the next couple of years is to become a B corp – this is the highest standard of certification for transparency, accountability and performance. A company that balances profit and purpose, creating value for the community and the environment.
All imagery used in this article credit: Olivia Bossert Photography
