Mavi Celebrates 10 Years of Protecting Turtles
Mavi’s new drop is part of its decade-long effort to protect endangered sea turtles.
The Turkish denim brand launched its annual Indigo Turtles T-shirts collection that support the Ecological Research Society’s (EKAD) Indigo Turtles Project. The project’s mission is to protect Caretta caretta and Chelonia mydas, two species of sea turtles native to the Mediterranean.
More from Sourcing Journal
Fashion Brands Offered Turkish Suppliers 'Bare Minimum' Following Earthquakes
Denim Brands Offer Utility, Coordinates and Ready-to-Wear at Project Las Vegas
Mongolian Cashmere Exposé Puts Luxury Giants in the Hot Seat
Mavi has supported the project for 10 years with exclusive products that give back to EKAD. This year’s unisex tee features “save the turtles” in blue cursive on the front, and a blue turtle swimming underwater labeled “indigo turtles project” on the back. The $28 T-shirts are made with sustainable materials and BCI cotton in line with Mavi’s sustainable strategy.
For every T-shirt sold, five baby sea turtles are adopted. Mavi also makes a financial contribution to their natural habitat.
As a Mediterranean brand, Cüneyt Yavuz, Mavi CEO, said the annual effort is meaningful to the company and Mavi employees. Along with hundreds of university volunteers from Turkey and around the world, employees join EKAD’s efforts in Belek, near Antalya, from June to September. Some camp on the beaches to protect the mature eggs from external threats and help hatchlings climb out of their nests to reach the water.
“By purchasing products from the collection, our customers become voluntary supporters of the project, and symbolically adopt five sea turtle hatchlings,” Yavuz said. “This collaboration with EKAD perfectly aligns with our mission to create a positive impact on the environment, as we strive to contribute to a more sustainable future for our planet together with our community.”
Since beginning the project over two decades ago, EKAD has helped over 2 million turtles make it to the sea. At just 350 it started in the region, nests last year numbered 1,652. More than 56,000 newborns made it into their watery home last year, Mavi reported.
“The key element of our efforts here is to mitigate the negative impact that humans have caused. The support of Mavi toward this project is very valuable for us,” said Dr. Ali Fuat Canbolat, EKAD president. “We are grateful that we have their help in educating people vacationing in this region that this is a major sea turtle nesting ground. We value the importance of raising awareness in the community through this project.”
