The power of
fashionable storytelling

Do good, feel good

Do you know where your clothes come from and how they are made? For many consumers, that's a difficult question to answer. It all feels quite intangible, and we want to believe the ‘nice’ stories fashion brands tell us. But the media often reveals a less rosy reality. That’s exactly what Aduu Mal set out to change, by launching a new fashion label based on Mongolian leather – with full transparency about every step of the process. Because only when you know the full story can you make a choice that’s not just good for you, but good for the world too. A classic case of Do good, feel good – as they like to say at Aduu Mal.

It starts with sustainable partnerships

Fashion label Aduu Mal is an initiative by MiM – Genuine Mongolia and Stahl. Their shared goal is to make leather production in Mongolia more sustainable. MiM – Genuine Mongolia brings local connections and expertise, while Stahl – a global leader in chemistry – is responsible for improving the environmental footprint of the production process. And since GI and Stahl go way back, they brought us on board to support the launch of the brand and handle all related communications. A challenge that made our pink (or should we say green) hearts beat a little faster!

A story that deserves to be told

Let’s start with the basics: Aduu Mal is Mongolian for ‘herd’ and finds its roots in the Mongolian heartlands. Not only does the leather used in the collection come from livestock that has died of natural causes such as age or weakness, but the local Mongolian community is also trained to use only chemicals in the tanning process that are safe for people, animals, and the environment. On top of that, they learn how to recycle wastewater. All under fair and proper working conditions. At this new brand, sustainability is far more than just a buzzword. It was up to GI to do justice to that story!

Following a brand positioning session to explore the look, feel and potential of the label, it became clear that this original story was the perfect hook for all communications. From there, we crafted a compelling brand story: one that begins with a Mongolian herder named ‘Badu’ and takes the audience on a journey through the transparent production process. This story laid the foundation for rolling out the overarching strategy across multiple levels.

Storytelling that makes you feel good

With the foundation in place, it was time to translate this hook into visual language across all communication touchpoints. GI designed the logo based on the shape of traditional Mongolian herder saddles – once again referring to our herder ‘Badu’. We also created the website, where consumers can use a code on their product to trace exactly which herd the leather in their item came from. The visual identity centred around the Mongolian steppe, featuring images of vast open landscapes and the people and animals at the heart of the brand. A model was also selected, and the tanned leather was captured in a fashion-forward way to complete the look.

To further share the story of Aduu Mal and introduce the world to this new fashion label, we brought on board well-known fashion designers. They became ambassadors for Aduu Mal, united by a shared ambition: a more sustainable fashion industry. One of these ambassadors is Hans Ubbink, who designed Aduu Mal’s very first collection. His personal story, which aligns perfectly with Aduu Mal’s mission, resulted in powerful and shareable content.

An award-winning story

We didn’t hide our pride for the project (not under seats or saddles), and shared the message wherever we could. Aduu Mal struck the right chord with shoe designers, bag makers and fashion houses alike. The brand was seen, and its story truly heard. But it didn’t stop with the fashion industry. The communications world was just as enthusiastic about Aduu Mal as we were. The result? GI won the Brabant Communication Prize, proudly taking home the BONK-award.