Ecoalf arrives at Neiwa Store
« Because there is no planet B »
ECOALF, an example of smart recycling
ECOALF is the result of a remarkable initiative: creating sustainable clothing from plastic waste recovered from the sea. Javier Goyeneche founded the brand in 2009, offering clothing and accessories made from 100% recycled materials. The Spanish company sources its resources from the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea and has made it its mission to create raw materials from the waste it recovers.
It is also driven by the hope of protecting certain marine species and raising real awareness among consumers about today's pervasive pollution. The Mediterranean Sea is the planet's sixth largest accumulation area for plastic waste.
In 2015, an estimated 9 million tonnes of plastic waste had been dumped into our seas and oceans. ECOALF therefore set out on a crazy challenge: reducing marine pollution while combining environmental respect and style in its collections.
Waste is given a second life
Frustrated by the staggering amount of plastic in the oceans, the founder launched the organization "Upcycling the Ocean". The goal is to collect waste from the sea by involving local fishermen. The initiative was launched in Spain and Thailand has recently joined. To date, more than 200 tonnes of debris have been recovered from the Mediterranean Sea each year.
Ecoalf calls on fishermen in Valencia, Spain, who deploy 200 of their boats to go fishing for waste! In just two months, a total of 4 tonnes of waste were removed from the Mediterranean Sea. Once the plastic waste is recovered, it is handed over to PET Compania, which transforms it into flakes at its factory in Chiva, near Valencia. The Girona-based company Antex, in Catalonia, then takes over and transforms the flakes into yarn to make Ecoalf's clothing.
Today, the company uses 35% marine-sourced plastic waste in its collections and 65% land-sourced waste. Ultimately, the brand aims to use recycled yarn made 100% from waste collected at sea.
The use of responsible and innovative raw materials
Ecoalf uses natural materials such as linen, cupro, and Tencel in its collections—crops that require no pesticides or insecticides and very little water. But what has made the brand famous is its use of recycled materials such as plastic bottles, cotton, and other even more innovative materials!
Tires, for example, are particularly difficult to recycle because they contain metals and antioxidants. After two years of research, the brand succeeded in recycling tires without using chemicals. The powder derived from tires is used to make shoes.
Ecoalf also recycles fishing nets, which are particularly dangerous to marine mammals and take a long time to decompose. They are transformed into durable technical fabric used to make some of the brand's flagship pieces, such as parkas.
A committed company
Today, the brand holds several labels, including the GRS (Global Recycled Standard), a certification that guarantees the presence of recycled content in a product. It was also awarded "B Corp™" status in 2018, meaning it is now one of the 2,441 best companies in the world.
It is a great brand, interesting for its actions in favor of the environment and surprising for its various textile innovations. For example, Ecoalf formed a partnership with Starbucks in 2016, offering exclusive products made from recycled coffee. The company also dressed the Galician Club, the world's first football team to wear sustainable clothing made from marine waste.
