Spanish Ecoalf was created by Javier Goyeneche in 2012 to change the fashion industry. The idea for a truly sustainable fashion brand was born out of a frustration over the excessive use of the world’s natural resources and the amount of waste produced by industrialized countries – especially by the fashion industry. But Ecoalf is more than a conscious clothing brand; it is a mission to create the first generation of recycled products with the same quality, design and technical characteristics as the best non-recycled products on the market.

The idea that later became Ecoalf was born at the same time as the birth of Javier’s son, Alfredo, after whom the brand is named. After becoming a parent, he reflected on the world we leave behind for the next generation and on our excessive and wasteful use of the world’s natural resources.

In short, Javier’s idea was to create a fashion brand that is truly sustainable.

Once he started doing research, all the studies he came across showed that we currently use five times more natural resources than the planet can generate. It quickly became clear to him that we cannot continue to live in this world as if we have a new one to move to when this one is destroyed. (Hence Ecoalf’s mantra, “Because there is no planet B”).

Javier spent the first three years buying and developing fabrics and materials. The problem was that when he bought recycled material, the offer was small and often of very poor quality. In addition, most fabrics contained only a very small proportion of recycled material (15-20%). He realised the need to start partnering with factories and manufacturers to develop fabrics, linings, straps and labels made from recycled materials.

Said and done; discarded fishing nets, plastic bottles after consumption, worn tires, post-industrial cotton and used coffee grinders – where people see rubbish, Ecoalf sees raw materials to make stylish, durable and high-quality clothes from. As the text in the lining of an Ecoalf’s jacket reads: “Today you are wearing 80 plastic bottles and you look really cool!”

Check out Ecoalf’s outerwear in recycled materials below.