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Born in 2009, Ecoalf was founded to bring a sustainably-focused edge to the world of fashion. Taking responsibility for the next generation, the brand incorporates recycling into their collections, believing that fashion is about ‘more than just looking good’.
We spoke to Head of Marketing & Communications Carolina Alvarez-Ossorio Speith, as she expounded on how Ecoalf finds the balance between sustainability and style.
How would you describe the aesthetic of the brand?
I would say Ecoalf is all about innovation, sustainability, and design – that is the brand DNA. The aesthetic is minimal, fresh, young and conscious.
What is the key concept behind the new collection?
The new spring/summer collection is called Lost Colours, where we present a collection of vibrant colours. If you've seen the pictures, there is a contrast of bright blues, greens and yellows to raise awareness of the colours of the ocean that we are losing due to climate change. There is a contrast between the white and all these bright tones to call out the loss of colours due to pollution and rising temperatures.
You mentioned before that the colourways were inspired by the ocean. Could you speak more on that?
When you see a white coral, it means that the coral has died, and this is something that is a consequence of human activity. This climate change is a consequence of what we are doing, so we tried to show the contrast between the white and bright tones with this collection.
Can you talk us through a standout feature from the collection?
This season, we're working with an eco-design, but we're specifically working with mono materials that we've extended across the collection. We're saving approximately 20 billion litres of water because of the materials and processes we use.
Also, we're integrating advanced technology and a zero-waste philosophy in collaboration with The Loop. The 100% recycled cotton collection will be collected and recycled into future collections. This means that once the consumer buys a t-shirt or sweatshirt and it reaches the end of the life cycle or they don’t want to wear it anymore, they will be able to return it and we can recycle it again. So basically, it's a way that we may never waste again.
Sustainability is a key factor for the brand, but how do you find a balance between sustainability and style? Do you feel that you have to compromise one for the other?
Innovation, sustainability and design have always been at the core of the brand, so there shouldn't be a compromise. For us, timeless design is a synonym for durability, and always using the highest quality materials is a synonym for sustainability. That's why it's so important for us to have design, innovation and sustainability working together. This is what our designers have embraced since day one.
At our PITTI stand, we have a quote:‘fashion is more than just looking good, It's about doing what is right and feeling good about it’. We have that responsibility to make sure that we keep a timeless style while maintaining sustainability. That is something we do thanks to the innovation and the technology that is out there.
In terms of sustainability, what do you think brands can do to be more aware?
First, I think you need to understand that decisions that are good for the planet will end up being good for the business. I think for the fashion industry, the planet needs to be at the core of what we do. If we kill the only planet we have, there won't be anything, so we need to protect it. Fashion is so creative and there is so much talent, we need to continue to grow in finding ways [for sustainability] because there is always a way. So I think the other advice is to never take no for an answer and to keep on pushing. If you truly believe in it and you're passionate, there is a way. So you just need to surround yourself with people that are aligned with the same vision as you.
Talk us through some of the key construction elements in the collection.
Every single piece is made with either low-impact or recycled materials. All the outerwear is made with recycled fillings, so even what you don't see is also recycled. It's a 100% vegan collection. And of course, besides saving about 20 billion litres of water, we're also reducing CO2 emissions, which is taking us closer to our commitment to zero by 2030.
We're a B Corp company. and we have signed the commitment to become a zero-emissions brand by 2030, so we are monitoring absolutely everything that we do to ensure we reach this commitment.
What’s your favourite piece within the collection?
For me, my favourite piece is ECOALF 1.0, which is the new premium line we launched last year. We wanted to break the barriers in technology, so we put advanced sustainability and tech into this line. The piece I'm most obsessed with is the accessories line, because of how it's made and its design. It's made with Ocean Yarn – recycled polyester made from plastic bottles from the bottom of the ocean via our Upcycling the Oceans project.
Can you tell us more about that?
The revolutionary Upcycling the Oceans project started in 2015 when our founder Javier had a call from a fisherman. He asked why he was recycling all the waste from Earth when he should be cleaning the ocean. He was invited to go on a boat and go fishing with them and saw a huge amount of waste coming from the bottom of the ocean.
So when he came back, he started exploring and found out that 80% of the contamination of the ocean is at the bottom because it all sinks. And the problem is that nobody's collecting it. It stays at the bottom of the ocean, and then it's eaten by the fish. So this is where he started the Ecoalf Foundation, where he built the Upcycling the Oceans project. It's a very simple process whereby we put containers in the boat of the fishermen, so when they collect all this waste, they throw the waste in the container instead of throwing it back into the ocean.
How was your experience at PITTI?
Well, first of all, every time we go to PITTI, we love it. I think there was an energy: people wanted to experience things physically – meeting people and sharing experiences; seeing and touching creativity and innovation. So I think it was fantastic to be together. Every season, PITTI does an amazing job in terms of innovation and bringing young talents together, so that has been as amazing as always.
Something that we like to do is to have the people that visit the stand become part of the change. We had a wall called the manifesto with the 'be part of the change' claim and every single person that walked in and out signed the wall. We ended up with more than 300 signatures of people wanting to be part of the change and wanting to join the movement of change.
That sounds amazing, thanks for your time, Carolina!