Sea plastic becomes fashion: Ecoalf relies on sustainable clothing!

Sea plastic becomes fashion: Ecoalf relies on sustainable clothing!

Nacho Llorca, a fisherman in front of Ibiza, not only brought inkfish, dorades, octopuses and lobsters on board, but also a surprising amount of garbage. In his towing network, he found old San-miguel cans, plastic bottles, bags and even diapers. It is particularly alarming that the amount of garbage on some days is twice as high as before when the waste was simply thrown back into the sea. This problem is not new, but the organization of Javier Goyeneche, the founder of the Ecoalf fashion brand, has the goal of actively recycling this garbage and using for sustainable fashion. According to the Süddeutsche Zeitung , the Ecoalf Foundation, which has been working with over 5000 fishermen in Europe, Egypt and Thailand, has been working around 1700 tons of waste since 2015 brought.

ecoalf relies on the use of environmentally friendly materials such as regenerative cotton and recycling products. Your collection includes sweaters made of 50% recycled cotton, down jackets made of 100% recycled polyester and tote bags from a special Ocean Yarn. Goyeneche began using the vision of using marine plastic in the fashion industry ten years ago. Ecoalf's turnover rose to 59 million euros in 2022, which corresponds to an increase of 22% compared to the previous year. Despite the growing demand for sustainable fashion, it is remarkable that only 16% of people actually implement their intentions.

sustainability on the test bench

The use of recycling plastic in the fashion industry is increasingly marketed as a sustainable solution. However, experts are disagreed with the actual sustainability of these processes. A common problem is that there is no yarn or textile that consists of 100 percent of sea sculpture. The scientist warn that the use of recycled PET bottles can interfere with the recycling cycle. Polyester loses quality when processed, which further restricts the possibility of recycling. This is considered downcycling and also meets the materials used by Ecoalf.

In addition, the chemical recycling of plastics that is used to produce textile fibers is considered to be energy -intensive and critical. Greenpeace also warns of toxins in recycling plastics and emphasizes that only 9% of the globally produced plastic are recycled. In order to combat the devastating effects of plastic pollution on the environment, a reduction in plastic consumption and clothing use is necessary.

The future of sustainable fashion

ecoalf remains determined to minimize the environmental impact of their products. Goyeneche emphasizes the importance of design for sale, while the brand focuses on timeless basics without fashionable frills. Ecoalf not only wants to lead the market for sustainable fashion, but also make a real contribution to environmental protection with its slogan "Because" there is no planet B ". However, the challenges are great and the discussion about the real sustainability of recycling plastics will continue.