By: Javier Goyeneche
The concept of the brand came after the birth of my son, Alfredo (the company is named after him) when I was reflecting upon the world we would leave to the next generation, and my frustration with the excessive use of the World's natural resources.
ECOALF was born in 2009. My idea was to create a fashion brand that is truly sustainable.
All studies showed that we are presently using five times more natural resources than the planet is able to auto-generate. We cannot live in this world as if we have another one to go when this one is ruined.
I spent the three first years on sourcing and developing fabrics. The problem was that when I sourced the market for recycled materials the offer was small and of very poor quality. Most fabrics only contained a very small percentage of recycled material (15-20%).
So I found the need to start creating partnerships with factories in order to develop fabrics, lining, straps, labels and cords using recycled materials.
The goal was to create the first generation of recycled products with the same quality, design and technical properties as the best non-recycled products to show that there is no need to use our world's natural resources in careless way.
Discarded fishing nets, post-consumer plastic bottles, worn-out tires, post-industrial cotton, and used coffee grinds...where people see trash I see high quality raw materials.
Hopefully, in a near future, our vision and efforts will encourage others to move in the same path, as more sustainable fashion labels will emerge resulting in a global compromise towards recycling and sustainability.
When ECOALF first emerged, our first challenge was to change people´s conceptual approach of recycling, as recycling and quality did not seem to connect. People imagine us taking their grandmothers quilt and making a simple rough backpack.
Our efforts during the past years have clearly proven that recycling connects with quality and design, resulting in boosting a change of mentality where people now believe trash equals natural resources with the same quality.
Think micro and act macro. I believe this change will be not be driven by governments but by small companies who will step by step guide the small customer towards this world compromised with recycling and sustainability and demonstrate that things can be done in a different way.
By investing in R+D and traveling around the world, I started to identify the ideal manufacturing resources, and started to build carefully the foundation that would become ECOALF.
Today the company has 11 active alliances around the world (Taiwan, Korea, Portugal, Mexico, Japan, Spain, etc.) that allow us to continually develop all necessary elements to manufacture with recycled materials.
In the short time of ECOALF existence, 30 million plastic bottles and 40 tons of fishing nets were recycled to make its products.
There are too many people complaining and a few pushing to change things. All industries should act, react and focus all resources in I+D. Natural resources are not endless and we need to start acting now, as we can still change the world we all live in.
If you want to make a difference don't let anybody tell you "it's impossible"!!
ECOALF is working on a major project for a while now. Until now, ECOALF has been reducing waste by recycling materials from landfills but my personal challenge has always been to help cleaning up the ocean.
The idea is to collect marine debris with the help of Fishermen and recycle them into consumer products. I had spent the last year investigating the feasibility of the project and finding all the right partners, such as recycling facilities, spinners, weavers and most importantly Fishermen Associations. Because the Fishermen are pulling up a huge amount of plastic in their nets and have always been throwing it back in the sea. Simply because that was how it was done during generations.
I am focusing all my efforts to make this project real and raise awareness about the excessive use of the world's natural resources.
I believe 2015 will be the year for many young companies trying to do things in a different way to arise. Young labels with fresh energy want to stand for something they really believe in. Fashion cannot just be about looking good. It also has to be about doing what is right and feeling good about it.
Pioneers for Change is a seed-bed for innovative thought. An activator of personal potential. A catalyst for collective energy. A community to drive social change.
Our annual, international Fellowship is open to anyone aged 28 -- 108 years old. We gather change-makers -- a business person, a community person, an investor, a thinker or doer -- who are willing to harness their talents, energy and resources as a force for good. Pioneers for Change is an initiative of Adessy Associates.
Adessy Associates believes that a better world is possible, and inspires and equips organisations and individuals to make positive change happen for the benefit of people, planet and profit. Our bespoke interventions harness sustainability, innovation, consciousness and purpose.
About Javier Goyeneche
Born in Madrid, Javier studied in Spain, London and Paris, while also taking part in top international equestrian competitions. He received his degree in Business Administration from the European Business School and continued with post-graduate work in International Marketing Strategies at Northwestern University in Chicago.
In 1995, he founded Fun & Basics, specializing in contemporary fashion handbags and accessories. Within 10 years, Javier grew the business to 350 points of sale and 70 branded retail stores. His accomplishments were recognized by the industry when he was awarded Best Young Entrepreneur of Madrid in 2005.
Although he achieved tremendous success with Fun & Basics, Javier gradually grew frustrated with the amount of waste he saw being produced by the fashion industry. He embarked on a mission to create an entirely new concept that would combine his design sensibility and understanding of the fashion consumer with the latest in recycled materials. In 2008 he launched ECOALF, named after his son Alfredo.
Under his leadership, the company has grown steadily and now produces a full lifestyle collection of outerwear, swimwear, casual apparel, shoes and accessories. Javier has strategically expanded ECOALF's distribution to include many of the world's most prestigious department stores and specialty retailers. In 2012, he oversaw the opening of an integrated ECOALF concept store, showroom and office in Madrid. Most recently Javier spearheaded a partnership with Apple, supplying the company with cases for its MacBook Pro products. Moving forward he will continue to forge strategic alliances that will position ECOALF as a leader in fashion and accessories crafted from recycled material.