By Amaia Odriozola
Sustainability is such a chewed-up promise in the fashion industry that it sometimes sounds like a utopia. And although there is still a lot (a lot) to be done, a series of small brands are shaping a new “made in Spain” with a real response to the challenge and a more responsible way of doing things, with people and the planet. Firms like The Cut Project and its green sneakers, Sur Sac and its bags made with biodegradable materials, or Neutrale, with its recycled cotton t-shirts and natural dyes. All of them were born from a reflection on the environmental and social impact of clothing, actively committed to reducing their ecological footprint and with a promising goal: consume less, consume better.
Here are six great examples of this new and promising Spanish fashion:
The Cut Project: the “green” sneakers
Recognizable at first glance due to their thick platform and avant-garde aesthetics, behind the design of these green sneakers is Antonio Marcos, a designer who has passed through great design workshops such as Oscar de la Renta, Loewe, Carolina Herrera or Massimo Dutti. The Cut Project has a clear environmental vocation: it uses **fabrics made in Spain**and vegetable-cured Italian leathers, which ensure high quality and a more natural and environmentally friendly way of making: "Vegetable tannins from Plants such as acacia, oak or chestnut give our skins a natural appearance that improves over time and also eliminates the use of polluting chemicals in the manufacturing process”, they explain in the firm.
“Luxury is also knowing that our artisans work in optimal conditions and that they share with us the same values of respect, honesty and sustainability. We are proud to manufacture nearby and to be able to guarantee the traceability of our materials”, they say in the brand.
Sur Sac: designer bio-bags
Designed and manufactured in Barcelona, these bags keep a contemporary and timeless design at the same time, so they ensure a very long useful life in the wardrobe. The philosophy of the brand, founded by Ana Gallego, vindicates the role of local industry with pieces made by hand with passion, dedication and know-how. His most sustainable piece is called Her: a rigid box-shaped bag made of PLA, a biodegradable material of vegetable origin. It is made with 63 pieces of amber color, printed in 3D. Each one of them is then worked manually to provide softness, warmth and a vintage finish: they are sanded, cleaned, ventilated and rehydrated with organic and local vegetable waxes. Once polished, the pieces are assembled into a flexible fabric also 3D printed; in this way, it provides rigidity and consistency without losing lightness. Printing time is 26 hours, with a post-production time of 30 hours. The bag is made to order, is numbered and can be personalized with initials.
Neutrale: the perfect recycled cotton and natural dye t-shirts
Neutrale is a sustainable brand based in Madrid, created in 2018 by three friends, Jaime Gil, Nacho Aragón and Rodrigo Fernández, recently graduated in business administration, and their intention is to be an active part of a change in the textile industry. “We create garments, accessories and basic objects for everyday life. Our purpose is to design timeless products that live** outside the exhausting noise of the destructive wheel of fashion**. Our Mediterranean aesthetic reminds us to value what we have, take care of what surrounds us and surrender to the simplicity of its beauty”, they explain in the brand. Its products are made with organic, natural and recycled materials. They do not work with usual collections or do seasonal sales: “For us, this is part of the endless "rat race" of fashion – a term that comes from the English rat-race, which refers to an endless, counterproductive search or useless – which has had a devastating effect on our environment. We believe in conscious consumption, offering long-lasting quality products with a small footprint. We adopt the motto: Less, but better”, they say in the signature.
Its direction is that of the circular economy without repudiation. Using organic cotton (GOTS certified) they reduce their water consumption by 91%, also eliminating the use of chemicals during the production process. Its production remains in Spain and Portugal, thus reducing the impact on transport. The packaging is made from recycled paper and the shipping bags are biodegradable. Both can be easily recycled.
Rrroad: good, beautiful and forever sweaters
"We are a clothing brand that was born with a clear objective: to become an effective tool to fight against climate change," they explain in the brand. This translates into a firm commitment to** the reduction, reuse and recycling of raw materials** (hence the three R's in its name), but also to an approach that goes beyond the conventional. Rrroad does not make clothes for seasons, nor for trends. What they do are perfect basics (jumpers, t-shirts, shirts and some jackets) that last over time, do not go out of style and can be used for many years. Its founders, Nico Yllera and Pepe Otaola, believe in creating a transversal wardrobe in which it is everyone who contributes the style they want to the clothes.
A good example is its Sahel sweater (“it represents our vision of fashion: great quality, durability and a subtle and calm elegance”), 100% recycled unisex and with a design inspired by maritime tradition, made of thick English knit and long-sleeved raglan: "Or what is the same, a sweater that looks good on everyone and that you will wear most of the year," they describe in the firm. “We wanted it to be comfortable, for you to feel good in it, wrapped in cotton and protected by its thick knit. With a structure that is easily adaptable to different body types, we managed to make it transcend the gender barrier and look equally good on men and women”.
Ecoalf: sweatshirts and pants made from fishing nets
Founded in 2009 by Javier Goyeneche (founder of Fun & Basics) it is the leading Spanish brand in sustainability in half the world. The brand's famous slogan ("Because there is not planet B") perfectly sums up its sustainable vocation: all its garments are based on the circular economy and are produced from the plastic of fishing nets extracted from the sea: they transform this waste into high-tech materials and, later, in clothing.
In addition to its contemporary, non-shrill and highly durable design (what many call the “conscious” wardrobe), the brand makes an effort to share valuable information for its commitment: for example, in its collection of sweatshirts for next fall they have saved 663 million liters of water. This same year they have closed a collaboration with the model Blanca Padilla for a capsule collection.
The Label Edition: romantic (almost) zero kilometer blouses
Founded in Barcelona in 2019 by two entrepreneurs (Véronique Vaillant von Siebenthal and Laura Johansson), this brand flees from the traditional concept of sales and seasons. They launch their garments in limited edition capsules (the "drops" that are so fashionable now), and some pieces are advanced with pre-order (a reservation system prior to production), thus avoiding excessive overproduction. They also pride themselves on producing with local workshops, which helps them reduce their carbon footprint and closely control production processes, ensuring adequate working conditions for employees.
