ECOALF: Turning Ocean Waste into Fashion

What is ECOALF? A Spanish brand founded in 2009

ECOALF is a Spanish sustainable fashion brand founded in 2009. Its founder and president is said to be Javier Goyeneche, and its slogan is "There is no Planet B." Euronews (October 2026) describes annual revenue of around €65 million, about 300 employees and stores around the world.

Clothing built around recycled materials

The company is known for using recycled materials made from plastic bottles, discarded fishing nets, tyres, and offcuts of cotton and wool. A 2019 report on its entry into Japan described recycled materials made from waste such as nylon, coffee grounds, plastic bottles, cotton, wool and tyres.

The brand profile at Pitti Immagine states that the company has developed more than 600 recycled fabrics so far, which shows continuing research and development of new materials.

Division of roles between brand and foundation

The collection of ocean waste is run by a non-profit, the Ecoalf Foundation. The foundation also works to raise understanding of how plastic waste affects communities. Part of the brand's sales goes to the foundation: the Pitti Immagine profile explains that 10% of each item sold goes to the foundation, and that each €1 donated pays to remove 1 kg of ocean waste.

How Upcycling the Oceans works: fishermen bring back seafloor waste

The project started from the realisation that "fishermen work, every day, closest to the seabed." When trawling near the bottom, a large amount of waste comes up along with the fish. The Ecoalf Foundation's official page states that about 75% of marine debris lies on the seafloor, and explains the value of enlisting fishermen, who spend more than 12 hours a day at sea.

2015: starting with three fishermen in Villajoyosa

According to the official page, the activity began in 2015 with three fishermen at the port of Villajoyosa in eastern Spain. Rather than throwing the waste caught in their nets back into the sea, the fishermen collect it in dedicated containers at the port.

From sorting to recycled yarn

Combining the Circle Economy case study and the Euronews article, the flow is roughly as follows.

1. While fishing, fishermen separate plastic bottles, nets and other waste caught in their nets from the fish and bring it back
2. ECOALF collects the waste gathered at the port and sorts it by material
3. Plastic bottles are shredded into flakes, then processed into pellets, and made into recycled polyester yarn
4. Fishing nets are made into recycled nylon yarn
5. The yarn and other recycled materials such as cotton and wool are made into fabric at the Madrid headquarters and then into clothes, shoes and bags

The scale in numbers: fisherman counts and volumes differ by source

Figures about ECOALF's activities vary with when and where they were published. This is because the activity keeps growing; it is less that the figures contradict each other, and more that you need to line them up by "as of when".

Targets that have been set

The official page states a goal of enlisting over 10,000 fishermen by 2025 and recovering 1,000 tonnes of waste from the Mediterranean each year. Euronews, as of October 2026, reports the goal of bringing together 10,000 fishermen across the Mediterranean, which suggests the original target year has not yet been met.

Environmental load of recycled materials: how do they differ from conventional ones?

When waste is turned into yarn, the natural question is "is it actually better for the environment?" The Circle Economy case study contains comparison figures presented by ECOALF.

Recycled PET (from plastic bottles)

Compared with ordinary polyester, recycled PET is said to use about 20% less water, about 50% less energy and over 60% less in greenhouse gases.

Recycled fishing nets (nylon)

Compared with virgin material, it is said to save over 25% of natural resources and to emit about 28% less greenhouse gas.

The same profile states that about 70 plastic bottles, or 135 grams of fishing net, make one metre of fabric. Expressed in everyday numbers, it is easy to picture.

How to read these comparisons

• The company's profile page alone does not give details of the comparison conditions (scope, year, method)
• The savings apply to the "material"; they may not include making the garment, transport, washing or disposal
• Even so, the direction, that the load is smaller than producing new virgin material, is consistent with what is generally expected from recycled materials

Significance for the sea: ghost gear and seafloor waste

The discarded fishing nets that ECOALF uses as raw material are linked to the problem known in the field as "ghost gear." Nets and ropes left in the sea cause entanglement of fish, seabirds and sea turtles, and keep harming marine life for a long time.

Beach cleanups are widely practised, but waste sunk on the seabed is out of reach of ordinary cleanups. A scheme in which fishermen who go to sea every day bring waste back as part of their normal fishing is one realistic approach to seafloor waste.

What it means for fishermen

The official page also publishes a short documentary and digital exhibition, "Ode to Our Ocean Heroes: The Fishermen," conveying what fishermen see at sea each day. Fishermen from Villajoyosa, France, Italy, Thailand and elsewhere speak in interviews about changes in the sea. It reflects a stance that treats fishermen not as "waste collectors" but as the people who know the sea's condition best.

On the other hand, bringing waste back is extra work for fishermen. For this to last, payment for the effort, acceptance arrangements at ports and a cost-sharing system are essential. Details are hard to see in public materials, and further disclosure is desirable.

What products come out of it: clothes, shoes, bags

Recycled materials including Ocean Yarn are used in clothing such as outerwear, shirts and trousers, as well as shoes, bags and small goods. Reports on the Japan launch listed categories such as men's, women's, kids, shoes, accessories and yoga.

Expansion in Japan

According to Impress Watch, Sanyo Shokai and ECOALF established a new company, "Ecoalf Japan," in September 2019 and announced plans to operate in Japan from spring 2020. The plan was to open a flagship store in Jingumae, Shibuya in March 2020, to have 20 stores in the first year, and to aim for annual sales of 6 billion yen in fiscal 2025. This was the plan at the time, and the current number of stores and results should be checked on the official site.

A PR TIMES release also introduced the "UTO collection" of shoes and bags using plastic bottles from ocean waste.

Product examples

• Coats and outerwear: priced at 24,000–36,000 yen in reports at the time
• Shirts: around 15,000–19,000 yen
• Shoes: sneakers, sandals, beach sandals and more
• Accessories: pouches, wallets, bags and more

Euronews reports that the company designs garments so that they can be taken apart without extra processing. It is a feature meant to make it easier to put the materials back into circulation after use.

How it differs from other brands

ECOALF is not the only maker of clothing and goods from ocean plastic or fishing nets. This site also covers products using the net-derived material "NetPlus" from Patagonia and Bureo, and ocean plastic shoes from adidas and Parley.

• Patagonia's NetPlus products: outdoor goods using recovered fishing nets as recycled material
• Bureo's NetPlus products: supply and product development of net-derived material
• adidas and Parley: sports goods using ocean plastic

ECOALF's distinguishing features

ECOALF's distinguishing features are a brand design that builds most of its product lines from recycled materials, and an operation that puts a non-profit foundation in charge of collection itself, with fishermen at the centre. Rather than replacing only a part of the materials, it builds the whole brand on that premise, which gives it its character.

However, judging which brand's material is better requires several viewpoints, such as the performance of the product, traceability and the presence of certification. Public information alone cannot settle a ranking.

Issues to keep in view: upcycling is not a cure-all

The Euronews article does not simply praise the effort; it also presents the debates. The company's chief marketing officer says the biggest problem is mass overconsumption and overproduction, and that brands should adopt eco-design from the start rather than stopping at sustainable capsule collections or a focus on a single material.

A problem recycling alone cannot keep up with

The article also asks whether recycling can offset the new waste being generated. With roughly 8 million tonnes of plastic said to enter the oceans each year, a cumulative 2,000 tonnes recovered is only a small fraction. That does not mean recovery is pointless; rather, it takes effect only when combined with upstream measures that reduce the inflow.

Microfibres released in the wash

Even when recycled, synthetic clothing is known to shed tiny fibre fragments with each wash. Whether recycled or new, using a wash bag or a dedicated filter and washing less often are effective. For details, see Microfibres from laundry and ocean pollution.

What we can do: before buying, while using, when letting go

Choosing clothes made from ocean waste is one option. But the lowest environmental load comes from "wearing the clothes you already have for a long time." If you do consider a recycled-material product, keeping the following in mind helps you make the most of the effort.

What to check before buying

• Ask whether you really need it, or whether clothes you already own would do
• Check on the official site what percentage of the material is recycled and which processes are explained publicly
• Check whether the quality and design will last, and whether repair or take-back services exist

Tips while using

• Wash only as often as needed and use a wash bag
• Mend favourite clothes and wear them for a long time
• Also act to reduce plastic waste itself (reusable bottles, refills)

Options when you no longer wear it

Clothes you no longer wear can be reused, put into recycling collection or passed on. For the circulation of clothing, see also our article on products recycled from ocean plastic.

Summary: how to take this attempt to connect the sea and clothing

ECOALF's Upcycling the Oceans starts from fishermen's everyday work, recovers seafloor waste, and links it to yarn, fabric and products. The activity, which began in 2015 with three fishermen, has spread to ports in several countries, and an October 2026 report cites a cumulative recovery of over 2,000 tonnes.

At the same time, many of the figures are disclosures by the company and foundation, and given that roughly 8 million tonnes of plastic is said to flow into the sea each year, recovery and recycling alone do not solve the problem. It is important to hold three viewpoints together: curbing generation upstream, a culture of using clothes for a long time, and transparency about materials.