There are brands built from the outside in and there are brands born the other way around. Ecoalf belongs to the second kind. It has been in Madrid since 2009 with a very concrete idea: you do not need to extract anything new from the planet to make good clothes. Fifteen years later, it is probably the Spanish sustainable fashion brand most recognisable outside Spain. At SUNE we carry it because it delivers on the two things that matter to us at once: it makes good garments and it does the maths right with the planet.
Who is behind Ecoalf: Javier Goyeneche and a name with family history
Ecoalf was founded by Javier Goyeneche in Madrid in 2009. Goyeneche came from the leather goods sector and it was when his second son was born that he asked himself the question Ecoalf is born from: what are we going to leave them?
The name is built like this: eco + the first letters of Alfredo and Alfonso, his two sons. When a brand is named after your children, it is hard to walk away halfway. And you can see it in the journey: fifteen years and more than 60 recycled fabrics developed.
"Because There Is No Planet B": the manifesto that changed Spanish fashion
In 2019 Ecoalf trademarked the slogan Because There Is No Planet B and turned it into the heart of its campaigns. Ecoalf was the first Spanish fashion brand to obtain B Corp certification, in 2018, and in 2022 it entered the global top 5% Best for the World within that same certification. In Spain it has been for two years running the most environmentally responsible company according to the Merco ranking.
The brand has a Net Zero target for 2030 and all its stores have been running on renewable energy since 2023.
Upcycling the Oceans: 2,100 tonnes and almost 5,000 fishermen
Ecoalf's best-known project is Upcycling the Oceans, launched in 2015 through the Ecoalf Foundation. The idea is to go and collect the plastic at the bottom of the sea with the help of the people who are already working there every day: the fishermen.
Today the initiative operates in Spain, Thailand, Greece, Italy, France and Egypt. More than 4,700 fishermen and 1,140 boats work with the Foundation. Since 2015, more than 2,100 tonnes of waste have been removed from the sea.
What an Ecoalf garment is made of: PET, nets, tyres and coffee
Ecoalf has developed more than 60 recycled fabrics. These are the main ones:
Ocean Yarn - plastic bottles (PET)
Recovered PET bottles are shredded, spun and turned into 100% recycled polyester used in puffers, parkas, backpacks and sweatshirts. Lightweight, technical, holds up to rain and wind without weighing you down.
Regenerated nylon from fishing nets
Abandoned fishing nets are one of the most lethal types of waste in the ocean. Ecoalf works them through ECONYL, an Italian process that turns those nets into new nylon. Mostly in swimwear and part of the footwear.
Tyre rubber and coffee grounds
The soles of some sneakers come from used tyres. Post-consumer coffee grounds are turned into a nano-powder mixed with recycled polyester to create fabrics with anti-odour and quick-drying properties.
Product: sneakers, puffers, sweatshirts, essentials
If you are approaching Ecoalf for the first time, these are the products to start with:
- Puffers and parkas in Ocean Yarn - the brand's iconic piece.
- Sneakers in recycled leather, recycled canvas or nylon from nets.
- Sweatshirts and t-shirts in organic or recycled cotton.
- Technical bags and backpacks with water-repellent fabrics.
- Accessories: caps, scarves, socks and reusable bottles.
Frequently asked questions
Who is the founder of Ecoalf?
Javier Goyeneche, an entrepreneur from Madrid. He founded Ecoalf in 2009.
What does the name Ecoalf mean?
A combination of the prefix eco with the first letters of the names of the founder's two sons: Alfredo and Alfonso.
What materials does Ecoalf use?
More than 60 recycled fabrics: recycled PET, regenerated nylon from fishing nets, organic cotton, recycled denim, recycled cashmere, tyre rubber and coffee grounds powder.
Is Ecoalf really sustainable?
It is one of the few fashion brands with B Corp certification in Spain (the first one, since 2018) and has been recognised by the Merco ranking as the most environmentally responsible company in the country.
Where to buy Ecoalf online?
At the Ecoalf collection at Suneonline, with 24-48h shipping across Spain.
Why Ecoalf is at SUNE
At SUNE we do not carry many brands, we carry the ones we believe in. Ecoalf meets what Mariona asks of every label: comfortable clothes, that you want to wear, that last, that have a soul. What Ecoalf adds is the part that can no longer be ignored in 2026: that every garment does not start from zero but from something that already existed.
If you are curious to discover it, stop by the Ecoalf collection at Suneonline. Be Sune, be happy.