The Ecoalf Foundation project ‘Upcycling the Oceans’ has been launched to help clean the oceans of debris through fishermen, with the ultimate goal of transforming the plastic debris found in the Mediterranean into thread to make fabric.
Ecoalf has begun to remove trash from the seabed via fishermen off the coast of Levante, Spain. This huge project is organised into several phases, the aim of which is not only to show that cleaning the oceans is possible, but that a portion of the collected materials can be recycled into pellets, thread, fabric and products.
So far, 160 vessels have joined the project, with 12,600kg total garbage collected since 15 September 2015.
Ecoalf Foundation has involved five Spanish partners that are leaders in their respective areas (including waste managers, technology centres, recyclers and thread and fabric manufacturers). It will share with these partners its five years of experience in recycling different types of debris (PET bottles, fishing nets, used tires, etc.) and the R&D know-how it has gained through its international joint ventures with technology partners that are recycling specialists.
Ecoalf says that the vast complexity lies in the low and inconsistent quality of the debris removed by the fishermen as a result of its exposure to sun, salt and water. It says that now more than ever investment in R&D will be decisive in achieving quality commensurate with Ecoalf’s standards and in demonstrating that where others see trash, Ecoalf sees raw materials. The goal is to achieve 100% recycled filaments of high technical quality and textures in line with trends without needing to use more of the planet’s natural resources.
Ecoalf was founded in 2009 by Javier Goyeneche, whose idea was to create a fashion brand that is truly sustainable. The company currently has 11 active alliances throughout the world (Taiwan, Korea, Portugal, Mexico, Japan, Spain, etc.) that allows to continually develop all the necessary elements to manufacture fashion and accessories with recycled materials through integrating breakthrough technology.
