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Dec 22, 2019
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Ecoalf expands abroad with first store opening in Netherlands

Published
Dec 22, 2019

Ecoalf is expanding abroad. The Spanish sustainable fashion company has landed in the Netherlands, opening a first space in Amsterdam. Located on the Utrechtsestraat, the 140-square-metre store is the company's second international space, joining its Berlin flagship, which opened in 2017.


The first Ecoalf store in Amsterdam - Ecoalf


"It's a 100% eco-friendly store offering an experience for all five senses, bringing together design, architecture and differentiated zones dedicated to a kind of bookstore, our lifestyle and yoga collections, and technology, in order to communicate our projects for the brand," explained Carolina Álvarez-Osorio, Ecoalf's director of marketing and communication. 

A green store

In terms of design, the brand has chosen to respect the urban space's original style, but has applied a sustainable philosophy to the store's different elements. The walls are finished with a completely eco-friendly mineral paint that allows them to breathe, while many of the other materials in the space, such as the wood used in the book store, are recycled. Natural light takes centre stage and is complemented by an LED lighting system in order to reduce the space's consumption of electricity, and air conditioning is nowhere to be seen, with efforts instead being made to encourage clean air to circulate naturally. 

Natural plants complete the decoration of the recently opened store, which, like other Ecoalf locations, features an "Act Now" space, where visitors can attend educational talks about creating a more sustainable fashion industry or its impact on the oceans. 


The store will house the brand's men's, women's, yoga, footwear, accessories and kids' collections - Ecoalf


It's not the only step being made by the company founded by Javier Goyeneche into international markets. Early next year, in possibly the biggest move taken by the company to date, Ecoalf will touch down in Japan with its first Tokyo flagship, opened through a partnership with fashion distribution specialist Sanyo Shokai. Openings in other regions are in the pipeline, but the brand's fans will have to wait a bit longer further details about these future plans.

"We have to invest a lot of time in each country. Ultimately, we create unique stores where the brand's DNA really comes through and that requires a lot of effort," explained Álvarez-Osorio to FashionNetwork.com. "For now, it's important for us to establish the brand in the markets where we already have a presence. We will look into other options in other markets when the time is right," she added. 


Among its latest launches, the brand has released its own sustainable yoga line - Ecoalf


Commitments and new products



In parallel, the company is pushing forward with its environmental objectives and, following its participation in COP25 in Madrid, has signed up to the #ZeroNet2030 commitment put forward by the BCorp community. "We believe it won't be easy, but it's essential that we work together to maintain the increase in the planet's temperature below 1.5°C. For this reason, we have committed to reducing our emissions to zero by 2030," said Carol Blazquez, Ecoalf's director of sustainability and innovation. 

Furthermore, the Spanish brand has continued to expand its product offering with the launch of its first specialised yoga line. Last week, Desigual also presented its first sustainable collaboration with Ecoalf. "They wanted to advance their sustainability efforts and we shared our know-how and fabrics with them," said Álvarez-Osorio of the collection, which is available to purchase now in Desigual stores, as well as on the brand's e-commerce platform. 

Ecoalf secured 4.5 million euros (£3.8 million) in new investments last spring in order to fund its expansion. The company, which currently operates stores in Madrid, Barcelona, Berlin and Malaga, finished fiscal 2017 with revenues of 4.13 million euros (£3.7 million).

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