Dear Three Wise Men: we want garments from original, Spanish and sustainable brands.
they arrive the dreaded dates on which we have to make the orders to the Kings and oh! a tremendous laziness invades us to make the classic tour of the usual fast fashion stores. So we invoke the Christmas muses and we ask for some inspiration out of the box, or what is the same, get out of the typical.
Wish granted: Here are 13 Spanish firms that you may not know but have a lot in common. They want to be original, practical, durable and will satisfy the wishes of those most aware of the need to take care of the planet.
Postscript: order something for yourself too, you won't regret it.
Honesty and sustainability are the mottos of the firms that really interest us.
1.The Cut Project: premium sneakers at the best price
Who are they: “Made in the neighbourhood” is their motto. “As opposed to fast fashion, a new aesthetic classicism. Faced with the limited validity and the ephemeral nature of trends, durability in qualities and enduring identity. Faced with the exorbitant and difficult-to-justify prices of some luxury brands, prices adjusted to quality and exclusivity”. Its designer has passed through great design workshops such as Oscar de la Renta, Loewe and Carolina Herrera and he proposes us to get one of his pairs of women's sneakers with a platform. They use fabrics made in Spain and Italian vegetable-tanned leather. Vegetable tannins from plants such as acacia, oak or chestnut give their skins a natural look that improves over time and that also eliminates the use of polluting chemicals in the manufacturing process.
You'll like it if... For you too, luxury is knowing that the artisans work in optimal conditions and that they share the same values of respect, honesty and sustainability.
Sur Sac, accessories made in Barcelona.
2.Sur Sac: it girl bags
Who are they: This brand of accessories designed and produced in Barcelona vindicates the role of local industry with pieces made by hand with passion, dedication and know-how, betting on sustainability. His most sustainable piece is called HER, which is only made on demand, and is made in 3D with PLA, a biodegradable material of vegetable origin. All units are manufactured in Bizkaia, in the digital manufacturing laboratory of the renowned Spanish company specializing in sustainable fashion Comme des Machines.
You'll like it if... you are into bags with a refined aesthetic and an arty vibe. Take a look at his Instagram, full of artists who serve as inspiration to the creator, as Ana Gallego: Norma Minkowitz, Oteiza, Sahara Widoff and Rebecca Horn.
Blue Banana, a sustainable and very, very travel firm.
3.Blue Banana: the adventure of sustainability
Who are they: Nacho Rivera and Juan Fernández Estrada launched when they were just 20 years old this sportswear firm that has managed to invoice more than one and a half million euros in 2019 and has just opened its first physical store on Madrid's Calle de Fuencarral. “We have not come to save the world, but we to respect nature and to inspire that a new way of doing and traveling is possible. Cleaner, more sustainable, leaving fewer footprints.” They claim to be "the new adventure" and want to change the world by changing people's lifestyles.
You'll like it if... you're into honest projects... and traveling (check out his adventure journal).
Collaboration of the Madrid firm Neutrale with Pedro Gómez.
4.Neutrale: organic and recycled materials
Who are they: A sign eco-sustainable Madrid of urban fashion that manufactures in Portugal. Now it has allied itself with Pedro Gómez, the down jacket firm with more than 60 years of history, whose return we already told you about at the time, and following its sustainable philosophy, has participated in the reinterpretation of Pedro Gómez's most iconic vest. Conscious consumption guides both firms and should guide us all now, no excuses, from 2021.
You'll like it if... you appreciate them enduring, quality classics that can accompany you on all your expeditions (urban and wild).
Paulita Errázuriz, a firm for different people.
5.Paulita Errázuriz: extravagant and conscientious
Who: Paulita Errázuriz lives in Chile but she manufactures entirely in Spain, specifically in three workshops in Barcelona. His designs do not follow trends or seasons, but are the result of his bohemian, chic and somewhat extravagant inspiration. His garments are made by hand and his vision revolves around reuse and deconstruction, with conscious design and a sustainable practice, taking advantage of leftover scraps to give them new life. His packaging is made up of organic, recycled and recyclable materials.
You'll like it if... You like to wear things that no one else wears.
A trip around the world inspired the birth of the Marsel firm.
6.marsel.: everything was born from the trip around the world
Who: The firm was founded in 2019 after a year of nomadic life of his creative, Mar Caballero, who traveled around the globe to come back with a new concept. Her project aims to encourage conscious shopping instead of fast fashion, supporting the development of small communities around the planet. All products are made traditionally in very limited quantities. Its goal is to eradicate any synthetic components by the end of the year, showing that it is possible to buy fashion and sustainability at the same time.
You'll like it if... you go bags, clothes and jewelry with personality.
Sneakers, yes, but 'made in Spain' and with high quality standards.
7.POQ: from the handmade espadrille to the sporty espadrille
Who: Pastora is the name of the creator of this footwear firm. Born in Elda, a town in Alicante with a deep-rooted shoemaking tradition, Pastora has also seen her work influenced by the Andalusian roots of her family. She started POQ as a personal project, moved, as she says, "because of the lack of art and excellence that the jute footwear sector was suffering from". She became known for her ecological espadrilles and now surprises with a collection of slippers whose manufacturing process is respectful with the environment: the soles are made from recycled plastics found at the bottom of the sea.
You'll like it if... Are you looking for good, quality footwear? with a modern design.
D the brand: minimalist and conscious garments.
8.D the brand: fashion is culture
Who: Sabina Deus Muñoz was born and raised in Durazno, a small town in Uruguay, and lives in Madrid. Her signature offers a prêt-à-porter as conscientious about detail as haute couture. She opts for sustainable fabrics, certified with the Oeko-tex Standard 100 and GOTS quality seals, and produces few product units, to maintain exclusivity and minimize waste.
You'll like it if... you are looking for minimalist pieces, perfectionists, with cultural background and awareness.
Can the world be improved by buying better? So believe the founders of Rrroad.
9.Rrroad: environmental activists
Who are they: Nico Yllera and Pepe Otaola are behind this project with marked ecological vocation. They remind us that nothing less than 7,500 liters of water to produce some jeans (what a person drinks in seven years) and that the fashion industry is responsible for 20% of total water waste globally. His motto is that you can get a positive impact by changing things 'from within' and that is why they have created their own firm of timeless basics.
You'll like it if... you don't like to be sold the motorcycle, but rather that they tell you things clearly, and recycled garments quality.
Mayima, a firm dedicated to author hoods.
10.Mayima: the unexpected accessory that comes from Pamplona
Who are they: This firm is probably the most original proposal on the list, since they design author hoods to protect themselves with style from the rain. Mayima was born in 2018 in Pamplona by Virginia and Laura, and her waterproof hoods are made from top quality materials, such as neoprene or wild silk. They promote the concept of slow fashion against mass consumption and have a limited production, manufactured in a non-profit cooperative in Madrid that provides training and fair employment to women in situations of vulnerability. They are increasingly introducing more sustainable materials, such as silicone skin, vegan suede and recycled polyester, and their goal is to become 100% sustainable in the near future.
You'll like it if... are an inveterate traveler and you like infinite garments.
Crochet is the protagonist of the firm Hilando el tiempo.
11.Hilando el tiempo: long live crochet!
Who are they: Rosario Andrade and Eva Pozuelo make up this Sevillian handmade crochet firm that was born in 2012. Both are passionate about this ancestral technique (one of the most sustainable to produce) and they have proposed to give it a more contemporary air, but without losing its essence nor its practicality. They are part of Verde Eco Design, a non-profit association that promotes sustainable and elaborate fashion with ethical criteria.
You'll like it if... you like the design with nordic echoes and unique and unrepeatable pieces.
The firm for children from Extremadura, Mioliva, promotes local development.
12.Mioliva: little frogs (and more) with a vintage and rural air
Who are they: Through the use of organic and ecological fabrics, the improvement of processes, local manufacturing and labor and social inclusion, The Extremadura firm Mioliva wants to add real value to society, according to its creative director, Esther González Ruíz. All the products of the firm, dedicated to the smallest of the house, are made in its own workshop, which acts as a training center, giving continuity to the next generation of workers. Also, teach training courses for people in social exclusion, promoting local occupation in rural areas of Extremadura.
You'll like it if... you are attracted to children's clothing with timeless designs and country details.
Bags made in Ubrique, a safe bet.
13.Möhel: the best bags come from Ubrique
Who are they: Two sisters, Mónica and Elena, created this bag firm in 2016, in Madrid, with the quality as a flag and the DNA of a streetstyle star. All its products are manufactured in a small family workshop in Ubrique and combine a timeless style with trendy touches.
You'll like it if... you are inspired by the looks of Monica de Tomas or Eugenia Silva.