The future of fashion will be sustainable or it will not be
Cities will be sustainable or they will not be. Companies will be sustainable or they will not be. Our way of feeding ourselves, of moving around, of consuming... in short, of living, will be sustainable or, effectively, it won't be either.
The future of the planet and of the human being will only exist if the footprints that are left along the way are green. In that sense, fashion has a lot to say, even more so when currently, according to the UN, it is the second most polluting industry in the world.
But it's not all bad news: many companies are aware of the endless possibilities offered by sustainable design and innovation, a way of producing that, sooner or later, everyone will have to implement if they want to create long-term value and combat climate change.
The only way –or at least, the best way– to create a fashion brand today is for it to be accompanied –really– by the adjective sustainable. And this is what Alejandra Raventós did when she created Metanoia, the brand made in Spain that will make you join the ethical fashion revolution, if you haven't already.
Tropicana set, created with wild silk from surplus fabric for the bridal collection
BEYOND THE MIND
'Metanoia' is a Greek term that is referred to in spiritual texts and literally means “beyond the mind”.
“Metanoia is the positive personal transformation that we experience as a result of a difficult moment in our lives. It refers to a profound and positive change in our way of life, heart, mind and way of feeling and doing”, explains Alejandra Raventós to Traveler.es
The founder of the firm tells us that Metanoia was born in her long before it materialized with its launch last March: "As a result of difficult personal circumstances, I began to question my purpose in life and what I could and wanted to contribute to others."
“Little by little, doing this process of introspection, I began to realize that I could materialize my concerns and objectives in a single project whose purpose was to improve the lives of all those who were part of it” says Alejandra.
RESPONSIBLE WITH THE PLANET AND WITH ITS INHABITANTS
And so, going beyond the mind, came the materialization of that 'metanoia': a sustainable firm that proposes unique pieces, full of color and with very pure lines.
“We make our garments with biodegradable fabrics, 100% natural or in the case of the bathroom line, premium Italian fabrics made with plastic recovered from the Mediterranean” Alexandra explains.
Make fashion, preserve the environment, improve the lives of women in disadvantaged situations, show and celebrate different canons of beauty, valuing crafts and local production, raising awareness of how far each euro we invest in fashion can go, and the power of our choices when buying... All these aspects fit into a single word: Metanoia.
Waterfall Swimsuit
QUALITY, DURABILITY AND MEANING
How does its founder define the Metanoia philosophy? “A constant exercise to make conscious decisions that are in line with who we are and what we want to give as people” , develops Alejandra.
And she continues: “An exercise that brings us closer to our highest essence in any daily act, including in our case what is apparently the simple act of buying clothes. Metanoia proposes a philosophy of needing less, and empowering ourselves by supporting causes with which we identify."
To illustrate this philosophy so present in every aspect of the firm, its creator alludes to a Sanskrit term: 'sukha'. "It literally means “have room for the good”. Our philosophy is to make room for the good, inside and outside of us, to offer pieces with meaning, quality and to convey to people our belief that having a full wardrobe is not a question of quantity, but of quality, durability and meaning”.
THE FUTURE OF FASHION WILL BE SUSTAINABLE OR IT WILL NOT BE
Since she decided to start Metanoia, Alejandra Raventós, born in Venezuela, was very clear that it would only be possible to do it in a sustainable way: “The fashion industry is currently the second most polluting and about 30% of the clothes purchased end up in landfills with the label still on. I think that few people are still informed and aware of these data”.
“Our mission is to raise awareness about it, promote a slower style of consumption and better quality, and show that enjoying fashion consciously is not at odds with taking care of the planet” , adds the founder of Metanoia.
And for sample, its materials: to make the swimsuits they use Vita by Carvico: a sustainable techno-fabric made in italy, made of ECONYL regenerated Nylon, "which is made from recycled plastic recovered from abandoned fishing nets," explains Alejandra.
Said fabric is twice as resistant to chlorine and suntan creams and oils as the materials of other competitors. The result? Versatile, hyper-resistant, thin, elegant, elastic, soft and breathable swimwear.
“For the clothing line, we use fabrics that are one or more of the following: biodegradable, 100% natural, recycled or stock”, says Raventós.
Tropicana set in various colors
GARMENTS WITH MEANING
The garments that are most liked by far in these few months of Metanoia's life are: “the Elisa dress, king of the collection; the Cascada trikini and the Positano retro cut bikini” she tells us.
“We are especially excited since I designed the Elisa dress in honor of the women in my family, we all bear that name and they are an inspiration and an example of female overcoming and empowerment for me” , says Alejandra, who was born in Venezuela into a multicultural family, descended from Cubans and Spaniards.
"I grew up moving from city to city several times: Caracas, Miami, Madrid, New York, Barcelona...", says the founder of Metanoia, that after studying Communication and International Studies at the American University of Saint Louis, Project Management at NYU, Swimwear Design at the IED in Barcelona and working in different fields such as communication, events and design, he decided to create his own brand .
As a child, she did not like to be changing places all the time and always being “the new one” wherever she arrived, but “now I realize how enriching it is to have grown up that way. I think she has given me a very particular aesthetic sense that is reflected in our designs”.
For this reason, in Metanoia you will find sets that evoke the golden age of Havana, blouses inspired by the times of colonial America and bathing suits that take you to the Mediterranean coves.
THE PRODUCTION PROCESS
In Metanoia they bet on the proximity production , whenever possible, and also try to do it with workshops that have some added social action.
Right now they are working with a workshop of the APRAMP association, which employs women rescued from sexual exploitation mafias and teaches them the sewing trade to help them in their process of social reintegration.
Working with artisans is another of its objectives at the production level: “Currently we are also working with the Montse Betanzos artisan workshop in Galicia, creating a limited edition decorated by hand, which will go on sale this summer, to give visibility to the precious work of these women and thus contribute to giving continuity to her trade, which already has more than three family generations”, Alejandra tells Traveler.es
From the first time she read the meaning of the word 'metanoia', she identified with him and she felt that this was what she wanted: “Be part, with my grain of sand, of the 'metanoia' of all those who want to empower their purchase choices”, affirms Alejandra convinced.
What better way to join the fashion revolution than by looking "beyond the mind"?
beyond the mind