María Lafuente's capsule collection using the world’s first PEFC-certified fabrics

24 July 2018 Fashion

The Spanish fashion designer María Lafuente thinks, works and produces ethically and sustainably – and is the first designer to create clothing with PEFC-certified fabrics. 

Naming respect for life, rivers, seas, plants and animals as the main inspiration for her work, she developed a capsule collection of six dresses made entirely from PEFC-certified Tencel fabrics.

Made from the pulp of beech trees, Tencel is an extremely environmentally friendly, biodegradable and compostable cellulose fibre.

In some of the dresses, the fiber is combined with Lycra or Ecovero, a viscose fabric that requires 50% lower emissions and water impact to manufacture compared to generic viscose.

A world first

The designer used Tencel fabrics supplied by Textil Santanderina, the first producer of cellulose fabrics worldwide to obtain PEFC chain of custody certification.

PEFC chain of custody certification establishes the link between PEFC-certified forests and the final product, monitoring each step of the supply chain. This provides assurance that the cellulose fibre in the clothing came from a sustainably managed, PEFC-certified forest.

PEFC chain of custody also ensures the protection of health, safety and labour rights of workers within the supply chain.

 “It is our responsibility to promote fashion that respects life so we can contribute to a harmonious and sustainable society,” highlighted María Lafuente.

“We create, work and produce ethically and sustainably, always selecting environmentally friendly materials.”

Forests for Fashion exhibit in New York 

The capsule collection, along with creations from Lafuente’s latest collections, was presented in the Forests for Fashion exhibit for the High Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, in July 2018.

As the first Spanish fashion designer to speak at a UN High Level Political Forum, María Lafuente highlighted sustainable development within the fashion world, promoting sustainability and attention for the forests.

Forests for Fashion Initiative

Our Forests for Fashion initiative is a long-term partnership with the UNECE and FAO. The initiative aims to ensure that the forest-based materials used to make our clothes originate from sustainably managed forests and are produced in a sustainable and ethical manner.

Linking forest-based materials from sustainably managed forests with the world of fashion, we bring these innovative and sustainable materials to a wider audience.

Further information

-    Visit Maria Lafuente’s website 
-    Visit the Textil Santanderina website
-    Find out more about our Forest for Fashion Initiative
-    United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) 
-    UNECE Forest for Fashion initiative 
-    Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)

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