Ethical Latin American Bags & Sustainable Sweaters, Handcrafted with Heart
In a world where clothing and accessories are purchased, worn and thrown away without care, EcoPersona is a breath of fresh air. Their mission is to deliver ethical and sustainable pieces sourced from a global network of artisans, platforming their carefully crafted creative clothing and accessories, all whilst building a strong community.
This Article is Sponsored by Our Friends at EcoPersona.
Who Is EcoPersona, the Sustainable Brand Empowering Latin American Artisans?
Founded in 2022 by Karla Renteria and designer Gian Franco Reni, EcoPersona is an eco-friendly luxury apparel brand based in San Francisco, supported by a global network of designers stretching as far as Peru, Ukraine and Mexico. Their mission is centered around changing the world’s fashion philosophy to “engineered for beauty and protecting the planet”. They take inspiration from unconventional fashion materials and implement circular economy principles helping designers and manufacturers to innovate.
Artisans who make the pieces for EcoPersona are based in Colombia, Mexico and Guatemala. The communities are supported by the brand who take pride in extending business to rural areas and helping to give them a platform to grow their presence internationally. Let’s have a look in more detail how EcoPersona is delivering sustainably made and ethically manufactured garments, all within a transparent supply chain.
What Makes EcoPersona’s Ethical Latin American Bags and Apparel Truly Eco-Friendly and Cruelty-Free?
One of the many inspiring missions from EcoPersona is the sustainable materials used in the products they sell. Not only are they capitalizing on the eco-friendly materials that already exist, but also in the merging of innovative new materials into artisan techniques that have been used for decades. Here are some examples of the textiles and why they are so great:
- Pinatex: Shocked at the environmental impact of mass leather production and chemical tanning, Dr Carmen Hijosa sought to create an alternative that could provide positive social and economic impact whilst maintaining a low environmental footprint. By using pineapple leaf fibre, an agricultural waste product from the pineapple harvest, Dr Carmen saw an opportunity to build a scalable commercial industry for farming communities without the environmental impact. Using a waste product means no extra land, water or pesticides are required, and prevents the pineapple leaves being burnt which simultaneously reduces CO2 emissions. As a natural fibre, it is also biodegradable in comparison to its synthetic alternatives and supports circular economy by creating value in waste! EcoPersona stocks two different bag designs made from Pinatex.
- BIO RECOS: A textile featuring a backing made from recycled fibres, and coated with renewable biopolymers (such as those from wheat and corn). Most commonly these biopolymers come from agricultural waste, and can be substituted instead of leather and plastic due to the strength, malleability and durability properties. 100% of the wastewater goes through a water treatment plan, resulting in zero waste water. EcoPersona uses Recos made from recycled materials, such as bottles, turning something destined for landfill into something beautiful.
- Natural Organic Fibres: The alpaca wool used in EcoPersona’s products is from Incalpaca, a textile company based on equity, the environment and animal well-being. Alpaca wool is favoured for its softness, warmth, durability, hypoallergenic and biodegradable nature, and biodegradable, however it is important it is harvested sustainably. Incalpaca are committed to the sustainable and efficient use of natural resources throughout their textile supply chain, respect the habits of the alpaca and vicuna to promote conservation, and implement circular economy reusing solid waste. They also take good care of their alpacas and vicunas using an Incan shearing technique recognised by the Peruvian state to reduce the animals’ stress during the process!
Emphasis and encouragement on mindful consumption is what really sets EcoPersona apart, as one of the most effective ways to reduce your fashion footprint is to invest in timeless pieces that have been carefully crafted to last. It is also important to mention that all of the packaging used by EcoPersona is sustainable, as they incorporate recycled boxes and materials and prioritisng low-impact transportation methods.
What Are EcoPersona’s Core Values for Sustainable, Ethical, and Eco-Friendly Manufacturing?
EcoPersona have been very clear in their mission to redefine fashion by combining heritage craftsmanship with innovative materials, all whilst empowering communities and delivering purpose-driven fashion for us, the consumer, to enjoy again and again. Here are the key values that the brand strive to achieve:
- Transform how our customers, partners and people around us think about fashion
- Awareness of a connection with each other and with the planet
- Eco-friendly styles, long-lasting designs
- Quality materials from organic fibers
- Ethical labour and social responsibility
- Partners and producers aligned on sustainable development goals
- Expanding these transformation goals to our customers
As you can see their goals don’t just stop at delivering a sustainable product. They also are working on shifting the collective perspective of fashion to one of stewardship, focusing on taking care and protecting the environment and communities – we all are one interconnected system after all.
Within these values EcoPersona’s commitment to ethical manufacturing is made clear. They have a strict Code of Conduct for their manufacturers publicly available on their website, which also encourages ethical labour. A pitfall for fast fashion brands that often results in unethical production is subcontracting, however EcoPersona’s stance is strictly against any unauthorized subcontracting.
Beyond their impressive commitments, EcoPersona has earned our official certification—placing them among the true leaders in sustainable fashion. The reality is, most brands we evaluate don’t pass, including many that market themselves as “eco” or “ethical.”
Want the full picture? Explore our EcoPersona rating to see how they scored on transparency, fair labor, and sustainably made practices.
How Transparent is EcoPersona?
It is essential for brands to build trust with their consumers regarding claims of sustainable and ethical practices. EcoPersona have achieved 100% traceability across the entire supply chain including the pineapple-based materials used in their backpacks and totes. This traceability extends to the fabrics for their sweaters and scarves too – even right down to the thread, zippers, inner lining, packaging, and the factories in which they are produced!
They also have 50% traceability for their colorful artisan-made bags (a personal favorite of mine). EcoPersona is committed to improving transparency in Latin America, where these bags are made by skilled artisans.
Sustainably Made. Sustainably Worn.
As we have seen EcoPersona is excelling in sustainability and transparency, and have made a good start on promoting ethical manufacturing. We at Eco-Stylist are thrilled to welcome EcoPersona and their blend of timeless design and deep environmental consciousness to our list of certified brands! Shop EcoPersona’s ethical and sustainable bags, sweaters and scarves on their website.
We are inspired by EcoPersona’s commitment to redefine the fashion philosophy to one of awareness of how connected we all are to each other and to the planet. Encouraging this shift in both the manufacturer and consumer perspective is what we love to see at Eco-Stylist and cannot wait to see what the future holds for EcoPersona!
Amy previously studied Environment and Development at the London School of Economics with a particular interest in climate injustice. Currently she works in the travel industry hoping to hear more of the unique perspectives held by people all over the world, and has taught herself how to crochet and sew her own clothes at home.
