Fishing boats from Calpe, Spain, are helping remove plastic waste from the sea through Javier Goyeneche’s Upcycling the Oceans initiative.
The collected plastic is turned into stylish clothes and accessories by fashion retailer, Ecoalf. So far, over 188 million bottles have been retrieved from the Mediterranean and repurposed into items like jackets, sweatshirts, and shoes.
Every year, about 460 million tonnes of plastic are produced globally, but only a small amount is recycled. This leads to significant ocean pollution and the creation of harmful microplastics.
The project started with three fishing boats in 2015 and has grown to include 82 Mediterranean ports and 5,500 fishermen. These efforts have resulted in the collection of 188 million plastic bottles so far. The collected plastic is processed into polyester fibers, which are used to make garments sold at Ecoalf stores worldwide.
Nacho Martínez Pedrero, project manager at the Ecoalf Foundation, works closely with fishermen to build trust and encourage their participation in these cleanup efforts.
The initiative has seen significant growth, with over 400 tons of plastic waste collected annually by fishermen across the Mediterranean. This highlights a strong commitment to preserving marine ecosystems for future generations.
