Tendam, one of the leading European companies in the specialized fashion sector that includes the brands Cortefiel, Pedro del Hierro, Springfield, Women’secret and Fifty, together with the Centro Superior de Diseño de Moda de Madrid (CSDMM) and the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM), held the first Conference on Sustainability, Responsibility and Innovation in Fashion Design, which highlighted the need for fashion to be sustainable and affordable for the consumer.

At the conference held at the Centro Superior de Diseño de Moda (CSDMM) of the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, on the occasion of the first anniversary of the creation of the Aula Tendam – Centro Superior de Diseño de Moda de Madrid on Sustainability, Responsibility and Innovation in Fashion Design, the experts analysed sustainability from the point of view of retail and environmental innovation by manufacturers, and highlighted how they seek to meet the demands demanded by customers today who want more sustainable products.

The conference was attended by fashion experts who shared their knowledge of the reality of the sector and analyzed sustainability from the point of view of retail as an added value and brand image. For four hours, professionals such as Marisa Selfa, CEO of Ecoalf; Sofía Núñez, CSR Coordination Suppliers-Production Chain of Tendam; Hilario Martínez, Chemical Engineer of the Tendam team; David Allo, Sustainability Manager of the Confederation of the Textile Industry (Texfor); Dolores Naharro, from the Circular Economy Club, Emilio Jiménez, EMEA Quality and Sourcing Director at Tendam and professor at the Madrid Higher Centre for Fashion Design (CSDMM) and Pedro Pablo García May, deputy director of EFE Verde, discussed the new environment in which the different actors in the fashion sector are going to have to develop. All agreed that every step in sustainability, no matter how small, will become a breakthrough.

Marisa Selfa, CEO of Ecoalf: “It is our responsibility to create sustainable business models that minimize the impact on the planet and leave a better world for future generations.

Sofia Nunez, CSR Coordination Suppliers-Production Chain of Tendam: “Traceability is the basis for ensuring that all suppliers and manufacturers who produce our articles comply with our social, environmental, health and safety standards.

David Allo, Sustainability Manager of the Confederation of the Textile Industry (Texfor): “Spanish textile manufacturers have been betting on sustainability long before the word out of common use, it was always indispensable for our evolution and survival”.

Dolores Naharro, from the Circular Economy Club: “Circular economy practices are not only beneficial for people and the environment but also offer cost savings and efficiencies for all companies and organizations.

Pedro Pablo García May, deputy director of EFE Verde: “The media and journalists must tell society what companies are advancing in this direction and thus generate awareness and lay the foundations for a sustainable future.

Thus, the experts have agreed that the objective of companies in the sector is that being sustainable should not be incompatible with being affordable for the consumer.