More than 10% of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions worldwide come from the fashion industry, the second most polluting on the planet behind oil and derivatives. It is also one of the most resource consuming: to produce a simple cotton t-shirt about 2,700 liters of water are needed. But there are other forms of manufacturing that are more respectful of the environment. That’s how it shows Brava Fabricsa sustainable and ethical fashion company that is capable of manufacturing that same t-shirt using only sustainably produced materials, reducing the environmental impact generated by 75% and water consumption by almost 90%.
The company, founded in 2015 in Barcelona by Ramón Barbero and Iván Monells, was born with the aim of supporting the ecological transition of this sector from creativity and originality, betting on garments in which from the fabrics to the buttons, passing through the labels and packaging, have certifications that ensure their minimal environmental impact, but in which the design has a fundamental weight.
They both met at Esade, and as they like to say, they were a team before they were an idea: they worked well together and decided to start their own company. Fashion lovers, they opt for a brand of menswear that is conscious, respectful and serious about the planet, but fun for the wearer. This is how his first printed shirts were born, very colorful, with a very iconic and characteristic design. Later, little by little they diversified their style and their production, and today they have 27 categories of products for both men and women (in fact, 70% of their customers are women, although they buy many men’s clothing as gifts).
Many sustainable fashion brands opt for a minimalist basics strategy, but for us design is just as important as sustainability. We always work with our own fabrics and designs instead of buying stocks, which gives us a lot of creative freedom and allows us to have a unique style that stands out from the rest. We are inspired by what happens on the street, from people, architecture, art or nature. We like to observe the beautiful things that surround us and translate them into our clothes.
Ramón Barbero, CEO and co-founder of Brava Fabrics.
Results: annual growth of 88%
Their business model consists of designing textile garments that they manufacture through their network of suppliers (most of the production is centralized in Portugal) and then they market. Although they started selling their products only through the Internet, they soon realized that the key to success was omnichannel. Today, in addition to its online store, its products are sold in 30 marketplaces such as Amazon or Zalando, in 200 multi-brand stores and in its two physical stores in Madrid and Barcelona. “This strategy allows us to minimize channel risk and make investment in acquisition marketing more effective, thus achieving greater growth potential,” holds Iván Monells, CDO and co-founder of Brava Fabrics.
The result has been a successful business model and a very positive evolution (with an average annual growth of 88% in sales) that has led them to sell their products in more than a hundred countries, with a solid presence in 11 European markets. . Spain represents 15% of the global business. They are already a profitable company, and throughout their history they have invoiced more than 13.5 million euros and sold nearly 200,000 garments to 90,000 customers. In 2021 they sold 72,000 garments and invoiced 3.6 million euros, and their forecast is to close the current year with 5 million euros invoiced.
Traceability and environmental impact
One aspect that characterizes Brava Fabrics is traceability. Each product it sells has a section on its website that explains how and where it was manufactured, the path traveled from its place of production to the hands of the customer, and guarantees both the sustainability of the materials used and the conditions fair working conditions throughout its production chain.
In addition, the company has an agreement with the NGO Eden Reforestation Projects to offset its own carbon footprint by planting trees, and with Empower AS to collect plastic from the oceans, activities to which the company allocates a proportional part of the amount of each sale. In this way, they have collected from the sea an amount of plastic equivalent to some 23,000 bottles and have planted nearly 40,000 trees, with which they have offset the emission of 487,000 kg of CO2.
Open round of participatory financing with La Bolsa Social
Brava Fabrics has been financed to date through five small rounds of investment totaling 800,000 euros, as well as through different banks and ENISA loans. Now, the company has opened a new round of participatory financing through The Social Bag (platform authorized by the CNMV that connects impact investors and companies that generate a positive social and/or environmental impact), with which he hopes to obtain 500,000 euros, and in which any interested person can participate from 1,000 euros.
This is a consolidation round (it already has positive EBITDA) and the capital will be used mainly to continue strengthening its sales channels and optimizing its logistics processes.
“We believe that Brava has the potential and the necessary ingredients to become one of the great fashion brands, and we want to be the first to reach the podium doing so in a sustainable way”concludes Ramón Barbero.
