Determined to support the transformation of fashion from the ground up, Spanish fashion group Tendam has announced the creation of its new Sustainability Lab, a research and development laboratory focused on sustainability, which in collaboration with UDIT University in Madrid and consultancy IDavinci aims to ‘redefine the future of fashion’ through ‘a holistic approach combining research, education and collaboration’.

The Sustainability Lab seeks to consolidate itself as an epicentre of knowledge and innovation, opening its doors not only to Tendam employees, but also to other key players in the industry and society. The aim is to foster a culture of open innovation, where technological advances and best practices in sustainability can be shared and applied transversally throughout the textile value chain.

The partnership with UDIT will provide an academic basis to identify areas of improvement and address current fashion challenges in a way that accelerates the adoption of cutting-edge technologies.

In this context, research activities will focus on increasing the use of low environmental impact materials and developing production techniques that prioritise sustainability without sacrificing quality.

In addition, the laboratory will encourage eco-friendly design practices that facilitate the reuse of materials and minimise waste, promoting a shift towards a circular economy model in the textile sector.

UDIT Rector Juan Cayón underlined the value of the collaboration: "Tendam's choice of our university for this project is a recognition of our commitment to innovation and sustainability. It is not only about research, but also about training the professionals of tomorrow and spreading a transformative approach in the industry."

These future professionals, as they demonstrated during their presentation at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Madrid, are aware of the need to integrate sustainability and technology in their proposals, responding to the current demands of fashion.

Ignacio Sierra, Tendam's corporate CEO, commented on the impact of this initiative: "The lab equips us with the necessary tools to apply innovation to our daily operations and strengthen our commitment to sustainable growth. We want to put innovation at the service of our brands and the entire textile ecosystem, creating a multiplier effect in the industry."

This article was originally published on FashionUnited.ES, translated from Spanish into English with the help of an AI-tool and edited by Veerle Versteeg.