Edu Uribesalgo
Director of Innovation and Sustainability at Ternua Group
Connecting the depths of the ocean with mountain outdoor apparel.
Edu Uribesalgo, Director of Innovation and Sustainability at Ternua Group and co-founder of Ternua, a brand for those who explore, travel, seek, and find in nature a space to express a message of protection to the world. An outdoor apparel brand inspired by the adventurous spirit of 16th-century Basque whalers and born with the purpose of giving back to the planet what the planet has given to us.
Today, Ternua stands as an innovative brand across its entire production process, setting a benchmark for one of the industries that needs it most.
1. Tell us what you are currently doing in favor of sustainability and why you do it
At Ternua, we are currently optimizing water usage to reduce it as much as possible. We work with suppliers that hold the most demanding certifications, who either do not use water or are able to recover or purify it, drastically reducing consumption.
We also explore materials that require less water than others. In the case of synthetic fabrics, we are dyeing the polymer instead of the fabric, which allows us to save up to 60% of water.
We continuously assess whether there is a better way of doing things. And if there is, we implement it.
2. How does sustainable innovation connect with business development at Ternua?
Innovation plays a central role. In 2006, we began replacing all our cotton with organic cotton. In 2015, we developed a collection free from highly toxic chemicals. In 2013, we became pioneers in using recycled down sourced from products that had already reached the end of their life cycle.
We have initiatives such as REDCYCLE, which repurposes fishing nets into new products, and NUTCYCLE, which uses walnut shells to create natural dyes.
Sustainable innovation is part of our everyday practice, and it is embedded in the brand’s DNA.
3. What is your personal connection with the oceans?
I come from the Basque Country, a place where mountains and the sea meet and connect. Both are part of our environment, and for me —and for us— they are equally important.
Our brand tells stories of adventure. Over time, we realized that the sea and the mountains, and the adventures that take place in both, share much more than it seems: the same values, the same essence.
4. If you had to explain Ternua in terms of connecting one thing with another, how would you describe it?
What we connect with consumers and the market is the proof that things can be done differently. When we started communicating not only what we do, but how we do it, we realized we were beginning to inspire others.
There are brands that sell empty products. We have a way of doing things and a set of values behind it that ultimately create a real connection with people.
