Redefining Luxury: How Reclaim Mallorca is Solving Fashion’s Waste Problem One Bag at a Time

At Eco Fashion Week Africa (EFWA), we believe that fashion should be intentional, ethical, and circular. That’s why we’ve rebranded Sustainable Fashion Talks to Eco Fashion Week Africa Talks—a platform where our co-founder Belinda hosts raw and inspiring conversations with global changemakers driving sustainability and circularity.

In a recent edition, Belinda met with Sarah, the founder of Reclaim Mallorca, a brand that transforms antique fabrics and discarded horse saddles into luxurious, one-of-a-kind bags. What began in 2009 as a response to the IPCC climate report and Europe’s financial crisis has since evolved into a trailblazing ethical fashion brand deeply rooted in heritage, material reuse, and climate responsibility.

From IPCC Alarm Bells to Action in Palma

Sarah founded Reclaim in 2009. Sparked by the urgency in the IPCC climate report and the European financial crisis. In the quiet neighborhood of Palma, she saw potential in discarded horse tack and her collection of antique fabrics. Combining the two sparked a new vision of sustainability: one that’s local, artisanal, and emotionally meaningful.

“To me, a product can’t be called luxury if someone is suffering to make it.”

From Waste to Worth: 90% Upcycled Materials

Every Reclaim bag is designed with intention—and more than 90% of the materials used are waste that’s been reclaimed from landfill:

• Horse saddles repurposed as leather

• Antique mattress fabrics and curtains from across Europe

• Surplus fabric from manufacturers

• Recycled wax canvas from waste in Haiti, Honduras, and Taiwan

This aligns with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s finding that 20% of textile waste is generated before a product is even made —a sobering insight that Reclaim directly challenges with its business model.

One Bag, One Story: What Circular Luxury Looks Like

Sarah’s brand challenges fast fashion’s obsession with newness. Instead, each bag is unique—only one of each is ever made. The vintage materials used have lived other lives, adding character and storytelling to every piece.

“Surely, that should be more exciting than something brand new.”

From custom design sessions using century-old fabrics to sourcing leather with natural wear from 70-year-old saddles, Sarah is redefining luxury as timeless, ethical, and personal.

Beyond Bags: Regenerating Biodiversity in Mallorca

Circularity at Reclaim doesn’t stop with the product. The company supports Project Equilibri, a rewilding and biodiversity restoration initiative in Mallorca. Sarah is also involved with Global Thermostat, a carbon-capture technology solution addressing legacy emissions—the CO₂ that’s already oversaturating our atmosphere.

“It’s like a party. We’ve had our fun. Now it’s time to clean up after ourselves.”

Fashion That Ships Green, Stays Local

Reclaim currently ships with DHL Green and is exploring localized production hubs to reduce transport emissions. From California to Spain, Sarah’s long-term goal is to build community-driven, regional teams that design and ship locally—radically reducing CO₂ impact.

What We Share at Eco Fashion Week Africa

Sarah’s belief that “we already have enough” is deeply aligned with our “No New Clothes” runway, where EFWA platforms African brands using upcycled materials and traditional reuse techniques. From Nairobi to Lagos, we honor the ingenuity of reworking what’s already available.

“True sustainability isn’t about creating new things—it’s about imagining new ways to work with what we already have.”
— Belinda Atieno, Founder, EFWA

Watch the Full Conversation

Eco Fashion Talks is a growing archive of conversations with leaders like Sarah, proving that fashion can be radically imaginative, climate-conscious, and community-centered.

Watch the full video interview here: YouTube.com
Learn more and support Reclaim: www.reclaimmallorca.com
Discover more circular stories: www.ecofashionweekafrica.com