By Cristina Rivas - Translated by Ángela Suárez
Universo MOLA, an initiative by the Fundación Entre Soles y Lunas, is the international movement driving sustainable fashion in Latin America. Through education, communication, and events such as Universo MOLA Fashion Week, it promotes a textile industry more regenerative and more fair, aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
To understand and actively participate in this transformation, it is essential to become familiar with key terms that define ethical and sustainable fashion according to Universo MOLA.
Essential Glossary of Sustainable Fashion According to Universo MOLA:
- Regenerative Design
In fashion, regenerative design involves the use of biodegradable materials or materials grown using regenerative agricultural practices (such as chemical-free farming and soil enhancement), closed-loop production systems that eliminate waste, and business models that empower local communities through fair trade, cultural recovery, and collaborative practices. It is not just about “doing no harm,” but about actively contributing to the health of the planet and its population.
A clear example of this approach is Disparate, a Colombian vegan footwear brand that applies regenerative fashion principles by reusing plastic bottles and discarded textiles in the creation of its products. Its soles, made with natural rubber and rice husk, are more biodegradable. In this way, they not only reduce waste but actively contribute to the care of the planet and the development of a conscious circular economy.
(Vía Instagram: @disparateshop)
- Circular Fashion
This is a model within the circular economy that seeks to transform how clothing is produced and consumed, moving away from the traditional linear model of "produce, use, and discard." Instead of generating waste, circular fashion promotes the reuse, recycling, and reintegration of materials in the different garment’s lifecycle, from design to post-consumption. This approach reduces environmental impact by extending product life and reintegrating resources into the production system, promoting in this way sustainability and minimizing waste.
Universo MOLA promotes circular fashion through workshops and events that teach designers and consumers how to reuse and recycle garments, encouraging a more sustainable textile economy.
(Presentation on “Fashion as a Social Mirror: Identity, History, and Culture” held during Universo MOLA Fashion Week 2025)
- Ethical Fashion
Focuses on ensuring fair and dignified working conditions, transparency across the value chain, and respect for human rights.
The platform highlights brands that prioritize ethics in their production processes, ensuring fair treatment of workers and that the operations are transparent and responsible.
(Verde Amor runway show during UMFW 2025)
- Sustainable Fashion
An approach to designing, producing, and consuming clothing that considers the entire lifecycle of the product, minimizing environmental impact, promoting fair labor conditions, and encouraging responsible economic practices. It goes beyond merely reducing ecological harm: it seeks to balance environmental, social, and economic factors to build an ethical and lasting fashion system.
Through Universo MOLA Fashion Week, Universo MOLA showcases collections by Latin American designers who incorporate sustainable practices, such as the use of eco-friendly materials and low-impact processes.
(Backstage of the sustainable fashion brand Arzayús at UMFW 2025)
- Quintuple Impact
A model promoted by Fundación Entre Soles y Lunas that integrates five dimensions: social, economic, cultural, environmental, and spiritual, proposing a systemic transformation.
This model is applied across its programs, ensuring that each initiative considers these five aspects to achieve holistic change in Latin American fashion.
- Slow Fashion (slow fashion)
A movement that prioritizes quality over quantity. It promotes conscious consumption, durable design, and respect for artisanal knowledge and production timelines.
Universo MOLA organizes workshops and talks to educate about the importance of slow fashion, encouraging consumers and designers to adopt more thoughtful and sustainable practices. slow fashion, alentando a consumidores y diseñadores a adoptar prácticas más reflexivas y sostenibles.
(Mireille Acquart, founder of Ethical Fashion Space, during Workshop #2: From Trends to Profitability, at UMFW 2025)
- Upcycling (Upcycling)
The creative transformation of discarded materials into new, higher-value products, reducing waste and fostering unique design.
Through the festival Hilos, organized by Universo MOLA and Fundación Entre Soles y Lunas, which celebrates sustainable fashion, art, and conscious culture, the technique is also promoted through initiatives that teach how to reuse textiles and unused materials to create new garments, fostering creativity and waste reduction.
(Instagram post for the next edition of the “Hilos” festival, taking place on June 7 and 8, 2025, at @desmadrecafe, Ciudad Vieja, Montevideo, Uruguay)
- Traceability
The ability to track a garment’s journey from raw material to consumer. It ensures transparency and trust in the production process.
Universo MOLA offers workshops on traceability and digital passports, teaching brands and consumers how to follow a garment's path from origin to end-user.
Transforming Fashion in Latin America
Universo MOLA not only promote these concepts but also actively implements them through educational programs, collaborations with designers, and events that highlight sustainable practices. Its holistic and committed approach has positioned Latin America as a reference in ethical and sustainable fashion.
By understanding and applying these terms, both consumers and producers can contribute to a more conscious, responsible fashion industry aligned with values of social and environmental justice.
Sources:
https://www.eurofins-environment.es/es/moda-sostenible/
https://www.eurofins-environment.es/es/economia-circular-definicion/
