Who am I?

Making this blog special

Dan Pontarlier has been a consultant in sustainability and marketing for the hospitality and fashion industries for 15 years. Besides writing his book From Trash To Runway, Dan is also the co-founder of the European Sustainable Hospitality Club, and the European Sustainable Fashion Week and has his own upcycling brand, DP the label.

He is also known as Key Opinion Leader on Sustainability in the hotel sector and author of the Strategic Sustainability Plan (2017-2019) in collaboration with the Barcelona City Council that fostered the incorporation of sustainability practices for accommodation services based in the city. Dan accumulates more than ten years of baggage in the sector and vocational orientation to the sustainable management of the destinations and the companies that compose them.

As an actor involved in the creation of society's awareness regarding sustainability issues in both industries, Pontarlier is committed to creating a positive impact through the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. With his work, he strives to empower the reduction of poverty and hunger with the support of brands that promote decent work, economic growth, and respect for the environment, while standing for gender equality, liberty, and fluidity.

Just a bit of my background...

Here you can find some of the things I've done

Remake Ambassador

“I #wearmyvalues the same way I wear my clothes: clean, guilt-free, consciously, with a positive impact and with tones of awareness. I am here to foster creativity and show that everyone can go to zero waste or nearby. Spoiler alert: the journey is amazing!”

Fashion Activist for Vestiaire Collective

Featured in the last brand film promoting circularity and second hand shopping, I was part of the 3 fashion activist selected by VC along with Venetia Lamanna and Aja Barber.

SmartTravel News - Article

Check my article where I write about the positive impact that sustainable fashion -besides other inputs- could have for the hospitality industry if we include it in our strategy.

Eco-Age Article

Identified as a high profile professional in the sustainability field for the tourism and fashion industries and as college professor, I write my first article for the renowned Eco-Age.

Brand Ambassador for Timberland

As Brand Ambassador for the brand Timberland in their campaign Nature Needs Heroes, I did a couple of workshops with some customers in Paris, teaching them how to create biodegradable and permanent plant pods.

Featured Speaker at the #ConsciousTalks

Recognised as one of the key ecoinfluencers in Paris, Presente Ascentral featured me in the "Conscious Talks" moderated by the great Graciela Martin.

Panel of Judges at Hospitality Congress

Referee at the Panel of Judges of the congress evaluating and approving applying papers. Organised by the Peruvian University of Applied Sciences, CETT-University of Barcelona and University Externado of Colombia.

European Ambassador for Sustainable Fashion

Guest of honor invited by National League Hungary and Slow Fashion World in Budapest as European Ambassador for Sustainable Menswear Fashion during the Global Sustainable Fashion Week 2019.

Selected Changemaker

Selected as Changemaker for the organization Slow Fashion World for promoting sustainability personally and professionally as teacher, speaker and consultant.

Master of Ceremonies PIFS 2018

Proud Master of Ceremonies in the 2nd Edition of the Post Industrial Fashion Show promoted by Post Industrial Community in order to create awareness about lack of sustainability in the fashion industry.

Citizen commitment to Sustainability

First Fashion Activist signing this kind of commitment in the plan 2012-2022 for the the Barcelona City Hall in order to promote sustainability in the destination and the city.

Statements & Manifesto

What I am committed to in terms of sustainability

More trains less planes
One of my main commitments is to reduce my ecological footprint by choosing traveling by train whenever is available. As I work in several cities in Europe, is going to be challenging.

Moving by public transport
I'm committed to use public transport whenever is possible, suitable and available in the places I am living and working. In case of using private transport, it will be as clean and green as possible.

No plastic, is fantastic!
Not just in fashion but in general lifestyle, I'm committed to reduce my waste and be logical, avoiding to the maximum the acquisition of single use plastic containers.

Circularity as modus vivendi

Whenever is not possible to avoid a plastic container or plastic item, I use creativity in order to reuse it and give it a more permanent second life to prevent it from becoming land waste.

Never buy fast-fashion items
Since I made my commitment to sustainability several years ago, I promised myself to never buy again a single piece of fast fashion clothing from any of those damaging brands in the industry. For me it is not an option.

Upcycling fashion: 0 waste
I love my clothes, and when they are torn or I can't use them anymore, I accumulate them to upcycle and bring them to my fantastic seamstress, so she can make my designs come to real life.

We all are the SDG

I started working with the initial 8 Millenium Development Goals when the United Nations settled them and I was stepping into the sustainability consultancy for hotels.

When they switched to the Sustainable Development Goals I embrace them as a huge improvement, and the first thing I tackled was the Sustainability Strategic Plan that I developed for the hotels in Barcelona along with Barcelona + Sostenible from the City Hall.

Now, as an actor involved in the creation of society's awareness in sustainability issues both in the tourism and fashion industries, I am committed with the UN in creating and divulging information that could generate a positive impact within the different goals.

I provide knowledge and create awareness through my channels about the impact of fashion in the environment and society, accessible for everyone.

Promotion of sharing economy and social economy through upcycling, relying on local seamstresses to help us with sewing instead of buying clothes from big corporations.

Part of my job is to invert what the fashion industry is generating. What I do is create awareness about the necessity of decreasing overconsumption and increasing clothes reutilization and second hand shopping.

Promoting upcycling I try to decrease the impacts that the fashion industry has in aggravating the microfiber pollution in our oceans.

I stand for gender equality, liberty and fluidity – as well as the reduction of inequalities –, acknowledging it as basic in this era.

Considering the significant potential for a circular business model in the fashion industry, I promote circularity by promoting second hand stores and reclaimed fabrics stores.

A key in responding to climate change is decrease consumerism and creation of new materials and fabrics. We already have a bunch that can be upcycled and recycled. Let's stop the madness.

By upcycling, we contribute to stop biodiversity loss and deforestation, as well as to avoid fabrics to end up in the landfills.