Community and fashion designers unite in Tavira for upcycling project

It was in February that Tavira City Council began the textile upcycling program, consisting of several creative workshops, and a collaborative space was created at the INOVINTER Tavira facilities.

In this 1st phase, users of IPSS and associations, true masters in the art of sewing, joined forces with designers and artists Cristina Guerreiro, from Konceito.R, and Violeta Weitz, from Cor de Violeta, to give new life to discarded fabrics and clothing, embracing the concept “From Trash to Luxury”.

Through various sewing techniques and creative reuse, and a crossing of generations, unique garments were born, full of history and identity, made entirely from waste and surplus textiles.

Upcycling , the central practice of this workshop, is seen as a sustainable and transformative response: it recovers materials that would otherwise be discarded, converting them into pieces with added value, reducing the environmental impact of the textile industry, promoting creativity and individual expression and rescuing the emotional memory of each fabric.

More than that, it “empowers participants, proving that everyone has the ability to create, transform and innovate”, according to the Tavira municipality.

The workshops culminated in a fashion show, held at the opening of the ECOlógita Festival , on June 7th.

The pieces created during the project were also available for purchase in a temporary store, the “Ecoboutique”. This allowed the public to see the results of this collective work and purchase exclusive pieces, each with its own story told on the labels. The proceeds from sales went to the IPSS involved.

The IPSS and associations involved were already partners of the municipal initiative «IPSS + Amigas do Ambiente» and had also participated in another project promoted by the municipality, «T'aviristas – a Brigada do Ambiente».

After this launch and presentation of the project, the municipality of Tavira intends to continue it, ensuring the presence of the «Ecoboutique» in various events and extending participation to more members of the community, «reinforcing the commitment to a more active, creative and sustainable municipality, through the creation of solid partnerships between local entities and the direct involvement of the community».