Upcycling and creative recovery by a sustainable enterprise of handicraftswomen
Description
ISA (Impresa Sostenibile d'Artigiane) is a sustainable enterprise of craftswomen giving special attention to sustainability in its production chain:
- ISA uses production scraps and waste from diverse local companies, preferably chosing natural and ecofriendly products (fabrics from a shirt factory, leather from a sofa factory, wood from a sawmill, clothes, umbrellas, newspapers and books). It employs water-based colours and minimizes the use of glues
- For product design it takes inspiration from the Apulian territory (Italy)
- Its handicraft production is also innovative: tailoring, carpentry, crochet, and other traditional craft techniques are combined with digital ones (laser cutting, CNC and 3d printer) to minimize scraps, thus improving economic but also environmental sustainability of its products
- Fashion accessories (necklaces, earrings, hair bands, bags) and furnishing accessories (paintings, lamps, ornaments) are produced
- Furniture and accessories are recovered in a creative way and objects are created on request (from corporate gadgets to signs for restaurants)
- ISA is planning to apply for the sustainability certification of its products.
Main activity field
Identified challenge (s)
Main results
- ISA recovers, reuses and reduces scraps and waste production of local companies, rather than purchasing new products.
- The local community and schools participate in its activities, thus raising common awareness of social, environmental and economic value of its project, but also of functional and aesthetic results.
- About fashion and furnishing accessories, their sustainability derives from the use of secondary raw materials and circular eco-design; products are unique thanks to their reduced replicability.
- ISA is also an opportunity for handicraftswomen to work together and produce income from their manual skills.