From June 27 to 30, the first “Circular Fashion Days” took place in Turin at Green Pea, a festival dedicated to circular fashion, created in collaboration with the startup Atelier Riforma.

Coinciding with Turin Fashion Week (which this year was held at Green Pea), the event offered four days of immersion in the fashion world, exploring what responsible consumption and a circular economy mean up close.

As circular fashion consultants for Green Pea, the Atelier Riforma team developed a packed schedule of activities to inspire and engage people on these topics:

• 7 Workshops: Participants had the opportunity to learn practical techniques in embroidery and painting on used clothing, fabric printing, customization of deadstock garments, eco-printing with flowers and leaves, plastic waste recovery, upcycling, and mending. These workshops not only provided practical skills but also emphasized the importance of reuse and creativity in a sustainable lifestyle.
• 1 Photo Exhibition: Showcasing the stories of 20 circular fashion artisans, celebrating their talent and commitment to greener fashion.
• 2 Art Installations: Offering reflections on the environmental, social, and economic impacts of the fashion sector, encouraging critical and conscious dialogue among visitors.
• 2 Fashion Shows: Presenting unique upcycled collections: one created from used clothing with the help of a social tailoring workshop and another from deadstock items, with proceeds going to fund a charitable project. These events demonstrated how creativity can transform waste into fashionable items while promoting social causes.
• Upcycling Contest: Aimed at fashion students to encourage future professionals to develop new ideas for material reuse, promoting circular innovation.
• Market: Featuring exhibitors from all over Italy, showcasing a variety of circular fashion and craft products, allowing visitors to discover and purchase unique items.
• Talks: Experts in the sector discussed sustainable fashion and how technological innovation can make the used clothing supply chain more efficient.
• 2 Swap Parties: One for children and one for adults, promoting reuse and sharing, reducing excessive consumption and waste.

Many professionals and entities in the fields of circularity, fashion art, and crafts from all over Italy were involved in the event, including: Laboratorio POI, photographer Chiara Agostinetto, the benefit corporation Mercato Circolare, the brand Italia90, the Batik collective, the association IB-Artemide, the brand Barone Ostu, eco-printer Laudisia Colonnelli, the brand Divergente, the social tailoring Kechic, various fashion institutes, the Belt Bag project, mender Natasha Goetz, Costanza vintage, Emporio Margherita, the brand CEA, Jukebox couture, the upcycling brand Eleven Daisies, the artisanal jewelry brand Manibargé, One Up Reuse, Cloré Handmade, Nobody is 100%, Poppi.lab, the artisanal brand Deda…

This rich initiative was born from the collaboration between Green Pea (the first large physical space in Italy dedicated to 360° sustainable living) and Atelier Riforma (an innovative social startup promoting circular fashion, also part of Turin Social Impact).

“We sincerely thank all the participants, exhibitors, speakers, and professionals who made this event possible, and especially Green Pea, for this valuable opportunity to leverage our expertise in circular fashion. The change that Atelier Riforma wants to bring to the fashion world also involves spreading awareness and educating consumers… and there’s no better way to do that than through fun and creativity!” – Elena Ferrero (CEO of Atelier Riforma)

This is the first edition of what is hoped to become a long-term collaboration, giving citizens a regular event and space to enjoy while exploring such a relevant topic as circularity.