Journal

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März 19, 2024 by Simone Simonato

join our showcase at the Milan Design Week: Textiles Evolution Laboratory of Art

März 19, 2024

About half a year ago I, Simone Simonato, founder of SICA UPCYCLING DESIGN®, embarked on a new adventure in Portugal with the weaver Isabel Cartaxo and the visual artist Kitra. Together, we replicated SICA’s culturally sustainable methodology of transforming textile cut-offs into stunning handwoven home decor, creating a unique and meaningful artistic capsule collection under the team of TELA.

Some of you remember that this project got selected as one of the accelerated proposals of Worth Parnership, a program funded by the European Commission under COSME, the EU Programme for the competitiveness of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises.

The project TELA – Textiles Evolution Laboratory of Art – unites art with traditional craftsmanship. The idea is to intertwine the work of three different artists that is inspired by the preservation of European cultural heritage, in this case the weaving practices in Portugal, and also minimises the carbon footprint of the local textile industry.

I’m so happy to represent the team propose an artistic capsule collection of handwoven home decor by upcycling textile waste from local fashion factories which take a stand to positively transform the textile sector, such as our partner RDD Textiles.

And it’s about time we show you our collaboration of creativity and innovation in the world of design. Discover the intersection of art, design, and sustainability at our showcase:

At Bottega Immagine, Via Carlo Farini 60, Milan.
From 12 to 15 April.
Opening event: 17 April from 19:00-21:00.
Networking cocktail: 19 April 18:30-20:00.

I very much look forward in welcoming you to this unique event!

RETHINKING FASHION

Oktober 22, 2020 by Simone Simonato

RETHINKING FASHION with LOCAL INTERNATIONALS

Oktober 22, 2020

Still flourishing from earlier this year’s invitation by @goethe_bangladesh to take part on LOCAL INTERANTIONAL program among so many inspiring women.

The program built together with the @kunsthochschuleberlin
addresses solutions to the textile industry on a cultural exchange between students and professionals in Germany and Bangladesh.

More details you find in the published article (link) by @annafloreskessel that carries the illustrations by talented @istelaillustrated, who gracefully captured the SICA collaboration with women artisans Proudly made in Bangladesh.

Not being enough… I – Simone – received a special portrait included in this package (Scroll to the right). As a little push back into keep walking on the path, that can become rocky from time to time …

The future is female!

Nutzloses in Nützliches und Schönes verwandeln

September 28, 2020 by Simone Simonato

In Europa lebende Brasilianerinnen und ihre Mode- und Recycling-Initiativen

Interview der Journalistin Angela Bia Roman mit dem Gründer von SICA für die Ausgabe Nr. 06 der Zeitschrift URDUME aus Curitiba.

URDUME ist eine Initiative für Forschung, Praxis und Verbreitung von Wissen über textile Handwerkskunst, Pluralität und Handzeit. Diese Initiative umfasst neben Kursen und Forschungsarbeiten auch periodische Veröffentlichungen von Zeitschriften, die den Namen der Initiative tragen. URDUME glaubt an das inspirierende Potential der Kunst, indem es textile Handarbeiten und die Suche nach Selbsterkenntnis alltäglicher künstlerischer Ausdrucksformen anregt.

Alle Ausgaben können über die Website https://www.urdume.com.br heruntergeladen werden, wobei es sich um die Diagrammausgabe Nr. 06 im A4-Format handelt. Das konventionelle Sulfitbogenmuster ermöglicht einen einfachen Druck. Es kann auch leicht in einer örtlichen Druckerei mit einer einfachen Spirale gebunden werden.

Neben unserem Interview ist das Magazin voll von interessanten Themen!

we made your rugs

Juli 12, 2019 by Simone Simonato

During the months of March till June of 2019 the founder and designer of SICA Simone Simonato has been working from Bangladesh.
The connection between the designer and the weavers are essential for the development of SICA brand. Which aims to support the local weaving traditions as well as the artisans financially.

Since the fall of the Rana Plaza factory building on 24th of April 2013, a movement to impact for a change in the fashion sector has been taken from designers all over the globe. The movement, called fashion revolution, is made out of brands and consumers bringing awareness to „who made your clothes“. Simone photographed each of the weavers and shares a bit of their stories:

On the left column you can find the sisters Putul, 22 and Sumi, 19. The bangali weaver Putul (left) is an expert on satranji weaving. She not only weaves beautiful rugs, but also gives Workshops in her village teaching skills to other women in her community. Sumi (right) learned weaving from her inspiring sister. The income of Sumi’s rug weaving supports her fees in the University. She studies sociology and wants to become a teacher in the future.

On the right column from right to left please meet: upper line Gulapi Rani and Monica, lower line Anita and Gulapi.
The up cycled home items made out of this collaboration you can find in our shop session: home collection.

Satranji, the handicraft tradition

Meaning hundred colour fabrics, Satranji is a deep-rooted tradition of North Bengal.

A Satranji artisan represents the profile of a person with great skill and creativity.

The Satranji activity is crucial to supporting the artisans and their’s community economically. The loom most commonly belongs in the rural home villages as women’s daily activities, shared between domestic tasks and child care. Part of the income generated by Satranji weaving are destined to financing studies for their children.

The art of Satranji weaving still survives in a very limited extent in the region of Rangpur although the artisans concerned face many limitations. SICA celebrates the traditional art applying to it’s upcycled home collection.
The fair trade partnership gives to the local artisans the opportunity to explore and develop traditional crafts and to pursue contemporary designs