Upcycling in the Paraisópolis favela in Brazil: A solution for textile waste?

Despite the substantial increase in the dissemination of information demonstrating sustainable initiatives within the contemporary fashion and textile industry, we suggest that this narrative is dominated by large textile companies and brands. Additionally, knowledge production in fashion studies is still largely rooted in a Euro-American context. In light of this, there is an urgent need to broaden the scope of inquiry by incorporating peripheral perspectives and contextually grounded analyses. Based on a case study grounded in observation and interviews with women from the Costurando Sonhos Brasil organization, located in Paraisópolis, we discuss waste management processes – specifically upcycling – as one of the solutions to the growing problem of textile waste. Our objective is to complexify the sustainability paradox in a sector that continues to project unlimited growth. For this, we examine textile waste in Brazil, which is growing exponentially due to the current production system, lacking means for reuse or recycling, whether due to unavailable technology or insufficient workforce. Furthermore, we analyse the contradictions in the practice of textile waste donation, which ultimately serves as a low-cost alternative for companies to outsource their waste management. By amplifying the voices of seamstresses from Brazilian peripheries – one of the most vulnerable segments of the production chain and often excluded from broader discourse – we aim to challenge the dominant narrative and underscore the importance of these overlooked perspectives.