Ecomoda and Rio de Janeiro as a background for design initiatives in contemporary handicraft and sewing groups

Abstract

In the search for alternative and local productions of fashion articles with social engagement, this article proposes a reflection on the development of the urban space of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to understand it as a scenario for design initiatives in groups of artisans and seamstresses. The development of Rio de Janeiro’s urban space and its peculiarities, such as the growth of favelas in more valued places like the central and southern region of the city, in addition to the integration difficulties of these territories and their residents, were of great relevance for the analysis. The valorization of the social production of these territories represents the solution for integration, favoring the development not only of the favelas, but also of the city as a whole. Local production, in addition to the characteristic of cultural valorization, can promote social and economic development, as well as assist in environmental preservation, which was demonstrated with the description of the case study, namely the Ecomoda project. The project features a socio-environmental pedagogical initiative in which there had been design interference in groups of artisans and seamstresses.