In 2025, Alperia supported the “We Are Menders” project, an initiative promoted by the social cooperative Irecoop Alto Adige Südtirol and funded by the European Social Fund Plus of the Province of Bolzano. The project is based on the donation of old company uniforms, including those of Alperia, which are transformed through tailoring upcycling techniques to give new life to garments destined for disposal.
The initiative, carried out with the support of organizations such as Caritas and the Italian Red Cross, involved migrants residing in the province of Bolzano, offering them free training in tailoring, repair, and reuse of fabrics, accompanied by Italian language lessons, digital skills, and soft skills. Eight participants from Pakistan, India, Georgia, Kosovo, Nigeria, and Morocco were able to acquire new work and social skills while working at the University of Bolzano's FabLab.
The result of this work was presented in the exhibition “Zusammen – Upcycling Together!”, hosted at the FabLab of the University of Bolzano between May and June 2025. The exhibition showcased the unique creations born from the collaboration between the project participants and the students of the Prey/Keller atelier of the Faculty of Design and Arts.
The ultimate goal of the project is to create a tailor-made repair shop, with the aim of continuing to promote a circular and sustainable economic model and, at the same time, fostering the social and professional inclusion of migrants by offering them a concrete opportunity for training and personal growth.
Objectives
- To promote the social and labor inclusion of migrants and unemployed people through tailoring training and transferable skills
- To promote sustainability through the creative reuse of company uniforms using upcycling techniques
- To create a tailoring repair shop as a replicable model of sustainable economy
