Artigo:

"The increase in the production of consumer goods has led to a greater quantity of discarded post-consumer products, a greater interest in the environment and a greater emphasis on the study of ecological, water and carbon footprints. According to Morin (2000, p. 70), “conceived solely in a technical-economic way, development reaches an unsustainable point, including the so-called sustainable development”. The fashion industry is seen as one of the industrial sectors that generates the most waste and residues, given the changing nature of fashion. Considered the second largest employer in the manufacturing industry, according to Abit, the Brazilian Association of the Textile and Clothing Industry, in 2024, it clarifies that it is the 5th largest textile industry, the clothing industry remains on a large-scale production scale, being one of the main responsible for the generation of waste. It is possible to plan and continue the life cycle of products, through Design solutions, as explained by Manzini and Vezzoli (2002, p. 91 - 98). In this way, increasing the life cycle of a product from a sustainability perspective allows the process of extracting raw materials to the material transformation processes to be responsible for a series of steps that avoid the immediate and wasteful final disposal. This study aims to promote the reuse of clothing products originating from post-consumer corporate clothing (uniforms) and counterfeit clothing, using upcycling on an industrial scale with the aim of benefiting both companies and society. Supporting information for solutions to accumulated textile waste, moving these garments, originating from idle storage, into a system that provides another life and, therefore, reuse. Corporate clothing (uniform), in the communication and promotion of a brand, corporate clothing can be an effective marketing tool and offer non-verbal communication aligned with the company's values. The logo or name of the corporation can be easily incorporated into the garment, increasing the visibility of the brand and differentiating it in the market. Counterfeit or counterfeit clothing, counterfeiting is related to the falsification or illegal imitation of fashion products protected by registered trademarks, patents or designs. It involves the production and sale of items that are passed off as authentic, but are made without authorization and are often of inferior quality, fraudulently imitating a product, to the detriment of their authors. By avoiding the destruction of seized materials (an action that could generate waste), with the use of upcycling on an industrial scale, recycled material is generated, extending the life cycle of these products, which can benefit society, the extremely vulnerable population living on the streets or victims of environmental disasters, through donation actions carried out by public agencies. Increasing the reuse and recycling of textiles can potentially reduce the production of virgin textile fibers and, in the case of reuse, also avoid engineering processes that can increase the life cycle of textile products and, thus, reduce the environmental impact. The advantages of applying upcycling in industry, according to Aus (2011), usually consist of: ease of implementation of design processes and the speed with which the designer becomes involved in creating value-added products; Possibility of solving problems within the industry, without having to resort to waste management; Minimization of the use of energy resources; Ability to reduce waste production; Valorization of existing materials; Opportunity to select the best process to apply through the environmental and socio-ethical perspective; Contribute to the development of the circular economy in the textile sector; Build links and partnerships between companies, designers and artisans; Develop professional training for upcycling purposes on an industrial scale, promoting the circular economy. Upcycling can vary according to the extent of the change in clothing, from the addition of small details, such as a decorative finish, changes in the silhouette, such as the addition of extra volume, and even the complete transformation of the original purpose of the garment, such as the transformation of dress pants into a dress. JANIGO & WU (2015). This article is an exploratory and descriptive case study, whose analysis was based on Systems Theory, seeking evidence to support the theoretical findings, in order to understand and transform the content obtained into scientific writing. Yin (2001). It was developed with employees and staff from organization A and the marketing department of company B (fictitious names to protect the corporate entities). On-site meetings were held. Two companies with significant differences from each other were selected for the development of the research: company A is from the public sector, and company B is from the private sector. To ensure the confidentiality of the research data, the companies signed a consent form for the use of data for this research through technical cooperation contracts. The point of convergence of both companies is industrial-scale upcycling to solve their complex problems with pre- and post-consumer clothing. Company A, a public company, is an agency of the Brazilian federal government, acting to ensure the functioning of the federal tax collection system and also in customs inspection. It is subordinate to the Ministry of Finance. Working to seize counterfeit clothing in Brazil, it has confiscated thousands of tons per year that had been stored for long periods of time, awaiting the appropriate time for destruction. According to the GOV.BR transparency portal (2022). Company A released the results of the Operation to seize illegal clothing, known as Operation Krampus, carried out in the city of São Paulo. More than 2,000 tons of irregular goods were seized, most of which were counterfeit. The value of the seized products is over R$1.2 billion in 2022, due to smuggling and counterfeiting, generating losses of billions of reais per year due to tax evasion and unfair competition. In addition to the tax aspect, there are also repercussions on other crimes, such as money laundering, corruption, slave labor and damage to public health. Seized goods are considered irregularities. Thus, as shown in Figure 1, when designing a structured project using upcycling, these 2,000 tons were redesigned so that the products could be used again. Figure 1 – Recycling stages of Company A. Source: Maria Goreti Leal Vanini Isaac. The B Corp, a privately held multinational company and leader in the chemical industry, has businesses in 90 countries and is the largest integrated global chemical complex. They anchor sustainability in their corporate purpose, strategic in their goals and activities in business, innovations, products and technologies, and help to use natural resources efficiently. In addition to positive contributions, business activities also have negative results and, therefore, they constantly work to increase positive contributions to key sustainability issues throughout their value chain in order to reduce negative impacts. In this way, the B Corp combines economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. Around 111,000 employees of the Group contribute to the success in almost all sectors, in almost all countries in the world. In Brazil, with 4,400 employees (4% of the global workforce), the B Corp, led by these values, promoted innovation and sustainability initiatives and, in 2024, adopted a commitment to the circular economy, with the reuse of corporate uniforms containing their visual identities through their logos. What could have been an impediment was transformed into protection for the company's brands. They used upcycling on an industrial scale, figure 2, to extend the life of uniforms in good condition, which the company donated to benefit people in socially vulnerable situations. The company plans to extend this Brazilian initiative, conceived using a scientific method, to its other global units. Figure 2 – Stages of the recycling process at Company B. Source: Maria Goreti Leal Vanini Isaac. By applying the design project method, the two companies ensured the reproducibility of their projects, which could guarantee expansion to other company units in Brazil and abroad. This study aimed to represent an instrument to raise awareness of environmental issues related to the fashion industry and avoiding textile waste. The theoretical contribution of this research is the compilation of sustainable practices and solutions for companies regarding the treatment of solid waste, which can be reproduced in other contexts. It aimed to provide benefits for the organizations studied, new partnerships for the correct treatment of waste, ESG practices, generate new products through reuse for the circular economy and generate income for people who seek a source of income through recycling. Thus, to persuade a systemic change in the current model of textile production, it is necessary to generate solid connections, educate and involve society to build a joint vision of a sustainable and creative economy with financial, social and environmental purposes. The processes, methods for recovering and recycling textile waste are already consolidated and undergoing constant technological evolution. Brazilian initiatives show that the country is following a beneficial and essential path for society."