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I💙PRIO
PRIO bets on circular economy and transforms discarded overalls into opportunities for entrepreneurial women
In partnership with Instituto Dona de Si, Carandaí 25, and Pipa Social, the company connects fashion, sustainability, and income generation in a reuse project that creates environmental and social impact
A collaborative project that combines fashion, sustainability, and social impact to transform what would be discarded into new possibilities. Born with the purpose of giving new destinies to personal protective equipment (PPE), the initiative transforms old overalls into fashion pieces, school supplies, and income opportunities for entrepreneurial women. Created by PRIO, the largest independent oil and gas company in the country, in partnership with Instituto Dona de Si, Pipa Social, and Carandaí 25, this circular economy project connects creativity, training, and female entrepreneurship.
In the first stage of the project, over 60 women supported by Instituto Dona de Si—an accelerator and promoter of female talent—received technical and creative training at Lab PRIO, as well as instruction in modeling, sewing, and dyeing, and access to machines and tools to continue their production independently. The participants also experienced a process of productive autonomy and personal empowerment, and learned that creating value by transforming materials that would otherwise be discarded can open new paths for social and sustainable development.
The second stage took place today, at the opening of the Carandaí 25 festival, which runs from October 9th to 13th, at the Jockey Club. During the event, the brand Sucrè, created by the designer Patricia Viero from Rio Grande do Sul, was selected to join the women of Instituto Dona de Si in the design of backpacks and pencil cases made from repurposed PPE.
“I was very happy with the news. When I learned about the raffle, I really wanted to be part of this project—and today that dream has come true. It is a great joy to be able to contribute to something so significant that brings together fashion, sustainability, and social impact. “It will be exciting to see the children proudly going to school with their backpacks and pencil cases made with so much purpose,” says Patricia Viero, founder of Sucrè, a Curitiba-based brand of t-shirts and sweatshirts with exclusive prints.
The production will be handled by Pipa Social, a platform recognized for fostering the work of seamstresses and artisans from peripheral communities. The result of this collaboration will be the donation of 150 backpacks and 450 pencil cases to children and teenagers from social projects supported by PRIO, with delivery expected at the beginning of the 2026 school year.
“Through the I❤ PRIO platform, we continue to support projects that inspire and create value for society, proving that sustainability is also built with creativity, collaboration, and real impact. More than a one-time action, the project represents a new perspective on the creative and circular economy, connecting different ideas around the same cause: “Transforming waste into new possibilities and empowering autonomy,” says Olivia Richardson, Head of Marketing and Communication at PRIO.
The third and final phase of the project begins in January 2026, marking the start of a new stage of creative training and productive integration. One of the brands participating in Carandaí 25 will be chosen to conduct training workshops in four modules: product development, technical data sheet, pilot piece, and organization of a fashion show. The process will result in the creation of a collaborative collection, co-created between the designer, the women of Dona de Si, and the festival’s curatorship, made with the repurposing of the PPE from PRIO. The collection will be launched in a fashion show at the May 2026 edition of Carandaí 25, with an exclusive sales area and all proceeds going to Instituto Dona de Si.