{"id":16637,"date":"2026-06-03T15:27:32","date_gmt":"2026-06-03T15:27:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pimpampum.fr\/?p=16637"},"modified":"2026-06-03T15:29:30","modified_gmt":"2026-06-03T15:29:30","slug":"reco-solidarity-clothing-drive-may-30-2026-a-community-mobilization-for-sustainable-fashion-and-social-integration-in-paris","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pimpampum.fr\/en\/reco-solidarity-clothing-drive-may-30-2026-a-community-mobilization-for-sustainable-fashion-and-social-integration-in-paris\/","title":{"rendered":"RECO Solidarity Clothing Drive \u2014 May 30, 2026: A community Mobilization for Sustainable Fashion and Social Integration in Paris"},"content":{"rendered":"

Published by ONG Pim Pam Pum \u00b7 Paris, France \u00b7 June 2026<\/em>
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On Saturday, May 30, 2026, ONG Pim Pam Pum organized the first large-scale Solidarity Clothing Drive of the RECO program at the Maison \u00c9tudiante, 50 rue de Tournelles, in the 3rd arrondissement of Paris. Far more than a simple clothing collection, this event marked the first concrete public milestone of an ambitious program dedicated to the fight against fast fashion, the promotion of textile upcycling, the circular economy, and the social integration of refugee and asylum-seeking populations in the \u00cele-de-France region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The day brought together volunteers, partners, and members of the public around a shared goal: collecting second-hand clothing, sewing machines, fabrics, threads, and textile materials. These donations form the essential raw material for the two following stages of the RECO programme: the RECO Open Week in October 2026 and the full programme running from January to February 2027.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The RECO Programme: Transforming the Worn into the Unique, for Integration and Autonomy<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

RECO is a formative, creative, and inclusive programme developed by ONG Pim Pam Pum in Paris, centred on the valorisation of textile upcycling and the circular economy. Built on the reuse of worn clothing as raw material, it adopts a low-cost, minimal-investment approach, making workshops widely accessible while promoting sustainable and innovative practices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The programme is designed for two complementary audiences: 75% of its participants are refugees or asylum seekers, and 25% come from the general public of \u00cele-de-France \u2014 fashion, sewing or design students, people in professional reintegration, or engaged citizens. This synergy is at the heart of the project: general public participants enrich the programme while playing an essential role as facilitators of the integration of refugee populations into local social fabric. Participation is entirely free of charge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

RECO aims to foster personal development, creative expression, and social and professional integration among its participants. It is structured around three linked but independent axes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Claudia \u2014 the fashion axis: an experimental design pathway dedicated to transforming worn garments into original and creative pieces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Victorina \u2014 the self-presentation through clothing axis: a pathway where participants learn to adapt their outfits to better reflect their identity and the image they wish to project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toro \u2014 the circular entrepreneurship axis: a strand that guides participants in developing their own textile business creation project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first edition of the programme will welcome 24 participants (maximum 14 per group), with the option to enrol in one axis or all three. By the end of the programme, each participant will have a clear vision of their own path \u2014 whether in creative fashion, identity expression, or entrepreneurship \u2014 and will be connected with key actors and integration networks in \u00cele-de-France. RECO is the starting point that lights the spark and opens the first doors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Three Stages of the RECO Programme<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The programme unfolds in three distinct stages, each generating its own social impact:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stage 1 \u2014 Solidarity Clothing Drive (30 May 2026): collection of second-hand clothing and textile materials to build the material foundation of the programme. This is the stage described in this article.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stage 2 \u2014 RECO Open Week (12 to 18 October 2026): a week of public awareness activities built around creative workshops, roundtables, and meetings with actors in sustainable fashion and the circular economy in Paris. The RECO Open Week aims to raise public awareness about the fight against fast fashion, forge new partnerships, and consolidate those already established. It operates in direct synergy with the Clothing Drive and prepares the ground for the programme’s main edition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stage 3 \u2014 RECO Programme (18 January to 18 February 2027): one month of intensive workshops, training sessions, roundtables, and activities. This is the central stage of the programme \u2014 the one that concretely transforms the lives of its beneficiaries. The materials collected during the Clothing Drive and worked on during the Open Week become the raw material for participants’ creations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These three stages form a coherent and synergistic whole: the Clothing Drive feeds the Open Week, which prepares the main programme. Each stage generates its own social impact while building the next.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The May 30 Drive: A Day in Detail<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The team arrived early at the Maison \u00c9tudiante to set up the space before the doors opened. Posters were installed at the entrance of the building, and the cafeteria was transformed into a welcoming, visually engaging collection and workshop space. The layout included a dedicated sorting station for incoming donations, a fully equipped sewing table, and a dedicated area for partner association Reuzin, positioned to maximise their visibility among donors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A morning briefing gathered the full team to align on roles, workflows, and the spirit of the day. Carolina Duran, Founder and Director of ONG Pim Pam Pum, arrived bringing donations from the Acad\u00e9mie du Climat: sewing materials, fabrics, threads, and a sewing machine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Workshops, Mobile Collection, and Community Encounters<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

From the morning, the first sewing workshops got underway. The team crafted fabric banners from upcycled small clothing items, choosing green as the signature colour to reflect the ecological and upcycling spirit of the RECO programme. These banners were displayed outside the Maison \u00c9tudiante to draw in passers-by. Aiwei Feng filmed the scene in real time to feed the NGO’s digital platforms \u2014 Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn \u2014 in constant coordination with Matina Ravan, who edited and published content remotely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At midday, the team took a break at the nearby Place des Vosges \u2014 one of Paris’s most iconic public squares, just steps from the venue \u2014 before returning for a full afternoon session.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the early afternoon, Quentin Lecocq, a professional videographer working as part of the Start’In ESS programme of the Acad\u00e9mie du Climat, arrived to document the event. He conducted interviews with Carolina Duran and the Reuzin team, capturing the stories behind RECO and the vision of its partners. His presence ensured professional media coverage of the day for institutional use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the afternoon’s highlights was a mobile collection pickup: Octavia Peardon and Marlis Gonzales, riding the NGO’s electric scooter, retrieved a donation from a private donor who had registered via the Google Form, bringing it directly back to the Maison \u00c9tudiante \u2014 a spontaneous logistics operation that perfectly embodied the community spirit of RECO.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An unplanned visitor, who had stumbled upon the event while passing by the Maison \u00c9tudiante, stopped to take the NGO’s contact details and expressed interest in making a future donation \u2014 a small but meaningful sign of the programme’s organic reach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The VICTORINA Workshop: Self-Affirmation Through Clothing<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The afternoon also featured the VICTORINA workshop, one of the creative modules at the heart of the RECO programme. Each member of the Pim Pam Pum team customised a plain white t-shirt sourced from the donated items, transforming it into a unique garment reflecting their own identity and the way they wish to present themselves in the world. The session concluded with a collective fashion walk \u2014 all team members wearing their personalised creations \u2014 a joyful and symbolically powerful moment illustrating RECO’s core message: second-hand fashion as a vehicle for self-expression and identity affirmation, not as a compromise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The VICTORINA workshop creations will serve as visual assets for the RECO Open Week in October 2026 and the programme in January and February 2027.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sorting, Packing, and Transfer to the Acad\u00e9mie du Climat<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In the mid-afternoon, the team began a methodical sorting process. Mikhaela Nomenjanahary and Victoire Pous sorted items by colour in the first pass, followed by Marlis Gonzales and Octavia Peardon who refined the classification by fabric type to group compatible textiles for future upcycling workshops. Every item was then carefully packed into transport bags.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At 16:45, the collection closed and the team restored the cafeteria to its original state. Once the venue was cleaned and cleared, the entire team made their way to the Acad\u00e9mie du Climat \u2014 the electric scooter proving particularly useful for transporting the sewing machine \u2014 where ONG Pim Pam Pum holds a secure, locked storage space at level -1 of the building. All collected materials were transferred and stored by 18:00.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Results and Outlook<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Solidarity Clothing Drive of May 30, 2026 was a clear success on the operational and internal level. The volume of second-hand clothing and textile equipment collected provides a solid working base for the RECO Open Week in October 2026 and the full programme in January and February 2027. The team demonstrated strong cohesion, remarkable collective energy, and smooth logistical coordination throughout the day. The partnership with Reuzin added significant value, both in terms of shared expertise and in opening the door to future collaboration in sustainable fashion and textile upcycling in Paris.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One area for improvement identified by the team: external visibility. Despite active social media promotion and targeted sharing across Facebook groups, the number of donations from people outside the NGO’s direct networks remained limited \u2014 only three external donors attended on the day. The event’s listing in the Ville de Paris ‘Que faire \u00e0 Paris?’ guide was published only the day before, limiting its reach. For future editions, submissions to institutional communication channels will be made several weeks in advance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thank You<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

ONG Pim Pam Pum extends its deepest thanks to everyone who made this day possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To the Pim Pam Pum team: Carolina Duran, Octavia Peardon, Mikhaela Nomenjanahary, Aiwei Feng, Matina Ravan, Victoire Pous, and Marlis Gonzales, for their energy, commitment, and coordination throughout the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To partner association Reuzin and Janne Reuzin for their presence, support, and for sharing their expertise in upcycling and sustainable fashion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To Quentin Lecocq for his professional video and photography work as part of the Start’In ESS programme of the Acad\u00e9mie du Climat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To the Maison \u00c9tudiante for hosting the event and for their warm welcome and logistical support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To Marion Charrier and the communications team of the Ville de Paris for their support in promoting the event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To the Acad\u00e9mie du Climat for hosting the Start’In ESS programme of which RECO is a laureate, and for providing ONG Pim Pam Pum with a secure, dedicated storage space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To every donor \u2014 whether they dropped off clothing on the day, registered in advance via the form, or simply pushed the door open out of curiosity \u2014 for believing in the value of second-hand fashion and the RECO programme.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read more about the RECO Solidarity Clothing Drive: pimpampum.fr\/reco-drive-30-may\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Discover the full RECO programme: pimpampum.fr\/Projets\/projet-reco\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I want to participate: forms.gle\/EwRg6XfKupGM6xuH6<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Published by ONG Pim Pam Pum \u00b7 Paris, France \u00b7 June 2026 On Saturday, May 30, 2026, ONG Pim Pam Pum organized the first large-scale Solidarity Clothing Drive of the RECO program at the Maison \u00c9tudiante, 50 rue de Tournelles,…<\/p>\n

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