RE MIDA
Overview
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Country
Type of organization
Number of employees
Type of practice
Level of investment
Activity type
Key words
Summary
RE Mida Reggio Emilia is a pioneering center for the creative reuse of industrial and post-consumer waste materials, transforming them into resources for education, art, and design. Established in 1996, RE Mida collects, sorts, and distributes discarded materials from local industries, offering them to schools, artists, and community groups.
The center promotes a culture of sustainability, circular economy, and environmental responsibility by demonstrating the value of secondary raw materials. Through workshops, exhibitions, and educational programs, RE Mida fosters creativity, innovation, and ecological awareness, making it a model for sustainable material management and community engagement.
Background and origin
Founded in 1996 by the Municipality of Reggio Emilia in collaboration with Reggio Children and local industries, RE Mida was created to address the challenges of industrial waste and promote environmental education. Its importance lies in its ability to connect industry, education, and the creative sector, demonstrating the social and economic value of secondary materials and inspiring similar initiatives globally.
Relevance to the craft sector
RE Mida is highly relevant to the craft sector as it provides artisans, designers, and makers with access to unique, high-quality secondary materials. By enabling the transformation of industrial waste into new products, RE Mida supports sustainable craft practices, reduces raw material consumption, and fosters innovation in material use. The center’s approach aligns with circular economy principles and offers a replicable model for integrating waste valorization into craft and design processes.
Material focus – type of waste material involved
Industrial surplus, packaging, plastics, textiles, wood, metals, paper, and other nonhazardous post-consumer materials.
Target groups
Primary: Schools (teachers, students), artists, designers, craftspeople, community groups.
Secondary: Local industries (material donors), environmental educators, policymakers
Stakeholders involved
- Municipality of Reggio Emilia (founder/support),
- Iren Emilia; Reggio Children Foundation (educational partner),
- local industries (material donors),
- schools and universities (beneficiaries),
- volunteers (operations),
- artists/designers (users/ambassadors).
- Gender-balanced participation is
encouraged, with a focus on inclusion.
Professionals involved and their roles
- Teachers (education programs),
- Artists/designers (creative reuse),
- Volunteers (sorting/distribution),
- Trainers (workshops),
- Social workers (community engagement).
Connection of the practice with the project-identified needs
Knowledge of Waste Materials
Staff and users are trained in material identification, properties, safe handling, and creative transformation techniques. Workshops provide knowledge on sorting, cleaning, and preparing diverse materials for reuse.
Green Entrepreneurial Skills
RE Mida facilitates the development of green business models by demonstrating the market potential of upcycled products, offering training in compliance, and supporting scalable community-based recycling initiatives.
Creativity and Innovative Solutions
Methodological approach to implement the practice
Process description – step by step instructions for implementing the practice
RE Mida employs a participatory, communitydriven approach:
- Partnerships with industries for material collection;
- Collect and transport surplus materials.
- Sorting and cataloguing by staff/volunteers;
- Make materials available to community via membership or events and distribution to users;
- Organize educational and creative workshops.
- Monitor impact and adapt processes.
Time: Initial setup (6–12 months); ongoing operations are continuous. Guidance from Reggio Children and similar networks.
Related Resources that have been developed
End product
Upcycled art pieces, educational materials, design prototypes, community installations, and sustainable craft products.
Sources of funding for this intervention
Initial and ongoing funding from Municipality of Reggio Emilia (~60%), private sector sponsorships (~20%), foundation grants (~10%), and self-generated income from workshops/memberships (~10%). [Estimates; to be confirmed
Innovation, novel methods or technologies used
Obstacles and challenges faced
These considerations are based on desk research and analysis of publicly available information about RE MIDA; they do not derive from direct contact or interviews with the company.
Challenges: Ensuring consistent material quality and supply, engaging diverse user groups, and measuring long-term impact. Lessons: Strong partnerships and flexible programming are key; ongoing community engagement sustains relevance.
Steps further and plans for the future
These considerations are based on desk research and analysis of publicly available information about RE- Mida, they do not derive from direct contact or interviews with the company.
Plans might include expanding material streams, enhancing digital platforms for resource sharing, increasing outreach to new user groups, and supporting the replication of the model in other regions.
Key impacts – environmental, economic & social
Qualities and criteria’s to consider the practice effective,
efficient, sustainable, transferable
Overview
Effectiveness: How well does the practice achieve its goals?
Efficiency: Does the practice minimize resources while maximizing outputs?
Sustainability: Does the pratcice
contribute to environmental protection, social equality and long- term viability?
Transferability: Are the methods transferable in different contexts?
Required Competences for the best practice
implementation
Activities-to-competences mapping
Associated competences
Knowledge
Skills
Attitudes
Training needs required for successful implementation
Technical Training
- Upcycling and eco-design methods
- Sewing and garment-making
- Supply chain coordination and inventory software
- Impact reporting tools
Social Integration and HR
- Inclusive recruitment practices
- Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) workshops
- Coaching/mentorship for vulnerable workers
Sustainability and Circular Economy
- Circular economy fundamentals
- Environmental regulations in fashion/textiles
- Lifecycle assessment (LCA) basics
Digital and Business Tools
- E-commerce platforms