The ARCA Project's mission to democratize sustainable fashion design took a significant step forward with our pilot training course in Barcelona: from October to December 2024, we transformed patterns and sketches designed in the first phase of the project into hands-on learning experiences, bringing the OURCELIUM collection from digital blueprints to tangible garments.
A Space for Creative Innovation
The workshops took place at Lantoki Studio, one of ARCA's key partners and a virtuous example of Barcelona's creative ecosystem. Their beautifully equipped space, as well as their experience in both fashion and teaching, provided the perfect environment for participants to explore sustainable design principles while working with professional-grade tools and facilities.
In more than 40 intensive hours spread across weekly sessions, participants of varying ages and skill levels collectively created the complete OURCELIUM capsule wardrobe. The people involved, most of them unemployed, had been offered the opportunity to work in a real-world setting, leveraging the design and the patterns developed under the ARCA project itself.
Learning Through Making
The hands-on course structure allowed participants to learn how to create all six multifunctional garments from the OURCELIUM collection, with session duration adapting to each piece's complexity. This flexible approach ensured excellent results, regardless of the participants initial sewing experience.
What emerged was more than just skill-building: it was a collaborative testing ground for the replicability of the collection itself and its associated open-source tutorials. Participants' feedback and practical experience provided invaluable insights, helping refine teaching materials, patterns and guidelines. Their proactive engagement and enthusiasm became fundamental to understanding how real users interact with the OURCELIUM garment's construction, leading to significant improvements that will enhance the final open-source publication.
Expanding Horizons Through Partnership
A highlight of the program was the collaboration with Upcycling Barcelona, a local association involved in promoting circularity in fashion, who hosted three sessions at their workshop. These classes introduced participants to patchwork techniques using recycled fabrics, demonstrating how waste materials can be transformed into beautiful fabric panels.
The results were remarkable: participants created alternative versions of capsule pieces using entirely upcycled materials, showcasing another dimension of circular design principles embedded into OURCELIUM. This collaboration reflected ARCA's vision of resource reuse, showing how sustainable practices can foster lateral creative processes that lead to unexpected and distinctive aesthetic outcomes"
Democratizing Skills, Democratizing Fashion
The Barcelona workshops represent more than a successful pilot program: they demonstrate how accessible education can empower individuals to become agents of change in the fashion industry. Participants didn't just learn to sew: they experienced how circular design principles translate into practice, how collaboration and knowledge-sharing enhance creativity, and how sustainable approaches can produce professional-quality results.
The enthusiasm and dedication of our participants have helped transform OURCELIUM from an innovative concept into a proven, practical tool for sustainable fashion creation. But here’s the twist: OURCELIUM will not be for sale, it will be published online for free, alongside digital tutorials, patterns and guides on how to recreate each garment. The collection is designed to become an accessible tool for everyone—from passionate amateurs to emerging professionals—serving as both a pathway for skill development and a means of creative self-expression within sustainable fashion.
The success of this pilot program confirms that OURCELIUM is ready for its next chapter: becoming a freely accessible resource that will enable countless individuals to create, learn, and innovate within sustainable fashion.
Special thanks to the workshop participants: Alba, Malena, Camila, Manuel, Pietra, Adriana, Natalia, Joao Paulo, Eva, Lana Mayra, Xochitl, Catherine, Bilma, Laura, Patricia