Unispace WINS at the Sustainable Design Collective Awards for our initiative with Casa Congo

We’re excited to share that our Unispace x Casa Congo initiative was a WINNER at the Sustainable Design Collective awards!

About the initiative

Las Tejedoras, “The Weavers”, are a collective of 17 Nicaraguan women who transform recycled plastic bags into works of art that are a true representation of economic opportunity for the local community.

In 2021, Unispace formed a collaboration with Casa Congo and Las Tejedoras to design an ‘impact driven product’ for the office sector. The scope of the collaboration is the creation of 30+ tapestries produced by Las Tejedoras upcycling over 50,000 plastic bags. The tapestries, which can be used as rugs or wall hung artworks, will be installed inside the HQs of over 20 different global brands to inspire individual and corporate action in the areas of environmental conservation and women empowerment.

 This collection of workplace tapestries has unlocked a real pathway to financial sustainability for Las Tejedoras. Thanks to this collaboration, Las Tejedoras have already made a radical step chance in their livelihood, enabling them to invest in their children’s higher education and improve their daily live and long-term prospects. 

“It’s a privilege to give these talented women a global platform to showcase their craft and drive a real impact together with global brands… from Astillero to London - 1 less plastic bag, 1 more turtle!”

- Nicholas Kaspareck, 
Senior Principal at Unispace and Co-Founder of Casa Congo

The Sustainable Design Collective

The SDC Awards for Sustainability within the office workplace sector are designed to champion ‘best practice’ and highlight innovations.

The Collective’s mission is to connect, inspire and engage. It is recognised that the quest for greater environmental responsibility and sustainability is a huge challenge. Collaboration is essential to accelerate the pace of change.

"Sustainability is ultimately about balancing three key factors – the environment; society; and the economy. Each themed topic will be addressed through the lens of three distinct aspects: Products, Places, People. There is so much ‘green wash’. Some companies seek to hide behind marketing words – we must ‘call this out’ and highlight the importance of environmental responsibility.

We also encourage people to describe difficulties and hurdles. This will potentially lead to further research, potentially public sector funded, to move the next level of sustainability."

- The Sustainable Design Collective