AZ EcoDesign · Sustainable projects · Rethink & Redesign · The Alchemy of Waste™

What if we looked at things differently?

What if your next idea could do more? More creatively. More sustainably. More meaningfully. That's where we come in.

Need a project?See the work
01

We rethink.

  • Projects
  • Products
  • Spaces
  • Fashion
  • Possibilities
02

We redesign.

  • A garment
  • A material
  • An idea
  • A project
03

We make ideas move.

“What if?” → “Let's try.” → “It's happening.”

Sometimes, you just need to look again.

Need a project?

About · We live surrounded by things we no longer need

We call many of these things waste.
But what if they are simply waiting to be seen differently?

  • 01A garment that no longer fits.
  • 02A chair left on the sidewalk.
  • 03A piece of fabric, a package, a tin, a piece of furniture.
  • 04An idea that was never given a chance.

For more than 30 years, Aguida has been exploring what happens when we stop seeing discarded things as the end of a story. There's usually another possibility.

AZEcodesign was born from this belief: sustainability doesn't have to begin with what we cannot do. It can begin with what we can imagine. We rethink materials. We redesign what already exists. We explore new possibilities. We turn ideas into projects and projects into action.

Sometimes that means helping a company or organization develop a sustainable project. Sometimes it means mentoring a designer who is looking at an old garment and asking, “What else could this be?” Sometimes it means bringing people together around a table, a sewing machine, a piece of discarded material, or simply a new idea.

Because perhaps the most important transformation isn't what happens to the material. It is what happens when we learn to see its value. And that is where the journey begins.

Animal-print surplus fabric swatches Antonia wearing the finished dress made from surplus fabric
An armchair abandoned on a New York sidewalk The same armchair redesigned in teal velvet, in a living room
Fabric scraps, tin cans, discarded furniture and cardboard packages A complete look woven from reclaimed material
A street banner hanging over a city street Moises Nascimento wearing a blazer made from street signage
We call it
We see

AZEcodesign · The platform

Good ideas deserve to happen.

Clothes hangers made from tree branches
Branches · become hangers · an idea that was given a chance

What could we do differently?

AZEcodesign is a multidisciplinary platform dedicated to transforming sustainable ideas into practical projects, creative solutions, and meaningful opportunities.

We work with businesses, organizations, communities, creative professionals, and individuals to develop projects that connect design, sustainability, creativity, and real-world action. From developing and writing a sustainable project to mentoring a designer through the redesign of a garment, our work is always about finding practical and creative ways forward.

A problemSome ideas begin with a problem.
A materialSome begin with a material.
A questionSome begin with a place, a community, or simply a question.

The idea is yours. The possibilities are ours to explore together.
The next project could be yours.

Start a conversation

Looking at the bigger picture · Planet · People · Practice

Sustainability is more than one thing.

A project can affect the planet, people, and the way an organization operates. We help bring these questions into the project from the start.

Planet

Environmental
  • Climate & energy
  • Materials & waste
  • Circularity
  • Water
  • Biodiversity
  • Resources & consumption

People

Social
  • People & communities
  • Diversity & inclusion
  • Human rights
  • Work & labor
  • Health & wellbeing
  • Community engagement

Practice

Governance
  • Ethics & accountability
  • Risk & responsibility
  • Transparency
  • Suppliers & partners
  • Data & privacy
  • Policies & practices

Start with the right questions.

  1. What are we using?
  2. Where does it come from?
  3. Where does it go?
  4. Who is affected?
  5. Who could be part of the solution?
  6. What risks should we consider?
  7. How will we know if it worked?

Services · Two complementary paths

From an idea to a project.

Our approach is rooted in the belief that sustainability becomes meaningful when ideas move into action. Good on you. Good for the planet. Good for your pocket.

01CreateWriteGuide
A team working on a project around a large table
From concept · to professional project documentation

Project Development & ESG

Have a sustainability idea but don't know how to structure it?

AZEcodesign can help transform your idea into a clear, compelling, and actionable project, from concept to professional project documentation.

From idea to action — we can help develop
Project conceptsSustainability strategiesGoals & objectivesPartnershipsWork plansImpact indicatorsProject documentationProject researchCreative directionMethodologyBudget frameworksFunding / grant proposalsPresentation materials

Implementation guidanceOnce the project is approved, the client or implementation partners take the lead. AZEcodesign can remain involved through an optional advisory period, providing creative direction, problem-solving, project reviews, and guidance during the initial 3–6 months of implementation.

Our project development approach may draw on relevant sustainability frameworks and standards, depending on the project, sector, and client needs. It is not a substitute for legal, financial, accounting, or assurance advice.

02RethinkRedesignTransform
Hands-on · redesign, upcycling, creative transformation

Rethink & Redesign Mentoring

Have something to redesign? Let's rethink it. Fashion. Materials. Upcycling. Mentoring.

A mentoring and creative-development platform focused on fashion, clothing, materials, redesign, and upcycling. Through mentoring and hands-on experiences, participants learn to:

01Rethink what already exists02Redesign with intention03Transform materials into something new
Fashion designersStudentsArtistsCostume designersMakersCraftersFashion entrepreneursSmall brandsCreative professionals

FormatsIndividual mentoring, group workshops, creative project mentoring, and corporate & organizational workshops.

TAOW · The methodology behind AZEcodesign

The Alchemy
of Waste™

A methodology.A way of thinking.A different way of seeing resources.

Changing the way we see resources. TAOW is based on a simple premise: what if we stopped seeing discarded materials as waste and started seeing them as resources with untapped potential?

01RethinkLook beyond what we call “waste” and recognize the resources, potential, and value that may already be there.
02RedesignCreative thinking, material exploration, sustainability, and design, brought together with intention.
03TransformPractical action. Materials, spaces, and ideas turned into something new.

A methodology developed by Aguida Zanol through years of research, experimentation, design, and hands-on practice. It connects creative thinking, material exploration, sustainability, design, and practical action.

Hands guiding fabric through a sewing machine
At the machine · research, experimentation, practiceRethink → Redesign → Transform
The book · On its way

The process, the principles, and the how, years in the making.

TAOW will soon have a home of its own: the book, the method, and the stories behind it.

Be the first to know

In the making · Materials, hands, and second chances

Where the method meets the material.

Street signage becomes a blazer. Surplus velvet becomes a gown. A sidewalk chair comes home. The alchemy is not a metaphor: it is a table, a machine, a pair of hands, and a second look.

Rodrigo wearing a hooded jacket made from street signage
01Street signage, redesigned. 70% poly · 30% cotton, limited edition. Model: Rodrigo C.
02Denim, reworked. The garment that no longer fits becomes the next one.
A settee and chairs reupholstered in embroidered fabric
03Furniture redesign. The frame stays. Everything else is rethought.
A hand guiding fabric through a sewing machine
04At the machine. Mentoring happens with the material in hand.
The redesigned armchair, finished, against a white wall
05The chair, finished. Found on a sidewalk. Now a piece in its own right.
06Patterns drafted. Redesign starts with a pencil and a curve.
A model on the runway wearing an upcycled patchwork jacket
07On the runway. Community fashion shows put the work in front of people.
A gown made from surplus organza
08Organza surplus. Scraps, shimmering embroidery and a vintage pendant become a gown.
A bag woven from packaging
09A package, rewoven. Packaging becomes the material, not the leftover.
A computer case made from furniture felt and fabric scraps
10Computer case. A piece of furniture and shredded scraps.
Scroll10 moments

Projects · Some things we've been working on

Things we've seen differently.

A discarded material.An empty space.A community with an idea.A garment waiting for another life.A problem looking for a creative solution.One person can see a possibility. A community can make it happen.
Two makers at the Sewing Hub with a hand-sewn bag and apron
Community & social impactActive

The Sewing Hub

Stitching a sustainable future.

What if discarded textiles could bring a community together?

FocusCommunity circular sewing initiative — innovation, creativity and circular sewing practicesLocationOakland, California
A café corner with plants and natural light
Community enterpriseProposed

Caffè & Style

Sip. Sew. Smile.

What if a café could become a place to learn, make, repair, and connect?

ConceptCommunity café · Sewing & repair studio · Circular creativity hub · Community project spacePartnerThe Latina CenterLocationDowntown Richmond, California
Plastic washed up on a beach
Circular design & fashionIn process

The Sea Urchin Collection

Fashion with a message.

What if plastic could become a conversation about the ocean?

FocusPlastics in the ocean: awareness & fundraisingLocationSan Francisco Bay Area, California
A crane sorting recyclable material
Sustainable innovation & technologyDeveloped

T.O.R. — Transforming Recyclables

Waste into knowledge.

What if waste could become knowledge, and knowledge could become technology?

FocusCenter for Sustainable Processes & TechnologyLocationBelo Horizonte & Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Community & social impact
  • The Treasure ProjectPeople. Planet. Possibility. · The Lagoinha ChurchTreasure Island, SF · CA
  • The Sewing HubStitching a sustainable future.Oakland · CA
  • Caffè & StyleSip. Sew. Smile.Richmond · CA
  • The Asian Heritage CelebrationCommunity sustainable fashion show · The SAFE CenterConcord & Richmond · CA
  • The Asian Circular CollectionCircular fashion show · The Latina CenterRichmond · CA
  • Christmas of LoveDesign & making for clients, families and employees · Catholic CharitiesSanta Clara County · CA
  • Stuffed with LoveFundraising show · SFLove & Pomeroy Rehab CenterSan Francisco · CA
Circular design & fashion
  • Sea Urchin CollectionFashion with a message.In process
  • RUST CollectionSpecial upcycle project · Upcyclers of the Bay Area, Gia CarrascosoSan Carlos · CA
  • MAG-PROSustain the style. Restore the space. · Historical warehouse, community spaceMagnolia St, Oakland · CA
  • Urban BeansRedesign of furniture, chairs & lampsOakland · CA
  • TOG ProjectLab & store · fundraising · Bethel Christian ChurchSan Francisco · CA
Sustainable innovation & technology
  • T.O.R. — Transforming RecyclablesWaste → knowledge → technology → sustainable solutionsBelo Horizonte · BR
  • T.O.R. — Center for Sustainable Processes & TechnologyRio de Janeiro · BR
  • F5 — Center for Sustainable ProjectsPaola ZanolSan Francisco · CA
  • SINN LAB—
Workshops & organizational projects
  • The Clay Coil ProjectProject for clients and employees · Catholic Charities of Santa Clara CountySanta Clara County · CA
  • Christmas of LoveCatholic Charities of Santa Clara CountySanta Clara County · CA
  • The Treasure ProjectThe Lagoinha ChurchSan Francisco · CA

Challenge → Idea → Approach → Outcome. Each case study, told in full, is on its way.

The next project could be yours

Story · Reciclar-T3 → Wandel Werte → AZEcodesign

It started with a question.

In 1992, Aguida Zanol transformed a discarded cooking-oil can into her first creation. That small experiment changed the way she looked at materials.

Reciclar-T3 · recycling & transformation of materials→Wandel Werte · transformation of values→AZEcodesign · sustainability & design in projects

1992Brazil

A discarded cooking-oil can becomes her first creation. The question starts here.

1998Reciclar-T3 · Brazil

She founds the Reciclar-T3 Institute, a nonprofit school and laboratory where recycling, science, design and creativity came together.

2005Wandel Werte · Hannover, Germany

Transforming Values. The focus expands beyond materials: people, communities, creativity, and the values behind the way we consume and create.

2016Bay Area · USA

Experience and research move to California. New places. New people. New questions.

2017AZEcodesign · San Francisco

AZEcodesign begins as a small lab-studio, bringing together decades of design, sustainability, research, education and project development.

Different places. Different projects. One continuing question: What else could this become?

Meet Aguida
Aguida Zanol on a street corner in New York
Aguida Zanol · Eco-designerNew York

Meet Aguida · The person behind the platform

Transforming waste into resources, ideas, and opportunities.

DesignerResearcherEducatorMakerMentorProject creator

For more than 30 years, Aguida has been exploring what happens when we stop seeing discarded things as the end of a story. That curiosity became a practice, a methodology, and a body of work spanning community projects, circular fashion, sustainable innovation, and workshops across Brazil, Europe and the United States.

“Everywhere in the world there is resource.”Aguida Zanol
30+ yearsof exploring possibilities
Brazil · USA · Europe · Africaprojects, collaborations & learning
Design · Eco-design · Education · Researcha multidisciplinary foundation
AZEcodesign =The platformWhere ideas become practical, sustainable projects.
TAOW =The methodologyRethink · Redesign · Transform.
Aguida Zanol =The personCreator, expert, and mentor behind them.

Our impact · United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

Projects that contribute to six global goals.

AZEcodesign's projects contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, with particular relevance to education, decent work, innovation, sustainable communities, responsible consumption, and climate action.

4Quality educationSDG 4
8Decent work & economic growthSDG 8
9Industry, innovation & infrastructureSDG 9
11Sustainable cities & communitiesSDG 11
12Responsible consumption & productionSDG 12
13Climate actionSDG 13

Service menu · Tailored to each project

Investment follows the scope.

Our services are tailored to the scope, objectives, and complexity of each project. Investment is determined according to the specific needs and level of engagement.

Project Development & ESG01

  • Concept & strategy
  • Project development & writing
  • Partnership & funding support
  • Implementation guidance

Rethink & Redesign02

  • Individual mentoring
  • Group workshops
  • Creative project mentoring
  • Corporate & organizational workshops

Custom Projects03

  • Bespoke sustainability projects
  • Creative collaborations
  • Events & special initiatives

Contact · Have an idea?

Let's talk.

Tell us about your challenge, idea, or project. We'll explore what AZEcodesign can develop with you.

We reply personally. No newsletters, no automation.