Brands that Move: by Kamy Verde, handcrafted rugs made through upcycling

More than 90 million tons of textile waste are generated worldwide every year, according to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. Of this volume, less than 1% returns to the production chain as raw material for new products, while around 80% is sent for disposal or incineration. Amid this scenario, by Kamy Verde (BKV) was born with a simple yet challenging proposal: transforming rug leftovers into new creations, through collaborative processes with architects, designers, artists, and other creative professionals.

(Reprodução/Divulgação)

The initiative was one of those selected for Marcas que Movem, an annual selection by CASACOR and Casa e Jardim that recognizes brands and initiatives transforming contemporary life. In BKV's case, the change comes through a new way of rethinking the production cycle. In about ten years, the brand reduced its production waste by half and came close to zero material disposal, creating new paths for scraps through experimentation and collective work.

Tulio Xenofonte Arquitetos - Loft Milanese. (Denilson Machado, do MCA Estúdio/Divulgação)

How by Kamy Verde transformed rug leftovers into new products

Before becoming a structured front of by Kamy, Verde occupied a small scrap room in Francesca Alzati's studio. The Italian architect and designer did not yet know what she would do with those leftovers, but she saw in them possibilities that went beyond disposal.

by Kamy Verde (Studio by Kamy/Divulgação)

"The first step was to review our production, that is, to waste less and create fewer leftovers, from materials to the electricity we used at the factory," Francesca tells CASACOR. From this review came the first BKV products. The first rugs found destinations outside the traditional market, reaching social institutions, shelters, and even yoga classes free of charge.

by Kamy Verde (Divulgação)

The reuse of materials had to face the prejudice associated with sustainable products and the idea that reuse could mean a loss of quality. Little by little, however, the very evolution of the debate on circular economy helped change this perception.

"It took great persistence, because in the first years by Kamy Verde was self-funded; we had to invest a lot of money to keep it going. What began as an experiment is now an ecosystem that works. We are talking about a professional by Kamy Verde, which was born out of goodwill and became reality. We are immensely proud of this," she adds about the sector that was handed over to her daughter, Giovanna Abrarpour.

Francesca Alzati, da by Kamy Verde (Divulgação)

Among the most recent (and remarkable!) chapters of this journey is the partnership with Warner Bros., recognized with the LicensingCon and Discovery Global Consumer Products 2026 awards. The brand was also a nominee for "Best Sustainability Initiative" at Licensing International 2026.

By Kamy Verde and CASACOR, a partnership that worked

Another turning point for by Kamy Verde was the arrival of the rugs in CASACOR's projects. Present at the show for several editions, the brand began to look at the destination of the rugs after the dismantling of the event. For Francesca, there was an opportunity to prevent new materials from simply being displayed and then discarded.

Marta Calasans - Pequena Amazônia - Quarto do Filho. Projeto da CASACOR São Paulo 2026. (Daniela Magario/Divulgação)

The solution was to encourage the CASACOR cast to incorporate by Kamy Verde rugs into their projects. The result was a success: thanks to their presence at the show, the pieces began receiving new attention from the market! "We will always respect the projects, but it is possible to do this in a politically correct way," she explains.

Duno Arquitetura + Interiores - Hall Tempo de Chegar. Projeto da CASACOR São Paulo 2026. (Daniela Magario/Divulgação)

At CASACOR São Paulo 2026, for example, four projects featured rugs created in partnerships between members of the cast and the BKV team. Among them are Loft Milanese, by Tulio Xenofonte; Pequena Amazônia, by Marta Calasans; and Tempo de Chegar, by Duno Arquitetura. In each work, the leftover materials are no longer simply remaining matter and become part of the design concept.

From fragment to composition: how by Kamy Verde rugs are created

The starting point of each piece lies in the selection of fragments. Production scraps, rugs that have already gone through the rental service, or even donations in good condition are sorted by BKV artisans according to color, texture, and compositional possibilities. Next, the available material begins to dialogue with the proposal of each rug.

by Kamy Verde (Studio by Kamy/Divulgação)

The list of partnerships has already included names such as landscape designer Luciano Zanardo, designers Neza Cesar and Gustavo Jansen, and artists Kiko Maldonado and Tico Canato. The design guides the process, but the result is also born from the particular characteristics of each fragment. "The design is the starting point, but it is not the essence of by Kamy Verde rugs. The essence is the whole set, the true design," Francesca explains. The assembly of the rugs is manual and happens piece by piece.

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This is the process that defines the upcycling adopted by the brand: instead of destroying the material to turn it back into raw material, the technique reuses its structure and gives it a new function and a new value. Thus, a rug ceases to be just what it was and becomes part of another story.

by Kamy Verde (Divulgação)

This logic appears in a portfolio that ranges from small tapestries to larger pieces, in addition to models that combine leftovers with new fabrics or receive interventions from the embroiderers of the by Kamy social project, called 1+1. Even the smaller fragments find use: part of them is incorporated into paper cards handcrafted by Francesca's mother, who faces Alzheimer's, and her team.

by Kamy Verde (Divulgação)

"Many people who work with upcycling know that working with leftovers is much more difficult (and more expensive) than using new products. What we do is rebuild new stories for pieces that already exist," Francesca concludes.

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About Marcas que Movem

Marcas que Movem (Brands that Move) is an annual selection carried out by CASACOR and Casa e Jardim, which brings together the trajectories, audiences, and experiences of the two platforms to recognize brands and initiatives that are transforming contemporary life. The purpose is to identify, contextualize, and amplify projects that promote relevant movements in society and in ways of living.

(Reprodução/Divulgação)

The selected cases are organized into six categories — Product that Moves, Space that Moves, Experience that Moves, Technology that Moves, Behavior that Moves, and Culture that Moves. Together, they present a diverse overview of initiatives that are producing changes in products, spaces, experiences, relationships, and ways of living.