Ricucisogni
Founded by Nicoletta Piazza
Ricucisogni is a sartorial sociale, or a social tailoring shop based in Cavaion Veronese, VR, near Garda Lake. Founded in July 2025 by Nicoletta Piazza in collaboration with a local priest and social centers in the region, the company works to provide tailoring training and full-time work to women and immigrants in disadvantaged positions, assisting them to get back on their feet, find meaningful work, or to build their life in Italy.With the help of local and national companies, the tailor shop obtained donated machines, fabrics, fastenings, and all of the necessary equipment to begin work. Within one year the team has completed thousand-unit orders for well-known brands and is working to develop a full-length coat that transforms into a sleeping bag for unhoused individuals. The companies works to support but social and environmental aims by supporting individuals and community building while giving new life to dead-stock fabric.
Within one year, the company has provided 3 months of training to 15 individuals and currently employs five trainees full-time. They make use of blockchain technology to provide full transparency to donors on where and how their donations are used to fund work for vulnerable individuals.
To learn more or to shop visit www.ricucisogni.it
WATCH THE INTERVIEW
With the Founder of Ricucisogni
Ali
Ali is the only employee who comes to work on Saturdays, something he takes deep pride in. This is when I had the chance to get to know him and hear his difficult story. Although he shared it with me, he was uncomfortable participating in an official interview due to his limited understanding of the Italian language—a barrier many immigrants face upon arrival.
Ricucisogni Employee
Before coming to Italy as a refugee, Ali owned a factory in Dhaka, Bangladesh, where he made backpacks, pants, and other items. He used to work 16-hour days, earned good money, and had many machines in his shop. However, the entire factory burned down, and without assistance or income, he searched for work elsewhere.
From Dhaka, he first flew to Egypt, where he waited ten hours before continuing on to Libya, where he lived in a room with sixty other people. He "was very afraid" in Libya because of the fighting and violence there. He eventually boarded a boat with ten other people bound for Europe; they were stopped by German police, who connected them with Italian police. This led to his arrival in Sicily, where he lived in a room with six other people for a year and a half.
Now, thanks to social assistance and the job made possible at Ricucisogni, Ali lives more comfortably in Domegliara, VR, continuing to use his skills at the social tailoring shop while he awaits legal documentation to bring his wife and two boys—ages 5 and 10—to Italy. He works ten hours by choice and starts at 7am on Saturdays, often working alone.
He shared that he likes Italy a lot.