On September 3, La Venelle, the first Village du réemploi solidaire, opens its doors in Montreuil. Among the nine associations behind the initiative are four Ecomaison partner structures. Spotlight on these players in the circular economy.
A first in France. On a 1,800 m² site, nine associations have set up repair workshops and eight second-hand stores, together offering a complete range of reused items (furniture, toys, clothing, etc.) as well as a cultural café. The aim: to enable solidarity-based reuse to change scale, while at the same time developing professional integration.
Within this collective, Neptune, La Collecterie, Emmaüs Défi and Emmaüs Coup de main, all Ecomaison partners, are also winners of our AMI* Réemploi et Territoires for the implementation of business development.
"For example, with our financial support, La Collecterie is opening a new 200m² solidarity store in La Venelle, dedicated to the distribution of furnishings recovered by its Pôle d'activités artisanales . As such, we are delighted to be taking part in the inauguration alongside our other partners and financial backers on September 11". explains Nathalie Tubiana, Ecomaison's National Manager for Reuse Development.
" This village proves that by bringing together committed players on the same site, we can make reuse a practice accessible to all. By supporting this collective dynamic, Ecomaison is committed to sustainable change, rooted in local communities and driven by local players ," adds Paul Chavassieu, Regional Development Manager for the North-East of France.
By strengthening our commitment to these waste prevention players, we are contributing to the development of a circular, solidarity-based economy for the products in our approval channels.
La Collecterie, a solidarity recycling center
Founded in 2012 in Montreuil, this association collects, repairs and restores furniture, objects and textiles, while supporting socio-professional integration. With its wood, tapestry and sewing workshops, as well as several solidarity stores, it has established itself as a major player in the craft reuse sector.
The project supported by Ecomaison will enable us to conceptualize a new service offering for the repair, restoration and customization of furniture for private individuals, while formalizing a socio-professional support program for the job of furniture recovery agent.
The crucial partnership with Ecomaison aims to structure an economically fragile sector, where furniture repair remains difficult to make a profit in the face of "fast furniture"," emphasizes Nicolas Almodovar, Administrative Development Manager at Ecomaison.emphasizes Nicolas Almodovar, Administrative and Development Manager.
The funding obtained through the AMI supports personnel costs (salaries) and operating expenses (rent, supplies and consumables).
Neptune, a creative furniture reuse project
For the past thirty years, Neptune has been supporting some 90 people a year through a variety of workcamps, while managing three ressourceries and now a fourth at La Venelle.
"Thanks to the Ecomaison AMI that we won, we have developed a project to transform unsaleable furniture into small modules or small furniture. This project is at the heart of our mission, since it combines waste reduction and the extension of materials' lifespan".enthuses Jennifer Auger, Neptune's Development and Communications Manager.
Emmaüs Défi, a vast integration project based on reuse
A member of the national Emmaüs movement, this association takes in over 300 people a year to collect, sort, refurbish and sell a variety of items (textiles, furniture, toys, etc.).
Marie-Alix Pic, Director of Development and Communication, explains that Ecomaison's support "is quite simply decisive for our business. This eco-organization also encourages us to improve our furniture re-use rates, and in so doing, contributes to the employment of people on integration schemes with us".
Five of these employees are also responsible for running the La Venelle boutique.
Emmaüs Coup de Main, an innovative boutique in La Venelle
This association combines an accommodation service for around 15 families and a back-to-work site with around 80 employees. They work in recycling centers while taking part in training courses, particularly in French. The financial aid obtained through Ecomaison's AMI is supporting the expansion and optimization of the furniture boutique, complemented by the core partnership to support current activities and the outlet for furniture that has not found a buyer in the boutique or is too damaged.
"These two components enable us to act together to strengthen the circular economy and support integration through work."
points out Xavier Douet, Head of Recycleries.
At La Venelle, the association is opening a boutique specializing in children's products, responding to a strong social and environmental need.
The opening of La Venelle marks a new stage for solidarity-based reuse in France. By working alongside its partners, Ecomaison is contributing to the emergence of a model that is sure to inspire other regions!
*CAMI: Call for expressions of interest
Supporting re-use
Ecomaison brings together distributors and players in the Social and Solidarity Economy
Read also