United to Remake (U2R)
United to Remake (U2R) is a Portuguese social innovation startup that works with brands and organisations to upcycle discarded materials, from neoprene wetsuits to nautical sails and event banners, into new sustainable products.
United to Remake (U2R) specialises in upcycling and material reuse, turning resources that would otherwise become waste into products of value. The team describes it as transforming trash into a new form of luxury. Francisca Shearman founded the social innovation startup in 2021, and it's based in Cruz Quebrada-Dafundo, Oeiras. Its work combines design, craftsmanship and sustainability to give discarded materials a new life.
U2R works directly with brands and companies to find creative uses for materials at the end of their life cycle. These include neoprene wetsuits from watersports, discontinued corporate uniforms (among them through a partnership with Leroy Merlin Portugal and EPAL), event materials such as banners and tents, and sails from the *Santa Maria Manuela*, a historic fishing vessel built in 1937. U2R has also partnered with Ocean Sole, a Kenyan NGO that turns flip-flops collected from oceans and rivers into colourful art, and acts as its ambassador in Spain and Portugal.
The products range from pet accessories made with SEAQUAL® yarn, which is produced from ocean plastic, to keychains, decorative items, rain jackets and one-off handcrafted pieces from recovered sails and fabrics. Through these collaborations, U2R helps companies send less waste to landfill. It also raises awareness of circular economy practices in Portugal, where the circularity rate is only around 3%.
U2R also works as a full-service partner for organisations that want to manage end-of-life materials responsibly. It offers consultancy on new forms of recycling and upcycling, tailored to each partner's specific waste streams.
Our Goal
United to Remake wants to reduce industrial and event waste by working directly with brands and organisations to turn discontinued materials (neoprene wetsuits, uniforms, sails, event banners and marine plastics) into new upcycled products with lasting value.
Our Wishes
U2R is looking for new corporate partners who can supply discontinued materials such as uniforms, neoprene suits and event materials. It would also like to collaborate with organisations working on ocean and waste-reduction initiatives.
