In a unique and exciting collaboration, GATX Rail Europe and Modeschule Michelbeuern, a fashion school in Vienna, joined forces for a pilot upcycling project. Students from Modeschule Michelbeuern upcycled textiles and outer materials from the GATX Rail Europe Munich Fair booth that was built for the Transport & Logistics fair in May of 2023. Dismantled and non-reusable fabrics and materials were shipped to the fashion school for upcycling. Under the guidance of Mst.in Eveline Kopf, BEd, Head of the Fashion Department at Modeschule Michelbeuern, students had a blast developing and producing three distinct laptop sleeve styles. The collaboration not only highlighted the creativity of the students but also emphasized the importance of repurposing materials in the fashion industry. After completion, the unique laptop sleeves, handcrafted from the upcycled materials provided by GATX Rail Europe, were provided to GATX Rail Europe employees.

From Upcycled Laptop Sleeves to Garment Protectors
The collaboration between GATX Rail Europe and Modeschule Michelbeuern didn’t end with the production of laptop sleeves. In a commitment to sustainability, students are now repurposing leftover textiles to create reusable covers for the fashion projects they are currently working on. According to Kopf, the students find immense joy in giving used materials a new purpose and are eagerly anticipating future projects with GATX Rail Europe.

This ongoing collaboration not only fosters creativity but is also cherished by the students and GATX colleagues alike as our sense of responsibility towards the environment is upheld – plus, we now all carry fun limegreen and blue laptop sleeves with us. We’re already working on future sustainable collaboration projects with Modeschule Michelbeuern and will keep you posted.