Sustainable Fashion in Brazil

Sustainable Fashion in Brazil

• Brazil has a large, diverse fashion industry, ranked 4th in the world in volume of production.
• The industry is dominated by traditional and fast fashion practices, employing 1.5 million people directly, with a strong focus on cotton production.
• Brazilian fashion is known globally, particularly in beachwear, jeanswear, fitness, and lingerie.
• Companies are transitioning to more sustainable practices, focusing on legal employment, environmental standards, and cleaner production methods.
• The country is shifting from importing synthetic fibers to locally-sourced petrochemical fibers.
• The future of Brazil's fashion industry focuses on:
  • Investment in certifications and compliance to meet sustainability standards.
  • Advanced Manufacturing (Industry 4.0) utilizing integrated automated systems.
• Retail trends emphasize large purchases, consumer awareness of ethical and environmental issues, and a focus on sustainable supply chains.
• Slow fashion is gaining popularity, promoting garment longevity through rentals, secondhand markets, and mindful purchasing.
• Consumers increasingly expect higher quality, durability, and ethical production from brands.

Brazilian Fashion and Sustainable Raw Materials

• Brazil possesses a diverse range of biological fibers, including renewable and biodegradable options:
  • Rubber
  • Vegetable fibers (cotton, bamboo, coconut, jute, sisal, flax, and hemp)
  • Animal fibers (silk, wool)
  • Fish and bovine leather (ecologically tanned)
• The Algodão Brasileiro Responsável (ABR) program focuses on naturally colored organic cotton, which reduces water usage and eliminates polluting processes.
• Natural Cotton Color utilizes ABR cotton in clothing, footwear, and accessories, emphasizing ethical practices and collaboration with Embrapa Cotton.
• O Casulo Feliz manufactures silk yarn manually in southern Brazil, preserving a 30-year-old technique.
• Brazilian brands like Osklen, Animale, Grama, and Erika Ikezili use certified organic silk in their collections.
• Wool production in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, is experiencing a resurgence due to its unique properties and renewability.
• Natural rubber extracted from the Amazon region possesses valuable properties and is supported by international groups and initiatives.

Sustainable Fashion Brands in Brazil

• Flávia Aranha:
  • São Paulo-based brand committed to sustainable principles, emphasizing consumer choice and a connection with biodiversity.
  • Utilizes biodegradable materials, organic family farming, and ethical design principles.
• Agustina Comas:
  • Previous experience in luxury apparel, focusing on minimizing waste.
  • Flagship initiative is upcycling scraps and production errors into unique, single-piece production lines.
• Other Notable Brands:
  • Binotto & Payne (2017): Highlight the value of waste textiles and its potential for transformation.
  • Oricla: Fabric created by Agustina Comas, used in joint collections with designer Fernanda Yamamoto.
  • Insecta Shoes: Vegan footwear brand, established in 2014, using recycled materials.

Contextura: Sustainable Fashion in Brazil

• Founded in 2010, Contextura is known for its sustainable fashion and footwear.
• Produces printed fabric shoes, classic models, flats, and genderless footwear, blending comfort and style.
• Offers online and physical store operations, personalized service, and collaboration with local suppliers.
• Signatory of the 2020 Circular Fashion System Commitment-Global Fashion Agenda Copenhagen Fashion Summit.
• Employs slow design principles, upcycling, and uses natural fabrics, recycled PET, and biodegradable fibers.
• Conducts research on sustainable strategies, blending artisanal techniques with digital technologies.

Márcia Ganem: Winner of the 2018 Ecoera Award

• Bahian creator recognized internationally for updating traditional handmade lace techniques in contemporary design.
• Uses recovered polyamide fibers to create new textures.
• Her Dialogical Design methodology aims to preserve lace communities through haute couture.

Special Projects:

• Ahlma: Co-creation platform for shared fashion ranges, aiming to promote conscious consumption, particularly among millennials.
• Ateliê Vivo: São Paulo public library offering pattern collection and workshops to promote DIY and reduce consumption.
• Instituto-E (E-Institute): Civil society organization promoting educational and environmental activism.

New Business Models in Networks

• Extraction of natural raw materials and recycling of chemical fibers are often linked to networks of socioeconomic projects, including associativism, solidarity economy, and Fairtrade.
• The EcoEra Award identifies companies with sustainable practices throughout their production chain.

Challenges in the Brazilian Textile and Clothing Industry

• Labor market issues: Marginalized individuals face challenges due to isolation, lack of qualifications, and limited job opportunities.
• Economic challenges: Economic difficulties affect companies and contribute to unemployment.
• General low-level of education: A barrier to progress in the textile and clothing sector.

Opportunities and Solutions

• Solidarity economy ventures: Collaborative economic models that focus on socioeconomic survival.
• Cooperatives & Networks: Associations and cooperatives promoting alternatives in the ecological textile chain, from planting to recycling.
• Co-working: Digital platforms and co-working spaces provide opportunities for young professionals in the fashion design area.
• Circular economy: Cooperation via online platforms and digital environments, creating sustainable and circular fashion systems.

Co-working and the Circular Economy

• Digital networks facilitate production processes, reduce costs, and accelerate production.
• New working styles are emerging through the active participation of younger generations.

Key Points:

• Cooperative models, co-working, and digital technologies are seen as effective strategies for navigating challenges in the Brazilian textile & clothing industry while creating a sustainable and inclusive fashion system.

Social Implications of a New System

• Decentralized networks and peer-to-peer platforms aim to reduce costs and empower stakeholders.
• Technology plays a key role in marketing products, fostering a circular economy.
• The combination of digital technologies (ICT) and the circular economy drives a paradigm shift from linear to circular production.

Circular Economy and Digital Technologies

• Circular economy focuses on resource efficiency and reducing waste, utilizing digital tools for tracking and feedback.
• This shift from linear to circular economies reflects a new understanding of prosperity.
• The spiral represents the genesis of natural processes and cyclical nature of cultural movements.

Figure 1.1.3: The Sustainable Fashion Spiral

• The swirl design illustrates the interconnectedness of people and material exchange, representing the growth of producers and resource providers.
• Visualizes a continuous loop of circular fashion practices.