Textile experts discuss business opportunities between Brazil and Australia

Last Wednesday (01), the Australia Brazil Business Council, an organization to promote Brazil-Australia relations, organized a virtual event about the commercial partnership between countries in the textile and clothing sector.

Moderated by the director of AUBRBC, Thais Oso, the panel counted with the participation of Rafael Cervone, President Emeritus of Abit (Brazilian Textile and Apparel Industry Association) and executive director of Texbrasil, a partnership between Abit and Apex-Brasil (Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency), represented by the Business Promotion Coordinator Flavia Egypto.

Also participating, were the vice-president of the Brazilian Association of Designers (Abest), Lourenço Bartholomei; the CEO of Líquido Active, Renata Facchini; the merchandising manager of Cotton On, Caterina Graziosi, and the former CFO of Louis Vuitton in Latin America, Laurent Kabbabe.

Participants commented on the business opportunities between the two countries, as the textile sector still has much potential for growth. Rafael Cervone pointed out that 0.2% of Brazilian exports are to Australia, being the majority of the apparel sector. As a major textile supplier, there is a vast market to be explored in the country.

For Flavia Egypto, of Apex-Brasil, digital platforms can be great allies in new businesses, if psychological barriers are broken down. For her, there is still a lot of stigma regarding the distance between countries, but this should not be a deterrent. Examples of success, according to Flavia, are the best way to show the potential of countries.

For that, the event counted, among others, with Renata Facchini, of Líquido Active, “branch”, of the Brazilian fashion brand dedicated to yoga clothes. The executive highlighted the importance of participating in trade shows to leverage business. She also commented that there are no limitations for a company to internationalize and there is a long way to go, even if it is a small brand.

Sustainable future

Another prominent theme was sustainability, which has long since ceased to be optional, and today has become a mandatory pillar of companies. Lourenço Bartholomei, from Abest, highlighted the work, among others, of the Nannacay brand, which is also sold in Australia. The brand has sustainability at its root, and pieces produced by local communities.

Renata also highlights a sustainable feature of Líquido Active’s parts, which is the use of Rhodia’s sustainable yarn. With the solution, the parts take only three years to decompose after disposal, instead of the 50 required for traditional microfiber.

About Texbrasil

The Internationalization Program of the Brazilian Textile and Fashion Industry (Texbrasil) works with companies in the textile and apparel sector to develop strategies to conquer the global market. Over almost 20 years, it has helped around 1500 brands to enter the export trail, making US$ 3.6 billion in business. The Program is carried out through a partnership between Abit and the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (Apex-Brasil).