Texbrasil brings professionals from the USA and UE to discuss innovation

From April 15 to 19, Texbrasil (Brazilian Fashion Industry Export Program), developed by Abit in partnership with Apex- Brasil (Brazilian Trade and Investment Export Program), brought specialists in research and development of smart textile and fashion industry materials to Brazil. The goal was to show the Program’s member companies innovations in the industry.

Guests invited included Juan Pablo Hinestroza, a Professor of Fiber Science and Director of the Nanotechnology Laboratory at Cornell University, and Antônio Braz Costa, CEO of the Technology Centre for the Textile & Clothing Industries of Portugal. These professionals held talks with companies in São Paulo and Santa Catarina and visited Senai Têxtil Francisco Matarazzo, where they were able to take a peek at the educational structure available in Brazil for this industry.

During the XXV edition of the Textile Techniques Congress – an event that gathers the industry’s top companies and professionals to find out about and discuss common topics in development of the chain in Brazil – Texbrasil introduced a panel with the main innovations developed and applied to the textile and fashion industries in the United States and Europe, highlighting how they could be applied in the Brazilian industry. At that time, specialists Juan Hinestroza and Braz Costa, along with Alexandre Fernandes, an EPEA-Brasil representative, and Gabriel Gorescu, Manager of Innovation at Rhodia-Brasil, took part in a discussion mediated by the CEO of Texbrasil, Rafael Cervone.

Hinestroza spoke about research in the field of nanotechnology in textiles developed at Cornell University, which involved everything from coloring fabrics to textiles that charge cell phone batteries using solar energy. Braz Costa shared research done by the team at CITEVE, which has been applied by clients of the Technology Centre: structures with greater resistance to scratching and greater flexibility and recyclable and biodegradable materials, among others.

In addition, meetings, visits to companies and talks were also held in Santa Catarina. For Karine Liotino, Innovation and Sustainability Manager at Texbrasil, “this initiative could promote partnerships that leverage the innovative performance of the Program’s companies, as well as increasing know-how and discussion of this topic.” The department works to develop competencies at companies so that they create new products, processes and services, seeking to add potential to their business.