Vale da Seda collective brand becomes a part of Texbrasil

The Silk Valley (Vale da Seda) is a region located in northwestern Paraná state, bisected by the Pirapó River and covering 29 municipalities, from where comes some of the world’s best silks. It is also a collective brand that grew out of the project of the same name that was developed in the Maringá Technology Incubator, with the goal of implementing a platform to internationalize Paraná brands through the creation of joint clothing lines and through the training of entrepreneurs and designers. The brand is now part of Texbrasil, the Brazilian Fashion Industry Internationalization Program, developed by Abit through a partnership with Apex-Brasil (Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency).

With globally competitive prices, the casual wear items are produced using concepts of sourcing and sustainability that, according to the French Fashion Institute, are values that are appreciated by consumers with elevated purchasing power across the world. The guarantee that products were produced in the region is assured by a set of clothing labels that include a QR code and a holograph with a unique serial code for each item, permitting online certification. The sustainability of each item is provided by information present on the labels, with the carbon footprint and carbon sequestration generated during the production of each individual item. A silk shirt, for example, generates a carbon footprint equal to 25 times its weight, while the mulberry trees necessary for its production create a carbon credit that is more than 700 times its weight.

Among expansion plans is the goal of incorporating Brazil into the modern Silk Route: “Over the next two years we will take part in trade shows in the world’s most important silk import markets, which are the United States, Germany, France, England, Italy, and Spain, in order to identify new representatives and clients,” says João Berdú, director of the Vale da Seda. Currently, China and Italy lead global exports of women’s silk blouses, a market that in 2015 alone generated business volumes of close to USD1 billion.

“Texbrasil’s support is essential for identifying opportunities that can leverage our activities, as well as diagnosing bottlenecks that can slow down this process,” Berdú adds. In September, the group will take its printed silk blouses to Who’s Next, the traditional Parisian trade show that focuses on women’s and men’s fashions and high-value-added accessories.

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