São Paulo – Headquartered in Novo Hamburgo, Rio Grande do Sul, the Brazilian Association of Companies of Components for Leather, Footwear, and Artifacts (Assintecal) has been working for over 35 years to help its become known to buyers both inside and outside the country.
“We work to give visibility to Brazilian communities that are often overlooked. We identify regional biomaterials that can be used in products such as footwear and accessories, and we help local artisans start businesses,” says Marnei Carminatti, consultant for Assintecal’s Design and Research Center and coordinator of the Respira Acre project.
“Our most recent project was Respira Acre, which began in May of last year. To develop the project, Assintecal conducted a six-month immersion in that Brazilian state to identify biomaterials originating mainly from the Amazon rainforest that could be turned into new products.”
During this period, the association identified 18 biomaterials, including natural fibers from buriti, banana plants, and burrs, as well as a wide variety of applications using seeds from açaí, jarina, and tucumã.
“It’s important to keep in mind that our work isn’t just about highlighting Brazilian biomaterials so the world can discover them; we also work to bring social impact to artisan communities,” says Carminatti.
After the products were developed, the project was presented for the first time during the 31st edition of INSPIRAMAIS, an event held in January this year in Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul state.
“Our idea with Respira Acre is to take it beyond Brazil as well. This presentation at INSPIRAMAIS served as a catalyst to showcase what we have here in Acre to both international and national buyers,” explains the consultant from Assintecal’s Design and Research Center.
The event, which also takes place in July and is organized by Assintecal in partnership with the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (ApexBrasil), showcases new supplier brands every year for the footwear, apparel, automotive upholstery, furniture, and jewelry industries.
After participating in INSPIRAMAIS, Respira Acre made an appearance at BFShow, one of the largest footwear fairs in Latin America. The event held in May this year in São Paulo served once again to showcase the handcrafted products developed by the brand to other potential buyers both nationally and internationally.
“In addition to presenting the project at events, we’ve created a book with photos of the initiative and a micro-documentary over 10 minutes long. In a second phase, we aim to partner with a footwear brand that’ll bring an impactful perspective to the project,” says Marnei Carminatti.
More from Assintecal
Carminatti also explains that Assintecal doesn’t only work on developing companies from scratch. When it encounters already established businesses, it focuses on promoting them commercially. So far, besides Respira Acre, Assintecal has helped develop 345 programs.
“Now, aside from Respira Acre, all these programs export their products. We have business with China, the United States, and Mexico; in Latin America, our main partners are Colombia, Peru, and Argentina. We also sell to Arab countries such as the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia,” Carminatti adds.
With limited capacity to develop their own footwear, according to Carminatti, Arab countries represent potential buyers for Assintecal’s , including those involved in Respira Acre.
In addition to national events, Assintecal has also participated in international trade promotion events in Hong Kong, Colombia, Mexico, and Peru. In the near future, it plans to develop a project inside favelas to showcase the work of artisans and cultural producers from these communities.
Report by Rebecca Vettore, in collaboration with ANBA
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Translated by Guilherme Miranda
