Paraíba Cotton Project shines at BEFW sustainable fashion week

As consumer mindsets evolve, the sustainable fashion market has witnessed remarkable growth in recent years. According to data from Ethical Fashion Global Market, the ethical fashion industry currently exceeds $6.5 billion, with an expectation to reach $15 billion by 2030. The organic segment, with a projected compound annual growth rate of 16.2%, emerges as the fastest-growing segment.

In line with this growing demand the Paraíba Cotton Project, a collaboration between nine companies, presented a product booth and an innovative fashion show at the 7th Edition of Brasil Eco Fashion Week (BEFW) held from December 7 to 9, at the Frei Caneca Convention Center, in São Paulo – SP.

The show had an impact due to the harmony between the tailoring design and the colors of the cotton. The models wore pieces from the textile industries Cia. Industrial Cataguases, Dalila Têxtil, Ecosimple, Santa Luzia Redes e Decoração and Texpar (from the Unitêxtil group), as well as the clothing companies D’Cotton, Dona Chica, Makano and Natural Cotton Color. The parade featured Troppica shoes and others purchased at the popular market in Campina Grande-PB.

Sustainable Production Model Seeks International Certification

The Paraíba Cotton Project, covering eight municipalities in the semi-arid region of the state, stands out for its innovative production model. With more than 600 hectares of planted area and involving approximately 300 farming families from rural settlements and quilombola communities organized in cooperatives, the project has become a reference in case studies on Local Productive Arrangements (LPA) and sustainability. The cultivation of cotton is carried out through a guaranteed purchase contract with the entrepreneurs.

Francisca Vieira, CEO of Natural Cotton Color and mentor of the Paraíba Cotton Project, emphasizes the importance of collaboration with the textile industry. She points out that these partnerships are not only essential in the supply of inputs, but are also contributing to local infrastructure, promoting a true revolution in the fields of Paraíba.

 

 

Natural Cotton Color in the spotlight on the catwalk

The brands participating in the fashion show have stood out for their commitment to environmental, social, economic and social sustainability. However, the more experienced Natural Cotton Color paraded more pieces. That’s because it brought to the BEFW catwalk a large part of the Asa Branca collection, launched in September at Milan Fashion Week in an event called Beyond Fashion, by the World Sustainability Organization – issuer of the Friend of the Earth certificate for the brand. Learn more at this link.

The Natural Cotton Color collection was presented with cotton in natural shades, presenting nuances of beige and brown of the cotton that is already born colored, and insertion of handicrafts, especially the labyrinth, heritage of Paraíba and with a production center in the city of Ingá, where there is the largest cultivation of agroecological cotton in Paraiba state.

The Natural Cotton Color collection was presented with cotton in natural shades, presenting nuances of beige and brown of the cotton that is already born colored, and insertion of handicrafts, especially the labyrinth, heritage of Paraíba and with a production center in the city of Ingá, where there is the largest cultivation of agroecological cotton in the state.

Among the pieces presented by the other brands, there was also recycled cotton, with pieces made with yarns from fibered and reconfigured fabrics, as is the case of Dalila Têxtil and Santa Luzia Redes e Decoração. The basis of this production with sustainable yarns is the framework in the circular economy. In addition to reintroducing cotton back into the production chain, it eliminates the dyeing step.

Armando Dantas, executive director of Santa Luzia, highlighted the intersection between fashion and decoration. On the catwalk, items such as sofa blankets were reframed as shawls for the body, reflecting consumers’ commitment to a sustainable lifestyle.

Rafael Morais, executive director of BEFW, who has been following the Paraíba Cotton Project since 2017, highlights the initiative of inviting participating companies to reproduce the impactful parade seen on Harvest Day, in October, in Ingá, Paraíba. Morais points out that BEFW offered space on the catwalk and in the business hall for companies to expand the dissemination of the Paraíba Cotton Project, generating mutual benefit that meets the growing demands for sustainable products.

BEFW’s participation with a booth and parade represented a milestone for the Paraíba Cotton Project, which is now seeking the international Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) certification. This certification defines high-level environmental criteria throughout the supply chain of organic textile products, from harvesting to production and marketing.