Black Friday and Green Friday 2021

“After more than a year of pandemic and shopping experiences in 2020, the consumer is more prepared and hopeful for Black Friday this year.”

Black Friday, a North American term to designate the most important date in the retail market, is the main discount event of the year and an opportunity for the brands to create strategies for clearance sales, in addition to generating leads to boost Christmas sales.

Behup presented results for 2020 and a forecast for 2021 in the survey “Resumption of Consumption 2021 for Globo Market Intelligence”.

In 2020, Black Friday occurred in the Covid-19 pandemic and restrictions influenced consumer behavior in the new reality of social isolation.

“New times call for new practices and habits that affect the activities and consumption behavior of Brazilian during the pandemic.”

Consumption during the pandemic
Durable goods
Behup – 2021 Consumer Survey for Globo Market Intelligence – Sample: 1,681 people

In social isolation, e-commerce was a bet to take advantage of market opportunities. 30% said that in the pandemic, online purchases of products started or increased. And, of those, 24% intend to maintain this behavior.

Relevant fator for choosing the product or brand
Behup – 2021 Consumer Survey for Globo Market Intelligence – Sample: 1,681 people

“80% bought products through new sales channels, such as whatsapp or social media. 25% of people plan to shop on promotional dates such as Black Friday. 10% participated in live commerce, 53% of which ended up buying products and 88% say they intend to participate in live commerce in the future.”

Featured categories in live commerces:
●      Clothing and accessories (71%);
●      Electronics (69%).

Mains factors in live commerce:
●      Pricing and payment conditions (70%);
●      Knowing new products and services (68%);
●      Understanding more about the products that cannot be tried on by customers (58%);
●      Understand how to use a product or APP (57%);
●      Clarifying doubts about what the cliente intends to purchase (56%);
●      Recommendations of the live presenter/host (44%).

Consumer profile and purchase planning
A well-planed consumer likes to compare prices, payment terms and delivery options before making their purchases.
Behup – 2021 Consumer Survey for Globo Market Intelligence – Sample: 1,681 people

After the shopping experiences during the pandemic, 47% of these people affirm that they intend to purchase products during Black Friday of 2021, which occurs on November 26th.

“According to IBM’s 2020 Retail Index, the pandemic accelerated the shift from physical retailing to e-commerce within five years. With the pandemic set to continue causing significant disruption to physical retail throughout 2021, brands are increasingly seeking to create buzz and excitement around online shopping events and sales. Major events such as Black Friday are still going to happen, as they did in 2020, but with less physical presence and a renewed focus on the omnichannel experience, which takes into account the ways in which shopping habits have changed in the last year,” WGSN.

Omnichannel trend and the new consumer behavior

“There has been a change in the way people buy. More and more, we make online searches before going to the physical stores. And tendency of omnichannel will continue, with increasing focus and prominence for transactions in the digital universe”, Think with Google.

62% of Brazilian plan to confirm online whether the desired product is in stock before going to the store to purchase it. Source: Google commissioned Ipsos COVID-19 tracker…

How to navigate in the context of the new consumption behavior?

The “Think With” Google platform launched a commerce guide for brands and retailers with insights, data and solutions for more optimized and relevant omnichannel campaigns:

1. Reach out to your consumers while they surf the website

2. Engage your users as they browse

3. Convert people who are searching for products

4. Get ready for end-of-the-year holiday shopping

Green Friday, Conscious Consumption and Sustainability

“The traditional linear fashion value chain transitions to a circular system,” Business of Fashion.

Green Friday is a movement that discusses the excessive consumption during Black Friday and encourages conscious consumption. The initiative drives circular economy and sustainability for the future of fashion and seeks consumers’ social responsibility.

Conscious consumption creates a perception that each acquisition has an impact, positive or negative, on the economy, social relationships, and nature.

“We consume throughout the entire year, but during Black Friday, on the last Friday of November, Christmas shopping officially begins, and consumerism increases even more. With several sales and several discounts on products, it is easy to forget all about conscious consumption and get carried away by impulse. Sales on Black Friday encourage excessive consumption, driving people based on the feeling of possession instead of well-being or necessity,” Beegreen.

“One third (36%) of the British people are choosing to buy products from companies with strong environmental credentials as priorities change during the pandemic,” Internet Retailing.

Consumer commitment and circularity promote sustainable consumption and a positive environmental impact. At the same time, the market still uses dates like Black Friday to induce consumers to buy on impulse. It is possible to seek balance between the market and the planet if circular economy is placed as an imperative in industries around the world and new strategies are developed based on a regenerative and less consumerist approach. The challenge is set.

“Circular business models won’t be optional”, McKinsey & Company.

#BusinessofFashion #BOF #McKinsey #McKinsey&Company #ThinkwithGoogle #WGSN #BlackFriday #GreenFriday

Yby Bank, the first bank of reused metals in Brazil

“Our work is aimed at raising awareness about the importance of ‘recycling’ metals that have already been extracted from the soil and create a circular production system, without causing environmental, social or economic damage.”

Yby Bank promotes a new cycle for the reuse of metal by means of a circular production system. Yby Bank presents the demand for recycled metals to its network of partners and the supply to metal vendors.

The initiative develops a circular production system to minimize environmental, economic, and social costs, and to maximize the value of the by-product as a new input of production.

“We will focus mainly on buying and selling metals for reuse, with proven tracking record for companies that wish to use a more responsible raw material in its products.”

How much is the relentless search for gold really worth?

Did you know that metal mining has major impacts on the environment and society?

Metal mining has negative impacts on the environment: removal of vegetation in the mining area, water and air pollution, soil contamination and erosion, death of fish and other wild animals.

The activity can also cause social impacts: removal of local communities and indigenous people, child and slave labor, and the enrichment of criminal organizations.

Yby Bank’s work is based on the pillars of information, sustainability, and innovation, with the purpose of reducing negative impacts and enabling the reuse of precious metals extracted from the soil.

“Our work goes far beyond negotiating the purchase and sale of metals. One of Yby Bank’s main goals is to reinforce awareness around other ways of operating this market, without causing negative environmental and social impacts. The means of production can be sustainable and activities that result in deforestation can be avoided by enabling the reuse of metals that have already been extracted from the soil. That is why we highlight the importance of people who are willing to make a difference in the world”, Mayara Rovery, founder of Yby Bank.

Jewelry x Sustainability

How are jewelry companies reducing their negative impacts on the environment?

In view of the positive changes in the mentality of consumers in the fashion industry, companies have changed their processes and created initiatives that reduce their negative impacts on the environment.

In the jewelry sector, brands have found a middle ground between consumption and responsibility. Since 2019, the associate Mariah Rovery works exclusively with reused gold – material from her clients’ old jewelry items, exchanging them for credit in her store.

The Yby Bank project promotes practical and quick access to responsible and traceable metals for brands that have a more transparent mindset in the industry of precious metals.

Stamps for partners and associates

Yby Bank offers seals and membership plans for partners and associates:

Bronze Seal (Ambassador): individuals who support the project and want to help spread transparency and information in the sector.

Silver Seal (Sponsor): companies who support the project, wish to sponsor research in the sector and purchase metal.

Gold Seal (Patron): for those who believe in solutions to reduce negative impact on the environment and want to help fund research for continued development.

Green Seal (100% Recycled Metal certification): companies that want to create solutions with 100% recycled metal and be authorized to expose the seal in their promotional material.

Collab Room and Cult Gaia

“The bold and distinctive collection was carefully designed to be a wardrobe staple.”

The new member Room launches four new pillow sandals in partnership with the American brand Cult Gaia.

“A collaboration that takes our dream around the world.”

“I rarely see pieces that I fall in love with right away and that’s the reason I created my brand. The moment I saw the originality of the Brazilian design mixed with the puffy touch of the piece, I was sure that I needed to enter into a collaboration and put my brand’s name on a shoe like that. For years I have had the idea of developing a creation that has this cushioned concept and, when I came across the shoe, I saw that it was exactly what I wanted;” “In addition to the unique concept, I also have a great connection with Brazilian handcrafts and I can soon recognize it. My brand’s shoes are manufactured in the country thanks to the incomparable technique they have and I don’t see anything like it anywhere else in the world”, Jasmim Larian, Cult Gaia.

The collab presents one new model and three exclusive colors, with Fifi wooden bases, by Cult Gaia, and nappa leather uppers, which is traditional of Room.

“This bond was very unexpected and at the same time a wonderful surprise for Room. It is super gratifying to see such a successful and creative designer as Jasmin consider her creation a true Objet d’art. Just like Room, I believe that Cult Gaia also follows a very similar concept when it takes inspiration from architecture or furniture to develop our art. Our DNA has a strong connection and we have a very similar line of reasoning – while we see our pieces as the key point of a production, we also see them as a good decorative objects”, Simone Nunes, Room.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Fashion

How mindset changes influence diversity, equity and inclusion in fashion.

The future of fashion is to reframe consumption and seek solutions to achieve sustainability, racial representation, equity, and inclusion.

According to the National Household Sample Survey made by IBGE (Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics) in 2019 – “We are a country where 56% of people consider themselves black or of mixed race.”

“Fashion is still a conversation that is very much conducted by the elite. For a long time, it was based on the upper classes, power, and white people. Also, for a long time I saw myself in an almost singular space. I recognize my ancestors that I would see in fashion weeks, but there were few black people”, said Luiza Brasil, columnist for Glamour Brasil. She was selected Woman of the Year for the 2019 Glamour Generation Award among the Social Influencers Against Racism 2019.

Black Awareness: a look at inclusive fashion

The movement for change in the fashion industry is occurring worldwide and we find great examples spread across the four continents. In May 2021, the Prada Group announced initiatives to deepen its commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. This includes actions such as a full scholarship at the FIT (Fashion Institute of Technology) in New York for an American student and for a high potential female student from Ghana.

North American luxury retailer Nordstrom has added new brands with representation into its mix, and donated part of its profits to the Kind (Kids in Need of Defense) association.

In Brazil, Sankofa, a co-author of the Pretos na Moda movement and the social innovation startup Vamo (Vetro Afro Indigenous in Fashion), supports racialized entrepreneurs in Brazilian fashion and aims to promote inclusion and give visibility and support emerging brands of racialized entrepreneurs. Find out more… 

Dialogues

How does your brand dialogue with different audiences? How does it identify them and approach their cultural and behavioral characteristics?

A Google initiative to expand the inclusion and equity debate presented numbers that prove: “50% of LGBTQIA+ people say they are willing to prioritize a brand that supports the cause, while 69% of black consumers are more likely to buy from a brand that positively reflects their race/ethnicity in its advertising.”

69% of black people believe companies are shallow and opportunist.

“A first step towards racial equality? ‘Improving the quality of work fundamentally.’”

JP Julien co-leads McKinsey & Company’s ‘Institute for Black Economic Mobility’, and led research for ‘The Economic State of Black America:’ what it is and what it could be.

For this report, JP Julien and a team of researchers and experts from the McKinsey Institute for Black Economic Mobility and the McKinsey Global Institute (MGI) provided extensive analysis to understand and quantify the roles that black Americans play in the economy – as workers, business owners, consumers, savers, investors, and residents.

For some black leaders, the most inspiring change comes when boards and leadership teams think of racial equality as the core of their business, not just part of corporate social responsibility programs.

According to the survey, black consumers will pay up to 20% more for custom-made products. So, when combined with total income parity, it results in an opportunity of nearly US$700 billion in potential value.

Visibility, Voice, and Incentive in Fashion

CaSandra Diggs, presidente of the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), shared her views in an interview with McKinsey on how the fashion industry can promote greater visibility, voice, and encouragement for diverse talent.

As presidente of the CFDA, Diggs develops strategies to present the Council’s purpose of advocating and education its members and the fashion industry at large.

In February 2021, the CFDA, in partnership with PVH Corp., presented McKinsey‘s research and analysis in the State of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion in Fashion report to develop a framework for progress toward equitable workplaces in the US fashion industry.

“One of the things we’re trying to do differently is to broaden the reach and let in more voices that aren’t the typical fashion voices”; “I would love to see more people and more ideas in the industry. Steel sharpens steel: if you are creative and I am creative, we can exchange ideas and elevate each other. The level of innovation and creativity would skyrocket”, says CaSandra Diggs.

The report for fashion companies recommends initiatives to promote diversity, equality, and inclusion. The first step is to align internal structures and policies, then activate groups externally – Black Lives Matter groups, educational institutions, or government institutions.

“When people think about equity, they think it’s a zero-sum game: if I need to help you, that means I have to stop helping someone else. Or someone loses because someone else wins. I don’t see equity like that. I see equity as a level of achievement. Most people focus on diversity and inclusion, but even when you have visibility and voice, do you have control over decision making processes? This is for me what equity is: it is having power of decision”, CaSandra Diggs.

“’The fashion industry must be as diverse as its consumers:’ a PVH perspective”

Lance LaVergne, director of diversity at PVH Corp., discussed how fashion companies can attract young people and help emerging designers – and what it will take to break the status quo.

He saw a substantial shift in the way some companies approach talent acquisition and retention through their diversity and recruiting roles.

Diversity as a Business Imperative

Also, according to McKinsey consultancy, companies have moved from focusing exclusively on diversity to also focusing on inclusion – ensuring that people are involved and engaged, despite any differences in origins – and, more recently, on belonging and equity, which LaVergne considers it to be the most interesting evolution.

In August 2020, LaVergne joined PVH Corp. to lead global talent acquisition in the company’s newly expanded role of director of diversity

“On the first day of this year’s Black History Month – February 1, 2021 – PVH Corp., in partnership with the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), released the State of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Fashion report, which is based on McKinsey Research and Analysis”, McKinsey.

“[the report] is excellent because it not only analyzes the issues but also identifies specific actions that people and organizations can take”, Lance LaVergne.

Diversity as a Global Quest

“We are in one of the most interesting moments we’ve seen in a generation, and it’s times like these, times of difficulty and retraction, when you realize the importance of diversity and inclusion work. When economy or opportunity establish contracts, that is when people and companies make tough decisions, and sometimes those decisions can revert to old behaviors and old ways. That’s when it’s especially important to lean from a DE & I perspective, to ensure that business decisions are based on objective measures, so that the progress you’ve made in creating greater diversity, equity, and inclusion survives these disruptive periods”, McKinsey.

#consciêncianegra #equidade #diversidade #inclusão #sankofa #projetosankofa

Sankofa Project, racial inclusion for Brazilian fashion

The initiative elected 8 racialized brands for the official calendar ofSão Paulo Fashion Week

Sankofa is a co-authorship of the Pretos na Moda movement and the social innovation startup VAMO (Vetro Afro-Indigenous in fashion), which supports racialized entrepreneurs in Brazilian fashion.

  • Ateliê Mão de Mãe 
  • Az Marias
  • Meninos Rei

Creators

Pretos na Moda is a communication platform that promotes agendas and discussions on racial awareness and inclusion of racialized professionals in the Brazilian fashion market.

VAMO (Vetro Afro-Indigenous in fashion) is a social innovation startup of interracial professionals that develops a reparatory process in national fashion for blacks and indigenous people.

The project

The initiative aims to promote inclusion in Brazilian fashion and give visibility and support to racialized entrepreneurs in three editions of SPFW.

The Sankofa project presented eight emerging brands outside the current runway circuit at São Paulo Fashion Week N51.

Brands are monitored in order to enter the market and to create the official line up of the event in a structured way. The process has the professional support of a team (psychologists, lawyers, accountants) and eight godmother brands – prominent companies in the São Paulo Fashion Week lineup.

Eight new selected brands and their respective godmother brands

Ateliê Mão de Mãe (Gustavo Silvestre, Ponto Firme Project)

Az Marias (Isaac Silva)

Meninos Rei (João Pimenta)

Mile Lab (Juliana Jabour)

Naya Violeta (Apartamento 03)

Santa Resistência (Angela Brito)

Silvério (Vitorino Campos)

Ta Studios (Patricia Viera)

In the first edition (June 2021), the brands presented a fashion film and a photographic essay of the creation process in a fully digital form on the SPFW platform and the event’s digital channels.

“It’s more of a school than a stage for an exhibition,” says Natasha Soares, co-founder of the Pretos na Moda Collective, for Vogue Brasil.

  • Mile Lab
  • Naya Violeta
  • Santa Resistência
  • Silvério

Sankofa Partner

“How to bring Brazil closer to design, innovation, technology, aligned with Brazilian talent, vocation, and diversity? IN-MOD’s efforts are aimed at provoking this discussion and developing actions that propose different paths as an answer,” says Graça Cabral, member of the IN-MOD council.

IN-MOD, the National Institute of Fashion and Design created in 2004, is a non-governmental, non-profit organization whose mission and vision is to work in domestic and foreign markets, and to gain recognition and visibility of Brazilian fashion and design as value-added segments.

Diversity in fashion: industry voices around the world

“The runways in our country need to be a reflection of what is seen on our sidewalks. It is very important that different colors, bodies, and ethnicities are seen in a space that discusses beauty and elegance”, Emicida.

McKinsey & Company featured stories from fashion students, emerging designers and industry leaders about their experiences in US fashion – and their ideas for creating more inclusive workplaces – for the State of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion in Fashion report, from February 2021 done by PVH Corp. and the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA). It also surveyed over 1,000 employees at 41 companies, conducted 20 stakeholder interviews and three focus groups with students and emerging designers.

The company also interviews two of the report’s key stakeholders: CaSandra Diggs, president of the CFDA and Lance LaVergne, director of diversity at PVH. They shared insights into areas of opportunity – including awareness, access, and belonging – and actions that organizations and individuals can take to create a more diverse fashion industry.

“Fashion is a vibrant and exciting industry that employs over a million people in the United States and attracts many aspiring designers and professionals. However, certain groups of talented individuals – blacks in particular – struggle to break into the industry, and those who do make it don’t always feel welcome. Substantial under-representation of diverse talent starts at fashion schools and internships and continues at all levels to the highest echelons of influence and leadership”, McKinsey & Company.

#sankofa #projetosankofa #SPFW #N51 #sãopaulofashionweek #IN-MOD #pretosnamoda #mckinsey #mckinsey&company #VAMO

Riviera Paris presented three Brazilian brands at Porte de Versailles

The Riviera Paris fashion fair promoted the brands Lenny Niemeyer, Rio de Sol, and Serpentina from September 3rd to 6th

From September 3rd to 6th, Riviera, a beachwear and resort fashion fair, presented the new collections of fashion, accessories, beauty and lifestyle brands to buyers from all over the world at Porte de Versailles.

The in-person event in the city of Paris received the brands of the internationalization projects Fashion Label Brasil,  Abest, and Texbrasil, from ABIT, in partnership with Apex-Brasil: Lenny Niemeyer (Abest), Rio de Sol and Serpentina (Abit).

“I am very satisfied given this is a fair after the start of the pandemic,” Simone Nunes, Serpentina.

Fashion, Beauty, Lifestyle, Business, Network, Trends

Brazilian brands promoted deals totaling USD 335,000.00 in sales at the event and expectations for the next 12 months are USD 355,000.00.

“We had a good lease. It wasn’t as good as 2019, but things are turning around. The next edition should have the same numbers again,” Guatteri Gian Marco, Rio de Sol.

About ABEST

The Brazilian Association of Fashion Designers created in 2003 aims to strengthen and promote Brazilian design and fashion. Its main purpose is to help the development of Brazilian brands with international reach and guarantee their authenticity and creativity, in addition to promoting the Brazilian lifestyle, thus contributing to the growth of all segments linked to fashion. Currently, ABEST, which is non-profit profit, has 120 brands from all over Brazil that export products to 57 different countries. Also, it constantly carries out strategic actions to expand its penetration in new markets around the world and strengthen relations with those that are already established.

About Fashion Label Brasil

Fashion Label Brazil, a Fashion Internationalization Program of Added Value, was created in 2003 by ABEST in partnership with Apex-Brazil, whose proposal is to position the image of Brazilian fashion abroad, enhancing the image of an innovative and contemporary Brazil. The program has strategic activities – Buyer and Image Project, International Fairs and Fashion Shows, Showroom Project, in addition to special activations – to expand penetration in new markets and strengthen relations with those that are already established.

About ABIT

The Brazilian Textile and Apparel Industry Association (Abit) founded in 1957* is one of the most important entities among the country’s economic sectors. It represents the productive force of 25,500 companies installed throughout the national territory, companies of all sizes that employ over 1.5 million workers and together generate annual revenues of R$185.7 billion.

*Data from 2019.

About Apex-Brasil

The Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (Apex-Brasil) works to promote Brazilian products and services abroad and attract foreign investment to strategic sectors of the Brazilian economy. To achieve these goals, Apex-Brasil carries out diversified trade promotion actions aimed at promoting exports and valuing Brazilian products and services abroad, such as commercial prospective missions, business roundtables, support for the participation of Brazilian companies in major international fairs, visits by foreign buyers and opinion setters to get to know the Brazilian productive structure, among other business platforms that also aim to strengthen the country’s brand.

#riviera #feirademoda #feirainternacional #moda #fashion #rivieraparis

Second-hand market by Fashinnovation

“Fashinnovation crosses boarders and broadens certain topics, including goals for sustainable development goals, social impact, diversity, inclusion, entrepreneurship, connectivity and new technologies, which are all seen through the lens of innovation.”

The journalist and head of content for the Fashinnovation platform, Júlia Vilaça, presents the article “Second-hand market: the future of the fashion industry or a momentary trend?”

Second-hand market: the future of the fashion industry or a momentary trend?

The second-hand market has clearly grown in recent years. Buying used products has proven to be a trend not only in Brazil, but also abroad.

However, is this a trend that is here to stay, or will we once again witness the emptying of second-hand stores?

In order to understand this phenomenon and its growth better, it is important to analyze the tangible data that is available and how the market is facing this new reality.

Second-hand products: warming up a circular economy

In a simplified way, the act of selling and buying items that a person no longer uses and enabling others to redefine those items promotes a circular economy in society.

This concept emerged in 1989 in an article written by the British economists and environmentalists David W. Pearce and R. Kerry Turner. At the time, They discussed how the traditional economy was not taking recycling into account. Thus, the environment was taken for granted, treated exclusively as a source of raw materials and, later, as a mere waste reservoir – in other words, a waste dump.

Therefore, as a counterpoint to the traditional linear economy, which has a motto of “extracting, producing and discarding”, the concept of a circular economy emerged, inspired by nature’s cyclical logic.

Although the concept of circular economy is relatively new, resale, or rather the sale of second-hand products, is not a new practice. Quite the contrary. This type of activity has been around since before the invention of money.

In the famous barters, people would exchange food products and basic needs among themselves. However, the exchanges did not stop there. Getting rid of an item or material which was no longer needed was also common and widely practiced. After all, why keep something if it can be used by someone else? And, better yet why not earn money from selling the items that are sitting in the closet?

The Strong Return of the Second-Hand Market

The practice that was once very strong in the 1980s and 1990s has fully returned.

In October of last year, Vogue Brasil published a news article discussing the increase in sales of second-hand products during the pandemic. According to the article, even though the circular economy was already a growing reality before 2020, the pandemic consolidated this practice. Currently, nearly a year after the article was published, estimates have proven to be vigorous.

Jordana Guimarães, co-founder of Fashinnovation – a global platform of fashion and innovation – affirms that, “resaleis definitely a tendency that is here to stay and will continue to grow. It is a way of becoming more sustainable without interfering on many aspects of the production chain.”

According to ThredUp’s 2021 Resale Report, the estimation is that market reaches US $64 billion in the next five years – a 500% growth.

Generation Z is the group that has been buying and selling second-hand products the most. If in the coming years more and more young people achieve economic independence and purchasing power, this tendency is really promising.

The alliance between Resale and Sustainability

Buying and selling second-hand products happens for a number of different reasons. Passion for vintage items and cheaper prices are certainly strong appeals. However, there is one key element that must be mentioned: sustainability.

The fashion industry is one of the most polluting industries in the world. It is responsible for 8% of carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere, second only to the oil sector. Polyester, one of the most commonly used fibers in the market, is responsible for the annual emission of 32 tons out of the 57 million global tons of carbon emissions. It does not stop there.

The amount of waste generated by the fashion industry is daunting. Textile waste strongly contributes to the pollution of rivers, oceans, and the overcrowding of landfills – which, in turn, incinerates a large part of the discarded material, generating more pollution.

When buying second-hand products, a new meaning is given to the used items and there is a new possibility of circulating these products, which can be put to new use. In other words, new products are not created in this process, reducing carbon emissions and, obviously, the generation of waste. After all, it prevents items from being discarded.

Of course, the resale issue is much more complex than that. The quality of the items is essential for buying and selling second-hand products. However, concerns regarding eco-responsibility also plays a role in this area, since an increasing number of consumers are demonstrating their commitment to the quality of the products and the brands’ transparency.

Technology in the Second-Hand Market

Today there is a wide variety of apps and websites that sell second-hand products. It is possible to find clothes, but also accessories and decorative items in digital stores that bring together several brands in one place. In other words, we are talking about a resale marketplace.

On the other hand, those who think the second-hand market is exclusively fostered by thrift shops are mistaken. There are currently many platforms and tools that allow brands to resell their own products.

From luxury brands to those with more affordable prices, gradually consumers are finding a section of used items on the websites of these brands. Those who wish to let go of a certain item can now deliver it to the brand and get a discount on their next purchase, while the loyal resale buyers are given the chance to purchase the items directly on the brand’s website.

Whether one visits the iconic thrift shops in São Paulo or does online shopping on websites and apps, the second-hand market has proven itself strong and has gained more and more followers. The combination of consumer awareness with the need to change the current forms of production and consumption patterns is a great ally in promoting resale. So, whether buying a 2000s Louis Vuitton or vintage jeans for BRL 25.00, this market has united eco-conscious practices with more affordable prices. It has proven to rise and succeed and it is here to stay.

By Júlia Vilaça, Journalist and Head of Content at Fashinnovation

#fashioninnovatioln #mercadodesegundamão #fashinnovation #circularidade #economiacircular #resale

Circular Economy, the future of fashion

Since before the pandemic hit, trend studies and futurism point to a paradigm shift,  and the future of fashion is not different.

The way we live and consume is at stake: knowing and understanding sustainable work processes expands our creative perspective and shows that it is possible to transform through concrete actions, using tools and processes to develop products and services that respect the environment.

No wonder that research presented by the McKinsey & Company reaffirms that sustainable brands and circular business models are the future of fashion.

“The fashion industry emits approximately the same amount of greenhouse gases per year as all the economies of France, Germany and the UK combined. By 2030, it will need to cut its emissions in half – or else it will cross the 1.5-degree path to mitigating climate change, established by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and confirmed in the 2015 Paris agreement,” McKinsey & Company.

“The value chain of traditional linear fashion transitions to a circular system”, Business of Fashion.

We are living through a transition, a change, and a paradigm shift. What now? The pandemic further leveraged what was already underway and created new demands for the fashion business.

Creativity and empathy are imperative and Brazilian brands have been looking for new ways of working and caring for their employees. The circular approach encourages innovation and gives more meaning to the business that is done, creating momentum for the development of new materials and processes.

The article “A more circular fashion industry will require a collective effort,” published in The State of Fashion 2021, a global fashion industry report, and co-published by BoF and McKinsey & Company, presented consumer commitment and circularity as the keys to a more sustainable future.

“Luxury brands are evolving, more than 75% of the top 50 global luxury players are now using eco-friendly materials, while 75% are looking to reduce packaging, use more renewable energy and reduce carbon emissions”, WGSN.

What does the consumer want?

A more conscious consumption process and future express the consumer’s social responsibility. “Over three of every five consumers said that environmental impact is an important factor in making purchasing decisions”, McKinsey.

Having said that, a promising way for the fashion world to reduce its environmental impact is by expanding circular business models, strategies to reduce waste and more efficiently use resources. “When it comes down to protecting the environment, the fashion industry knows that ‘less is more,’” the least amount of impact on the planet, the more benefits will be generated for business, people, and the environment.

“Despite the efforts of some participants, up to 12% of fibers are still discarded on the shop floor, 25% of clothes remain unsold, and less than 1% of products are recycled into new clothing. Given these numbers, action is imperative and inevitable. In fact, circularity could become the biggest disruptor for the fashion industry in the next decade,” BoF.

The priority must be to define circular strategies, address scalability challenges and take steps to scale the solutions.

The challenge of sizing circularity is the value multiplier effect in the circular system that is radically different from the linear system. “In essence, a single piece of clothing can create value over and over again – through sale and resale, repeated rental or being sold, repaired, returned, refurbished or recycled and resold again to restart the cycle,” says the Business of Fashion platform.

The sizing of circularity promotes strategies led by a diverse cast of actors and based on three core capabilities: embrace sustainable design – circularity begins in the drawing board, fabrics, and materials that designers use in their creations, “projecting for zero waste requires innovation of materials and products;” increasing reverse logistics – to optimize value retention; and support customer adoption – “for younger consumers born into the shared economy, adopting circularity is a natural step. However, older consumers may demand education and encouragement.”

In an interview with the O GLOBO newspaper, Oskar Metsavaht, creative director of Osklen, the OM.art studio, and founder of Instituto-E (which has developed and implemented social and environmental projects for over 20 years) analyzes:

“What’s lacking is an understanding of the Sustainable Social and Environmental Development concept. We forget that the human being’s relationship with nature was what led to the evolution of civilization, with its achievements and consequences. We can use natural resources for economic development, if we leave everything the same or better than what we found, for future generations. My take is to think ASAP, ‘As Sustainable As Possible and As Soon As Possible.’ Being 100% sustainable overnight is not viable”, Oskar Metsavaht.

Circularity is not the kind of revolution that can be led by some people, while others wait and see. The effort must be collective and collaborative. Let the changes begin.

Ana Khouri and Projeto Ovo (“Egg Project”)

“’Change will not come if we wait for some other person, or if we wait for some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.’ This is a quote by Barack Obama. We at Projeto Ovo love this quote, for we believe it is of the utmost urgency to become the creators of our lives and of a new reality, rather than placing ourselves as victims of it.”

In 2014, associate Ana Khouri launched Projeto Ovo, a nonprofit organization to raise funds for 80 Brazilian NGOs.

“Projeto Ovo does two things at once: gives new life to old clothes and helps underprivileged people by donating 100% of sales proceeds.”

The project sells second-hand clothes and accessories on the online platform and reverts 100% of the value to social and environmental causes in Brazil.

“The egg symbolizes rebirth and a new life, hence the name of the project. We regard the whole as part of ourselves. And so, we are one.”

#economiacircular #projetoovo #anakhouri #modacircular #sistemacircular #circularidade

Brasil Fashion Now, digital promotion and exposure to the international market

“The project focuses on the digital dissemination of Brazilian brands in the international market, in addition to strengthening performance and sales through a customized commercial reach.”

Apex-Brasil (Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency), ABEST (Brazilian Association of Fashion Designers) and Abicalçados (Brazilian Footwear Industries Association) promoted Brasil Fashion Now to position Brazilian fashion brands in the international market.

Originality, Exclusive Designs, Plurality, Varied Cultures

The international B2B platform BLANC Fashion presents an exclusive landing page for the project, with more than 16 thousand international buyers from 90 countries registered.

“In brand internationalization processes, one of the essential points is continuity. The third cycle of Brazil Fashion Now is a great achievement. Progress has been gradual and the project advances at each new edition. An international buyer purchases a brand for the first time to test not only the product in their market, but also the credibility and delivery capability of the brands. Throughout the collections, it is also possible to see the development of these relationships and the creation of partnerships,” Aurea Yamashita, Executive Manager of Fashion Label Brazil.

Brazil Fashion Now explores all the best of style, trend, and innovation in Brazilian fashion. Its third edition (BFN3), October 2021 – March 2022, brings together 22 Brazilian brands and 80 of the main international brands.

“Brazil Fashion Now, in addition to being at the forefront of digital trends for international promotion, also presents European and North American buyers with Brazilian fashion in all its plurality and diversity: from apparel of different segments to accessories and footwear, of companies that are of many different sizes. It is certainly a unique opportunity for Brazilian brands to obtain commercial gains and international image, in addition to the countless lessons arising from the experience of being present in an international digital platform,” Mariele Christ, project manager at Apex-Brasil

Brands participating at the BFN3

Belier Belier; Andreza Chagas, Akra, Augusta, Bia Moraes, Catarina Mina, DePedro, Inti Brand, La Sirène, KStockler, Lily Franco, Maneca, Osklen, Ostra Brasil, Room, Sy&Vie, Yukio, Meerk, Vanda Jacintho (Fashion Label Brasil); Matuschka Mia, Opananken, Tnin Shoes (Brazilian Footwear).

“The best of the country’s trends and innovations. Discover all the originality of Brazilian fashion.”

About ABEST

Created in 2003, the Brazilian Association of Fashion Designers aims to strengthen and promote Brazilian design and fashion. Its main purpose is to help the development of Brazilian brands with international reach and guarantee their authenticity and creativity, in addition to promoting the Brazilian lifestyle, thus contributing to the growth of all segments linked to fashion. Currently, ABEST, which is a not aimed at obtaining profit, has 120 brands from all over Brazil that export products to 57 different countries. Also, it constantly carries out strategic actions to expand its participation in new markets around the world and strengthen relations with those that are already established.

About Fashion Label Brasil

Fashion Label Brazil, a Fashion Internationalization Program of Added Value, was created in 2003 by ABEST in partnership with Apex-Brazil, whose proposal is to position the image of Brazilian fashion abroad, enhancing the image of an innovative and contemporary Brazil. The program has strategic activities – Buyer and Image Project, International Fairs and Fashion Shows, Showroom Project, in addition to special activations – to expand penetration in new markets and strengthen relations with those already established.

About Abicalçados

Established in 1983, Abicalçados represents the national footwear industry. With members that account for over 70% of what is produced in the country, the entity has projects aimed at the development, as well as the commercial and image promotion of the footwear industries. In addition, it has a strong presence in institutional representation, being the official spokesperson for the industry both nationally and internationally.

About Brazilian Footwear

Brazilian Footwear is an exporting incentive program developed by Abicalçados in partnership with Apex-Brasil. This program aims to increase exports of Brazilian footwear brands through development, trade and image promotional actions aimed at the international market. Find out more: www.abicalcados.com.br/brazilianfootwear.

About Apex-Brasil

The Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (Apex-Brasil) works to promote Brazilian products and services abroad and attract foreign investment to strategic sectors of the Brazilian economy. To achieve these goals, Apex-Brasil carries out diversified trade promotion actions aimed at promoting exports and valuing Brazilian products and services abroad, such as commercial prospective missions, business roundtables, support for the participation of Brazilian companies in major international fairs, visits by foreign buyers and opinion setters to get to know the Brazilian productive structure, among other business platforms that also aim to strengthen the country’s brand.

#brasilfashionnow #BFN #BFN3 #moda #fashion 

Libertees, a fashion trend of impact and social transformation

“Fashion as an instrument of social transformation, providing women deprived of freedom the opportunity to reframe their own journeys and rescue their self-esteem.”

The fashion and social business brand Libertees, developed in the Prison System of Minas Gerais, presented its new collection at Brasil Eco Fashion Week in Milan, in September 2021.

Libertees provides training workshops and paid work for imprisoned women in the Prison System of Minas Gerais.

Libertees’s Impact

  • 100% female and prison labor force
  • 8 women currently employed in the clothing industry within the prison unit
  • 1 active employee in the administrative area of Libertees who has already served her time in prison
  • 4 women were sent to work in factories after being released from freedom

Part of the revenue from selling printed clothes will be reinvested in purchasing material and promoting art workshops in the penitentiary.

The exclusive prints portray drawings and paintings made by the women from Estevão Pinto Female Penitentiary Complex.

“Libertees brings the concept of fashion with social impact, revealing the power of women and the potential to transform lives at the same time.”

The material that are used in the process express the brand’s environmental responsibility: ecological fabrics, organic cotton, pet bottles and biodegradable fabrics.

“We are betting on a labor force that is 100% composed of people from prison and female workers, as a solution for a fairer and more collaborative future. Having a purpose and social responsibility is part of our essence.”

According to the platform “O Tempo” (Time), the partnership between Libertees and the Prison System of Minas Gerais has already yielded more than 134 thousand hours of professional training, nearly BRL 1 million in remuneration e more than 5,500 days of sentence remission.

“This story is being built collectively. Libertees is freedom, movement and, mainly, hope.”

Libertees for Brasil Eco Fashion Week

The brand presented its new collection “O Café e suas Flores” (literally, Coffee and its Flowers) at Brasil Eco Fashion Week on September 25th, at Milano Fashion Week.

The collection revives the affectionate memory of Minas Gerais, and the coffee flower takes on the leading role of representing the feminine.

“In this collection, we evoke ancestral knowledge, the strength in collective work and, mainly, freedom through work.”

In partnership with the creative directors of Libertees, Daniela Queiroga and Marcella Mafra, Gissa Bicalho Brand, a member of Fashion Label Brasil, signed the fashion show accessories, the stylist Ana Sudano developed the timeless models and the shoemaker Virginia Barros created and exclusive line of upcycling shoes for the event.

“We have built a network of partners who are engaged with social and environmental sustainability, from suppliers and employees to customers. Our goal is to build a fairer future for everyone.”

You can watch the Brasil Eco Fashion Week fashion show at: youtu.be/LZ9B7XGz0bI

#libertees #brasilecofashion #brasilecofashionweek #milanofashionweek #gissabicalho

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