Textile Evolution in Brazil

The textile industry has always played an important role in the Brazilian market. It is a sector that has been operating in the country for over 200 years. Currently, the textile area represents 16.7% of jobs in Brazil, according to data from the Brazilian Association of the Textile and Clothing Industry (Abit). Brazil has the largest complete textile chain in the West!

The Committee of Fiesp's Textile, Clothing and Clothing Industry Production Chain (Comtextil) reports that there are 27 thousand industries in the segment in the country. And the future prospects are positive for the sector. It is estimated that the fashion market will develop 3.1% per year until 2021.

Given the importance of the textile industry and the fashion market today, we prepared a blog to explain a little about the trajectory of fabric in Brazil. In other words, how important was its importance in the past!

A evolution: from the European cold to the Brazilian tropical climate

The history of fashion in Brazil begins in colonial times. As we already know, the country was colonized by the Portuguese over 500 years ago. So, in the beginning, we inherited European textile culture.

At that moment in history, social classes were distinguished by the fabrics incorporated in each individual's clothing. Another way to indicate nobility or poverty in clothing was through colors and variations in dye complexity. The level of detail in embroidery and applications also signaled status at that time.

The Portuguese came from cold regions, which required thicker and bulkier clothing. As soon as they arrived in Brazilian territory, the inadequacy of their clothing for the tropical climate became clear. Therefore, our colonizers had to adapt to the heat of Brazil.

As time went by, the clothing of the newcomers began to lose volume and structure. It is interesting to highlight, however, that although there was a need to adapt to the national climate, the clothes were still made according to European aesthetic references. Even with the adaptations, fashion consumption in the country was still not accessible.

The First World War was a key event not only for history , as for fashion on the planet. It was during this fateful period that fashion reformulated itself. The first Brazilian clothing manufacturers appeared at the beginning of the 20th century. Our national textile industry, today extremely relevant in the country, was born adapting to the scarcity of fabrics and trimmings. Brazil has always developed in contexts that mix need with opportunity!