Bracell Shines at Afro Fashion Day

According to Cíntia Liberato, Bracell’s communications manager, the event is a celebration of black entrepreneurship in the creative industry, and Bracell is proud to be a partner.

Afro Fashion Day (AFD) marked its ninth edition on November 25^th, 2023, solidifying its status as a leading fashion event in Brazil. Recognised as the largest black fashion runway in the country, the event took place at Terreiro de Jesus in the historic centre of Salvador de Bahia. This year’s theme, “Mother Africa,” was divided into three segments: Royalty, Ethnicity, and Futurism. Local designers Fagner Bispo and Filipe Dias led the creative direction for the event showcase. More than 70 models, including 16 selected through local auditions, presented ensembles from some 40 brands.

The event provided a significant platform for local designers and models to showcase their talent, and allowed Bracell to connect with the public and highlight its position as a key player in the fashion industry. The event also featured numerous Brazilian artists, such as singer Majur, choreographer Zebrinha and MC Áurea Semiseria.

As a sponsor of AFD 2023, Bracell distributed viscose scarves, crafted through one of the company’s social responsibility projects, to event attendees. “It is both a pleasure and a privilege to be able to participate in such a grand event about Afro entrepreneurship,” Communications Manager at Bracell, Cíntia Liberato, said.

Black Awareness Month in Brazil

November holds significance for Afro-Brazilians as Black Awareness Month, commemorating Black Awareness Day on the 20^th of November. In Salvador de Bahia, Bahian model Mariana Amorim showcased a blue and green viscose dress to around 7,500 spectators. Salvador is notable for being a city with a more than 80% black population demographic. This choice was closely aligned with Bracell’s strategic positioning in Bahia, where it produces dissolving pulp, the primary raw material for viscose.

Despite being synthetic, Bracell’s viscose originates from eucalyptus wood, and is known for its softness, lustre and fit. Mariana’s dress, also designed by Fagner Bispo and Filipe Dias, made prominent use of Bracell’s blue and green corporate colours, with a nod to Bracell’s commitment to sustainability through the inclusion of a straw accessory, reminiscent of the eucalyptus wood from which it is sourced. “The creative process for the look took place through research about the origin of the viscose we used”, Dias added.

Partnership with Bracell for Sustainability

Sustainability has become a key factor in fashion runway shows across the globe, and Afro Fashion Day has highlighted this trend. As a leading dissolving pulp producer, Bracell solidified its position at the forefront of sustainable fashion through outfits and looks that featured its sustainable, biodegradable viscose. Bracell is proud to sustainably source its raw materials from eucalyptus trees grown across 38 municipalities in Bahia.

When used to make clothes, Bracell viscose is characterised as being versatile and lightweight, which provides a soft, elegant drape. Designer Fagner Bispo said, “As our viscose is produced with renewable raw materials, we deemed it essential to showcase Bracell’s sustainability proposition as part of Afro Fashion Day 2023.”

Annually, Bracell produces 500,000 tons of dissolving pulp, of which 110,000 tons are designated for fibre production in China. The mill is located in the Camaçari Industrial Complex in the Metropolitan Region of Salvador, Brazil, where the raw materials are used for the viscose industry and in other products, such as medicines, cosmetics, computer screens, food, tyres and more.