With more than 1,900 partner brands, 20 educational institutions, and five dedicated fashion shows at SPFW, the Abrapa initiative celebrates a decade of building bridges between producers, industry, fashion, and consumers
Sou de Algodão, an initiative of the Brazilian Cotton Growers Association (Abrapa), celebrates its 10th anniversary on Monday, October 26. Over the past decade, the program has brought together those who grow cotton, those who transform it, those who create with it, and those who wear it, bringing cotton from a country that is the world’s third-largest producer and largest exporter of the fiber into Brazilian fashion and wardrobes.
Created in 2016, the movement aims to raise collective awareness about fashion and responsible consumption. To achieve this, the initiative brings together and recognizes professionals throughout the cotton production and textile supply chains, engaging with end consumers through activities, content, and partnerships with brands and companies.
Another objective is to share information and broaden access to knowledge about the Responsible Brazilian Cotton (ABR) program, which follows rigorous environmental, social, and economic criteria and covers 79% of Brazil’s cotton production.
A decade of connections and new paths
“Those who grow cotton know that our story does not end in the field. It continues through spinning, weaving, the runway, and into everyone’s wardrobe. Over these ten years, Sou de Algodão has dedicated itself to building bridges between all these links and has shown that when everyone along the supply chain understands one another, Brazilian fashion becomes stronger and consumption becomes more responsible,” says cotton grower and Sou de Algodão spokesperson Alessandra Zanotto.
The celebrations began on September 22 at the Brazilian Cotton Congress (CBA), with a ceremony honoring and thanking supporters, as well as a Sou de Algodão store that brought the 10th-anniversary campaign to the event. The initiative’s journey has been supported by 18 institutional partners and nine financial supporters, who help sustain its activities across every link of the supply chain.
Looking ahead, Renata Caixeta, Business Development Manager at Abrapa, highlights the continuation of initiatives that support each link of the supply chain.
“Ten years is time enough to weave a fabric, and now the challenge is to strengthen it thread by thread. We will continue bringing together those who grow cotton, those who transform it, those who create with it, and those who wear it, expanding experiences in the field, developing new fashion talent, and bringing Brazilian cotton to more brands and consumers. Sou de Algodão will continue to be the place where these links come together, and the path for the coming years will be built alongside those who make it all happen.”
“Connecting Those Who Make It All Happen” campaign celebrates a decade of connections
To celebrate its 10th anniversary, Sou de Algodão is launching the “Conectando quem faz tudo acontecer” (“Connecting Those Who Make It All Happen”) campaign. The celebration’s visual identity brings this concept to life: inspired by the initiative’s icon, mandalas represent each link in the supply chain (cotton growers, the textile industry, the fashion world, and consumers), connected by Sou de Algodão’s signature blue in a concept of unity and connection.
It all begins in the field, with the growers who cultivate the fiber. Next, the textile industry transforms cotton lint into yarns, fabrics, and garments. To bring these two links closer to those who design and produce fashion, Sou de Algodão promotes visits and experiences on farms and at textile companies, offering a firsthand look at the origin of the raw material.
The next link connects Brazilian cotton to consumers: brands and retailers. The initiative’s network currently includes 1,982 partner brands, with activities such as window displays and collaborations with retailers that bring Brazilian cotton into stores.
Fashion designers give Brazilian fashion its shape and identity. At São Paulo Fashion Week (SPFW), the initiative has held five dedicated fashion shows, the most recent on October 15, in a special anniversary edition designed by Ronaldo Fraga. The “Cartas de Algodão” collection celebrates delicacy as a form of permanence and places the fiber at the heart of Brazil’s clothing heritage.
The future of fashion also begins in the classroom. The initiative partners with 20 educational institutions offering fashion courses, providing students with experiences on farms and at textile and fashion companies, as well as lectures by partner designers. This connection gave rise to the Sou de Algodão + Casa de Criadores Challenge, which has held four editions, brought together 29 finalists, and revealed numerous emerging talents. The final of the fourth edition, featuring five finalists, one from each region of Brazil, will take place in late November in São Paulo.
Consumers complete this connection by making informed choices and learning more about the origins of the cotton used in the products they buy.
Photo credits: @agfotosite
