The IFLS+EICI fair, which took place from February 4 to 7 in Bogotá, Colombia, is projected to generate more than US$5 million for Brazilian manufacturers of footwear components and machinery. The participation of 30 Brazilian companies was supported by Brazilian Materials, a program to encourage exports from the sector, run by the Brazilian Association of Companies of Components for Leather, Footwear and Artifacts (Assintecal) in partnership with the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (ApexBrasil).

Assintecal’s International Market Manager, Luiz Ribas Júnior, highlighted the quantity and quality of contacts made during the event, especially with buyers from Latin America. According to an Assintecal report, there were more than 700 visits to the Brazilian stands, which generated over US$1 million in on-site deals, with another US$4 million in sales finalized at the event—double the amount recorded at the most recent event in July 2024. “IFLS+EICI is a great opportunity to showcase products to the Latin American market, which accounts for six of the top 10 markets for chemical components for footwear manufactured in Brazil,” he commented.

Presentation

During the fair, the consultant from Assintecal’s Design and Research Hub, Marnei Carminatti, presented the research theme that led to the over one thousand materials launched at the last INSPIRAMAIS in Porto Alegre, Brazil. Highlighting the research methodology, Carminatti explained that Burnout emphasizes the “broken doll” aesthetic, which presents a depressive and artificial theme reflected in a mix of fashion styles: Victorian, with the fetish of a closed society; science fiction; and high technology, with a prominent role for Artificial Intelligence.

The following companies participated in the event with the support of Brazilian Materials: Arizona Solados, Biatex, Bottero, Boxflex, Comcal, DWC Matrizes, Flexnyl, HG Industrial, ITM, Jotaclass, Kazzir, Kidy, KSD Metais, Linhanyl, Máquinas ERPS, Máquinas Morbach, Master Máquinas, Martine Digital, Mecsul, New Form, Piccadilly, Pollibox, Primu’s Têxtil, PVC, Rodamatrizes, RTM (Retma), Tecmec, Usicon, Usitec Matrizes and WS Metai.

About Brazilian Materials

Brazilian manufacturers in the components sector interested in expanding their commercial relations with the foreign market have the opportunity to participate, along with 300 other companies, in the Brazilian Materials project. The project is run by Assintecal, ApexBrasil, and Abrameq, and it aims to promote strong export performance and, consequently, the sector’s growth. It offers solutions for each level of internationalization, providing companies with access to trade promotion, market intelligence, training, and more. For more information, please contact: relacionamento@assintecal.org.br.

About ApexBrasil

The Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (ApexBrasil) works to promote Brazilian products and services abroad and attract foreign investment to strategic sectors of the Brazilian economy. The Agency carries out a variety of trade promotion activities, such as prospective and commercial missions, business rounds, support for Brazilian companies participating in major international fairs, and visits by foreign buyers and opinion makers to learn about Brazil’s production capabilities.