São Paulo – Handicraft from the state of Paraná is adorning houses and businesses in the Arab world. Seven countries in the region are on the list of clients of the Associação de Artesanato & Estilo (Artest – Handicraft & Style Association), a non-government organization (NGO) based in the city of Londrina, and which exports handicraft from the state. According to one of the coordinators of Artest, Roberto Mucci, items have already been sold to Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Morocco, Tunisia and Lebanon, in the Arab world.
Artest exports to approximately 30 countries, mostly European, and sales contacts are mainly made at trade fairs, in France and Germany. According to Mucci, all exports to the Arabs result from the European trade fairs. Presently, the company participates in Maison & Objet, in Paris, Ambiente, in Frankfurt, and Tendence, also in the German city. Artest also has a distribution centre in Austria, which is in charge of post-sales services in Europe.
Next year, according to Mucci, there are plans of participating in a fair in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, in order to expand sales to the Arab world. The coordinator believes that going over to the market there will increase the chances of expanding exports to the region. He bets on wood-framed pictures as products that may sell well among the Arabs. “They items are quite modern,” he explains. Pictures have already been sold, says Mucci, to the boutique of the Art Institute of Chicago, in the United States, for reselling.
The handicraft that Artest exports is quite varied, and raw materials range from wood to aluminium. The items include lighting fixtures, sculptures, pictures, napkin holders, candlesticks, trays, dolls, jugs, chairs, among others. The best-selling export items, says the coordinator, are Louis XV-style chairs, made from aluminium, with printed upholstery and creative materials. There are also giant forks and spoons to be hung on walls. The latter are used in restaurants, and the former at stores.
Artest, from Paraná
Artest was established in 2004 by Mucci and his wife, Denise, who were seeking a new business. From the beginning of its activities, the NGO worked with the backing of the Brazilian Export and Investment Promotion Agency (Apex). It also partnered with the Brazilian Micro and Small Business Support Service (Sebrae) for some time and now, in addition to the Apex, the NGO operates in partnership with the Brazilian Ministry of Tourism.
Approximately 60 artisans supply the Artest. The work, however, according to Mucci, involves approximately 300 people, as some craft the items with help from other people. The Artest offers training courses in several fields. The courses are always taught with the aid of a partner, aside from the backing of the Ministry of Tourism. Ongoing courses, for instance, include the crafting of ceramic, paper and wood items along with North of Paraná University (Unopar).
Contact
Artest
Telephone: (+55 43) 3323 2510
Site: www.artest.com.br
E-mail: artest@artest.com.br
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
