São Paulo – It was last year, in the Mode City fair in Paris, that Acquaclub, a beachwear company based in Limeira, 134 km from São Paulo, entered the Jordanian market. The first exports, with 100 pieces, included bikinis, cover-ups and flip flops. Now, the brand is working to close new orders and also to increase its presence in the Middle East.
“We had one shipment until now. This year, we already made contact to see if we can close some other deals”, says Cláudio Zanetti, Aquaclub’s owner. “The client bought practically all my collection, but asked for the panties to be, on the back, a little bigger than what it is in Brazil, but without losing the Brazilian model’s features”, explains the businessman about the Arab client’s purchase.
“We have an exclusive print, digital. We work with a nobler fabric, with Lycra elastic and a Brazilian-print design that is colorful, which pleases the Arabs, Americans and Europeans”, says Zanetti about his brand’s collection.
Acquaclub manufactures around 1,500 pieces per month, with 15% to 20% of these being shipped abroad. Among the destinations are France, Germany, Caribbean islands, Mexico and Bolivia. The brand’s plans, however, is to increase the percentage exported.
“In general, the goal is to work with 50% for the domestic and 50% for the global markets. We noticed that the Arab countries really like the Brazilian bikini and our focus is set on the [United Arab] Emirates and Kuwait”, says Zanetti.
The businessman says that his brand is taking part in the Texbrasil project, which is coordinated by the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (Apex) and by the Brazilian Textile and Garment Industry Association (Abit). “They have a project for the Middle East. We also have a representative in Paris that is working with the companies from there [Arab world]”, points out Zanetti about the work done to expand the company’s presence in the region.
Founded in 1991, Acquaclub has 15 employees in its plant, in Limeira. The brand has a store in the same city and other two in the cities of Araras and Guarujá, both also in São Paulo state.
Contact
Acquaclub
Website: www.acquaclub.com.br
Phone: +55 19 3701-0147
Email: export@acquaclub.com.br
*Translated by Sérgio Kakitani
