Brasília – Brazilian fashion exports were down 7% in the past five years, from US$ 162 million in 2009 to US$ 150 million last year. The decline was seen in both of the leading exporting states: São Paulo fashion exports grossed US$ 48 million in 2013, down 16% from 2009, and Santa Catarina exports fetched US$ 44 million, down 14%. Fashion exports from Rio de Janeiro, however, were up 17% to US$ 22 million in 2013, and accounted for 15% of the national total. Rio was Brazil’s third leading exporter of fashion products.
The figures were released this Wednesday (9th) by the International Business Centre of the Federation of Industry of the State of Rio de Janeiro (Firjan), during Fashion Rio. According to Firjan foreign trade specialist Cláudia Teixeira dos Santos, Rio’s performance was a consequence of “value added to product from the state.” She believes that much of the decline in sales from São Paulo and Santa Catarina was due to fierce international competition, especially from China and India. Santos noted that these two countries offer lower prices and “less exclusive products, generally speaking.”
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
