São Paulo – Born in Novo Oriente, in the state of Ceará, the artisan Francisca Rosa Macedo arrived in Brasília in 1982. Years later, upon witnessing a child getting hurt on an aluminium can lid, Chica Rosa, as she became known, had the idea to use the item, which was usually disposed of, to make women’s accessories. Thus, in 1997, Cia do Lacre was born, an association which went on to become a cooperative, and now makes purses, belts, buttons, necklaces, hats, dresses and tops, all laced with lots of lids, thread and creativity.
The 32 artisans in the cooperative produce 2,000 items each month, all of which are sold to foreign countries. “We sell to the United States and Germany,” says cooperative president Maria de Jesus Pereira da Silva. “This month we received an order for 4,000 items but we were unable to deliver. We are shipping 2,000 now and the rest next month.”
Silva explains that the organization began exporting in 2005, with backing from the Brazilian Micro and Small Business Support Service (Sebrae). Now, foreign sales are made directly.
To make the items, the artisans collect the lids from three recycling houses in Brasília. “Each artisan uses an average of 50 kilos worth of lids per month, or more,” says Silva. The items are sold at prices ranging from 20 to 400 Brazilian reals (roughly US$ 10 to US$ 195). Overseas, a purse by Cia do Lacre is resold by up to US$ 750.
The cooperative has taken part in fashion shows in Brasília and in Lisbon, Portugal. “It was during Rock in Rio [in Lisbon]. We made items for the parade and also to sell,” says the president of the event in the Portuguese capital, in 2008. The brand’s first fashion show, at the 2004 Brasília Fashion Festival, featured the designer Ronaldo Fraga. “He designed the items. He would be with us on a daily basis, and if the outcome wasn’t good he would tell us to put it apart,” says the artisan.
According to Silva, the cooperative members have considered going to foreign fairs, but didn’t due to high costs. Still, the company has been contacted by more clients interested in the items. “We have been contacted by Italy,” she says.
Cia do Lacre posts monthly revenues of around 40,000 reals and each member receives a minimum wage on average. If you are in Brasília and would like to see and buy the work of Cia do Lacre, you can pay a visit to the cooperative headquarters, which is open to the public.
Contact
Cia do Lacre
Telephone: +55 61 3399-6805
Email: ciadolacre@ciadolacre.com
Website: www.ciadolacre.com.br
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
