São Paulo – Textile mill Monthal, which owns a lingerie factory in the municipality of Bom Jardim, in the state of Rio de Janeiro, already exports to the United Arab Emirates and wants to expand its client portfolio in the Middle East. “We produce glamorous, chic, comfortable lingerie that meets the refined, demanding taste of many Arab women,” says Eleonora Erthal, the owner of the brand.
The company, which manufactures approximately 20,000 items and employs 70 people, also exports to Portugal, Angola and the United States. “Presently, around 20% of our output goes to the foreign market and we want to achieve a 10% increase in that rate by 2010,” she says. “We are always looking for technological innovations that will attract the attention of importers,” adds the businesswoman.
One such example is the recent launch of a line made of bamboo fibre, which is eco-friendly and will be presented to international buyers. “Produced from natural bamboo fibre, the fabric has excellent permeability, is soft, and highly elastic,” says Eleonora. According to her, the raw material is extracted following the principles of sustainability, with no harm to the environment, and the production meets standards of environmental protection and respect to nature.
According to the businesswoman, bamboo fibre lingerie is suited to day-to-day use, because it remains good-looking even after repeated washes, retaining its colour and finish. The eco-friendly bamboo fibre lingerie has anti-bacterial properties. “Due to its rapid absorption of moisture, the fabric inhibits the proliferation of bacteria in a much more effective manner than polyamide fabrics, for instance,” she says.
In the domestic market, Monthal is present in boutiques and specialized stores in the main capitals of the country.
Hub
Monthal is part of the Intimate Wear Hub of Nova Friburgo, located in the mountainous region of the state of Rio de Janeiro. Represented by 900 manufacturers of lingerie, beachwear and fitness wear, the hub encompasses six municipalities: Nova Friburgo, Cordeiro, Cantagalo, Bom Jardim, Duas Barras and Macuco. Together, the companies generate more than 20,000 jobs and produce roughly 125 million items per year.
Presently, clothing items produced at the hub account for an important share of the Brazilian lingerie market, with up to 25% of the national market in some segments, a rate that attests to the success of this Local Productive Arrangement (APL) and to the strength of the industrial development of small and medium businesses in the country.
Contact
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*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
