Brands expand product options ' Greens '

Eyeing the potential of consumers concerned about the origin of the products, some retailers have invested in stocks and sustainable items. Although Brazil is the largest producer of sustainable cotton in the world, demand is still considered in its infancy on the market.
"It is a trend that is consolidating more and more, not only in large retailers, as well as in small and medium-sized enterprises. We believe that this movement is here to stay. The consumer requires products with greater use of sustainable raw materials and have guarantee of origin ", says the Executive Director of the Brazilian Textile retail Association (Abvtex), Edmund Lima.
Following this move, Renner, who achieved net revenues of R $4.9 billion in the first nine months of 2017 (high of 15% over the same period to 2016), saw the importance of innovating the production to sell pieces made with less impactful components in half environment. Recently, the retailer has launched a sustainable collection with 130 models distributed between the women's, men's and children's departments.
"This action is dedicated to the ideals of the company. Gradually, we are incorporating the criteria for impact reduction throughout the production line of our products. The biggest challenge, when we think about sustainability, is connected to technology and more efficient processes to be able to deliver sustainable high quality products, "says the Senior Manager of sustainability of Renner, Bjorn Malfatti.
According to the retailer, the volume of pieces made with raw materials in the catalog of the company reached 500,000 in 2017. Among the items are branded sustainable dresses, blouses, pants, shorts and t-shirts, which are produced through the use of recycled or lyocell yarn. While the first originates from the recycling of textile material or plastic bottle, the second is a celulóstica fiber, which can be extracted from the pulp of certified timber, through natural resources.
SMEs also invest
Cheats, however, who believe that this type of investment and concern is only in charge of major retailers: sustainable fashion also pulses through the veins of the Insecta Shoes, Rio Grande do Sul that works with brand footwear and accessories of natural origin. Conceived in December 2014, the company saw revenues grow your continuously year after year: in 2017, for example, she recorded a breakthrough above 20% by getting a prescription for R $2.2 million.
"We just completed four years of existence. We don't work with leather, or wool; anything with animal origin. We started working with our vintage line, where mining used clothes and transform them into new, with fabric and cotton recycled PET bottle ", says founding partner of Insecta Shoes, Barbara Mattivy.
Present in several countries through multi-brand trade, the Insecta Shoes don't have a quantitative presence in shops in the country: they are only two operations and a space in RIOetc, in Rio de Janeiro. But what underpins advances in brand sales is the e-commerce, responsible for almost 70% of the revenue. Another factor that hinders a higher penetration in the domestic setting is the high value of the products, which cost R $289 on average.
"We work with in countries such as the United States lines, France, Germany, Canada and Spain. The year 2017 was what else we prospect and confirm sales. We don't think in franchises yet. Yes, we want to grow with shop in Rio de Janeiro or in other capitals. Sometimes, people want to try on the shoe and feel it and e-commerce is not so satisfying it, "says Barbara.
Engaged in the environmental cause, the Lush has five stores in Brazil. According to General Director of the brand in Brazil, Renata Pagliarussi, cosmetics sold by the company are fresh and without animal testing – the company even does business or partnerships with vendors that use this practice: "nearly 85% of our products are vegan and 100% are cruelty-free. The fight against animal testing is part of our causes. "