Courovisão is here to stay
Representatives of the leather and shoe production chain who took part in the Brazilian technical and fashion show, Courovisão 2002 (October 16-18), have pronounced themselves well satisfied with the outcome of the event. Many of the 105 exhibitors reported good business at the fair, which attracted around 6,000 visitors.
One regular feature of the show, called ‘Mix Brazil’, is organised by Assintecal – the Brazilian Association of Manufacturers of Components for the Leather and Shoe Industry. This brings together producers of hand-made materials and finished products supplied to the footwear and leathergoods industries.
One ‘Mix Brazil’ exhibitor, the handbag producer Super Oito, reportedly sold its whole production for the forthcoming months. The company produces 200 bags per month and closed a deal to supply 7,000 to customers in the USA and Paraguay.
Besides the product exhibition, the fair held two fashion shows per day with the models dressed in garments designed from the materials on display. Courovisão 2002 saw the launch of the new seasonal leather colour swatch by ABECA – the Brazilian Association of Shoe, Garment and Leather-goods Designers - and the first outing of a new fashion guide by the Fashion and Design sub-group of the Leather and Shoe Sector Competitiveness forum.
Ecovisao - a project promoting companies and products engaged in environmental preservation and pollution control for the leather and shoe sectors - was held alongside the main event for the first time this year. Jackson Müller, head of the Environmental Department of Novo Hamburgo Town Council, highlighted the importance of Ecovisao, an event that he helped create, and said that the leather and shoe sectors were now mature enough to set their own environmental standards. He also suggested that, in future, an accreditation could be created for products and companies that showed concern for the environment.
This year's show was the 3rd in the series and Courovisão is now a permanent feature of the local leather and shoe sector promotion calendar. In the final press conference, Júlio Seidl, president of Fenac S/A, acknowledged that Courovisão could not have taken place without the joint effort of all the trade associations that represent the various sectors of the leather and footwear production chain.
The 4th edition of Courovisão has been scheduled for October 15-17 2003. As usual it will be held at the Fenac exhibition grounds in Novo Hamburgo.
