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16 November Brazilian eco-friendly handicrafts to the world 【They're decorative dolls made of gourd (it's a "waste" of a plant, to say somehow). Number 4 also has "fuxicos", which is the blue cloth thing. It's very typical in inner small communities in Brazil, a kind of technique to make clothes with rests of cloths. The artist is called Odair Ribeiro.】 The company brings together the works of more than 8,000 craftsmen and designers to sell in the US pieces that convey the exuberance of Brazilian culture based on the principles of environmental sustainability The beauty and diversity of handcraft made in Brazil is no longer a privilege of Brazilians. In the United States, a promising company is selling the creations of more than 8,000 craftsmen and designers from all regions of the South American country.Every piece brings along the added value of environmental sustainability and fair trade. The company is called Ecoarts and it is the result of an original strategy that brings together governmental and non-governmental organizations in Brazil to show in New York the richness and complexity of Brazilian culture through innovative decoration products, gifts, accessories, jewelry, personal-use objects and art works. The company’s catalog is wide and gets updated every season. All portfolio items have in common the fact that their materials are recycled, reused or reduced (the three pillars of sustainability). Furthermore, the techniques used in their manufacture have been passed on from generation to generation and great importance is given to the author of each item. In Ecoarts even the simplest objects have a rich cultural background and a story to be told. “Our pieces are made in inner Brazil by communities that depend on their art for survival”, Angela Neves explains. She is co-founder of Ecoarts together with Tânia Machado, director at Centro Cape, an organization in Minas Gerais (a region in the Southeastern part of the country) dedicated to foster entrepreneurship. “We want to point up the real artistic value that these small communities have. Most of the times they are very humble people that have never been out of their villages, but whose creativity is unparalleled and cannot be found in big cities”, Angela states. “Our work aims to help these communities make a living from their handmade products, while respecting their rights, adding value to their art and supporting them to grow”, Tânia says. Established in Portugal in 2003 to serve the European market, Tânia and Angela made a joint effort and Ecoarts landed in the United States in 2007. Today the beautiful pieces made by craftsmen and designers that collaborate with this initiative are found in the most well-known fairs, such as the New York Gift Fair and the Las Vegas Market.They are also distributed throughout the US to more than 70 clients. Sales in 2009 are expected to reach about 1,000 works. “NO!” TO CHILD LABOR – Although they have been a traditional problem in developing countries, child labor and sweatshop conditions are not part at any point of the Ecoarts production chain. From the communities in small villages to the showroom in New York, all the pieces comply with the strictest fair trade standards, which entail paying the artisans what they consider their work is worth. In return, they have to guarantee that no child has been called to work. To make this principle viable, all the products are certified with IQS label, which specifically guarantees the ethic origin of their handmade products and their social and environmental responsibility. Ecoarts is undergoing an equivalent process of certification in the United States and Europe. ECO-FRIENDLY - Taking the green conscience a step farther, Ecoarts supports a permanent process of improvement through the use of environmentally-friendly materials and traditional production techniques. The result of this can be seen in inspiring pieces that find themselves right at the crossroads of handmade production, design and art. There are decoration pieces, art objects, bags, jewelry, accessories, etc. The preferred materials are glass, wood, banana leaves and soap-stone. All items are organic and stylish.  【Bromelia centerpiece and candle holder is an object made of glass by artist Cristina Duarte.】  【Fruteira folha is a fruit bowl made of glass by Cristina Duarte】  【Large wooden tray with anthurium (in metal) is a tray by Americo Tolentino】   【Pedra Sabao Fruteira Pintada is a fruit bowl made of soap-stone, which is a kind of rock very common in the Southeast of Brazil. The artist is Dionizia Gomes.】  【" Pedra Sabao" is a pot made of soap-stone created by artisan Dionizia Gomes. Soap-stone is a kind of rock very abundant in Brazil and it's highly ecological: it can resist from 0º to 1000º, it's long-lasting and keep warmth very easily】  【 Rice bowl, also by Dionizia Gomes, is a bowl made of soap-stone too.】 离开媒体，还保持着部分国外联系。时不时会收到Press Release,客客气气地打个招呼，能帮着转发就倒手一下。 本次故事：负责跟我联系Patu突然去了西班牙，仍抽空回了我的邮件，让在纽约的同事Nilza跟进。Patu上传的网络文件包被祖国屏蔽，无法下载。向Nilza反映了问题，Nilza立马在邮件里一个附件一个附件添加，并详细标注每个文件。 在国内，应该早被放了风筝，还给断了线。 Comments (2)
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