Brazil’s participation in the Salone del Mobile.Milano 2024 (iSaloni), led by the Brazilian Furniture Project, once again placed the national brands and designers alongside the sector’s top references globally, with the Brazilian industry absorbing and setting trends in the global market.
This year, around 30 Brazilian companies and 40 designers took part in the activities promoted by ABIMÓVEL (Brazilian Furniture Manufacturers Association) in partnership with ApexBrasil (Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency) at iSaloni, which took place from April 16-21. The event is considered the most awaited on the world furniture and design calendar.
To give an idea, the 2024 edition reunited a qualified audience of more than 370,800 visitors (20.2% above than last year) from around 200 countries, who visited the Brazilian Furniture Project booths every day in three different pavilions at the event.
In this scenario, Brazilian brands have left their mark as benchmarks in quality, design, and originality, at the forefront of many trends that are taking the world by storm. “By highlighting the integration between industry and design, technology and sustainability, our companies provided not only furniture but the possibility of taking Brazil’s cultural and material richness to the world, reflecting the country’s welcoming spirit,” said Cândida Cervieri, executive director of ABIMÓVEL and manager of the Brazilian Furniture Project.
The project’s participation generated significant commercial partnerships for these companies, totaling more than US$40 million in closed and prospective deals over the next 12 months, also bringing recognition to the country.
The Brazilian Furniture Project was recognized by the organization of the Salone del Mobile.Milano as an outstanding partner, with ABIMÓVEL’s leaders receiving a gift from representatives of the fair symbolizing their joint journey and the promising future of Brazilian furniture in Italy and around the world, bearing the words: “Thank you for being part of our story. Let’s continue writing it together”. Thus reinforcing the successful trajectory that has been written with many hands by the ABIMÓVEL and ApexBrasil teams, companies, designers, the iSaloni organization, and other important partners.
Through initiatives such as the Brazilian Furniture Project, the Brazilian furniture industry and design have in fact increased their participation in the global market, which has had repercussions on national exports in the sector, which rose three consecutive times in the first quarter of this year.
“Taking part in iSaloni gives our manufacturers and designers international visibility, allowing them to stand out on a global stage. This opens doors to international markets, establishing valuable business connections and expanding distribution networks. In addition, the exchange of experiences with professionals from different parts of the world is incredibly enriching,” says Clarissa Franco, manager of the Brazilian Furniture Project at ApexBrasil.
Brazil takes center stage in Milan
It’s worth noting, by the way, that in such a plural and effervescent environment, one of the trends that were undoubtedly observed at Milan Design Week this year, both at iSaloni and FuoriSalone (which also featured exhibitions supported by the Brazilian Furniture Project), was the growing use of natural materials, reflecting a broader movement towards sustainability and authenticity in living spaces. This movement resonates very well with the best that Brazilian industry and design have to offer, exploring the use of wood and other certified materials, including natural fibers, leathers, weaves, and organic fabrics, which not only respect the environment but also bring the texture and essence of nature into homes in an ethical and creative way.
The curvilinear design also re-emerged as a strong trend, with furniture displaying sinuous and smooth shapes, providing both visual and physical comfort, another trend that speaks directly to the Brazilian “rhythm” and the country’s way of thinking about furniture, giving shape, volume, and movement to spaces.
In the field of finishes, many colors, meticulous attention to detail, and the choice of high-quality materials were evident, with collections focusing on craftsmanship and traditional techniques mixed with contemporary design, another characteristic of Brazil’s design.
“We can say that the furniture sector in Brazil has both been incorporating the main global trends, but also has benchmarks when it comes to creative, humanized, intuitive, and sustainable design, responding masterfully to current global demands and making the receptivity of Brazilian furniture abroad increasingly positive,” Cândida observes. The Brazilian furniture industry has been—indeed—raising the bar a lot in recent years, with Brazilian design being recognized for its ability to integrate functionality with an aesthetic that promotes emotional connections, reflecting a practical and intuitive approach, while bringing visual and material quality to spaces.
In addition, the tradition of using natural materials and sustainable techniques, so much in vogue at the moment, is already well established in Brazil, including in the serial industry, which uses technology to recreate surfaces and finishes that replicate natural materials and organic textures.
Remember Brazil’s participation at iSaloni 2024
In 2024, eight Brazilian companies exhibited their collections at exclusive booths at iSaloni. They were:
In addition, the Brazilian Furniture Project also held the “Design + Industry” exhibition, presenting 43 pieces developed by 22 brands in collaboration with around 40 national designers through the program.
Designers signing Brazilian pieces exhibited at iSaloni 2024:
Acioly Felix (DF), André Marcolino (SP), Arthur Guimarães (SP), Brunno Jahara (RJ), Camila Fix (SP), Carol Bassi (SP), Dimitri Lociks (DF), Emerson Borges (PR), Fábio Stal (SP), Fabricio Ronca (PR), Fernanda Marques (SP), Ibanez Razzera (SC), Jader Almeida (SC), Jayme Bernardo (PR), João Demele (PR), Juliana Vasconcellos (SP), Larissa Batista (RS), Leo Romano (GO), Lorenzo Razzera (SP), Marcelo Bilac (DF), Marta Manente (RS), Newtom Lima (SP), Nino Bauti (SP), Patrícia Martinez (SP), Pedro Mendes (SP), Rafael Oliva (SP), Renata Távora (SP), Ricardo Bello Dias (SP), Roberta Rampazzo (SP), Rodrigo Silveira (SP), Ruy Ohtake (SP), Sérgio Batista (RS), Sergio Matos (PB), Studio Alfaia (PE), Studio Ornare (ES), Studio Sette7 (ES), Tiago Curioni (SP), Victor Leite (SP) e Vivian Coser (SP).
The Brazil Lounge also attracted attention as a meeting point at the event, furnished with pieces provided by Uultis and Akra Collection to welcome visitors during the event.
Brazilian Furniture at FuoriSalone
In addition to iSaloni, the Brazilian Furniture Project was also present on the FuoriSalone circuit, supporting and taking part in exclusive events in and around Milan.
One highlight was the “Coccoloba – Brazilian Exhibition”, which brought together the work of 53 Brazilian companies and designers, once again reflecting on innovation, sustainability, and resilience through the metaphor of Coccoloba gigantifolia, a species of tree from the Brazilian Amazon known for its giant leaves.
Ornare also took advantage of Milan Design Week 2024 to open its first flagship store in Europe, marking another significant step in the internationalization of Brazilian furniture with the support of ABIMÓVEL and ApexBrasil. At the same time, ETEL presented the exhibition “Reset Modernity, Reinstituting Nature”, a celebration of the encounter between tradition and innovation through craftsmanship and natural materials, also with the support of the Brazilian Furniture Project.
Brazilian Furniture Project
The Brazilian Furniture Project is an initiative led by ABIMÓVEL (Brazilian Furniture Manufacturers Association) and ApexBrasil (Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency), aimed at increasing the Brazilian furniture industry’s participation in the international market through a set of strategic actions based on the pillars of sustainability, competitiveness, and design integrated into the industry.
To be a part of the project and place your brand in the biggest events in the sector around the world, visit: brazilianfurniture.org.br.
About ABIMÓVEL
ABIMÓVEL (Brazilian Furniture Manufacturers Association) has been working for over three decades to strengthen the national industry and furniture sector. With a purposeful agenda and in partnership with the public and private sectors, the entity works to boost production and improve the business environment in Brazil. Thus, creating opportunities and opening new markets for companies throughout the wood and furniture chain by implementing various initiatives focused on promoting competitiveness and innovation. These include export programs, sustainability, integrated industry design, factory adaptation, enhancement of micro and small businesses, and commercial intelligence, among others.
About ApexBrasil
ApexBrasil (Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency) works to promote Brazilian products and services abroad and attract foreign investments to strategic sectors of the Brazilian economy. In order to achieve its goals, ApexBrasil carries out several trade promotion initiatives aimed at promoting Brazilian products and services abroad, such as prospective and trade missions, business rounds, support to the participation of Brazilian companies in major international fairs, visits of foreign buyers and opinion makers to learn about the Brazilian productive structure, among other business platforms that also aim at strengthening the Brazil brand.
FURNITURE: OUR BUSINESS
Brazilian Furniture Manufacturers Association – ABIMÓVEL
Press Office: press@abimovel.com
