For the fifth year running, ABIT, the Brazilian Textile and Apparel Industry Association, organised for a number of Brazilian brands to participate at the international trade fair Lyon Mode City, in France, held on September 2-4. The 25 companies all showcased their spring/summer beachwear and lingerie collections for 2007 and an exclusive section was reserved for Brazilian products in the two daily fashion shows which took place at the fair this year.

The Brazilian textile and apparel sector comprises more than 30,000 companies that provide jobs for approximately 1.65 million workers, and the country is the eighth largest textile producer in the world. Brazilian textile exports to France grew 45% between 2002 and 2005 while Brazilian imports of French products increased by 7%. However, these numbers appear to have declined in recent months.