In a year of recovery, the beachwear sector expects growth of just 1%

Although summer is one of the most important periods for the beachwear industry, the expectation for this season is not an economic recovery.

With inflation making the main raw materials more expensive and the forecast of a rainier summer, the Brazilian Textile and Apparel Industry Association (Abit) estimates a growth of only 1% in profit compared to the summer 2020/2021, moving around R$ 11 billion in the season, which for manufacturers began in September 2021 and runs until March this year.

In 2020, the year the pandemic began, the sector registered a drop of 6% compared to 2019. In 2021, part of the revenue was recovered, mainly in the last quarter of the year.

With open beaches and flexibility measures across the country, Abit expects to get closer to the pre-pandemic level in 2022.

“Given this Covid period, it’s not necessarily a bad result. But it’s not very good either, it’s modest. After two years, the nominal revenue is almost at the same level. It’s reasonable”, evaluated Fernando Pimentel, president of the entity.

Market concerns, in addition to Covid-19’s new advance across the country, are focused on the price of raw materials and climate issues. Inflation made key products in the sector, such as polyester, spandex, dyes and cotton, more expensive. The temperature and rainy days, on the other hand, can influence consumer behavior, who will think twice before investing in bikinis, swim trunks, sarongs or other similar items.

“Only cotton, which is one of the main ones, increased by 50%, this is passed on to the final price, it ends up becoming more expensive. Another point is, if you have a rainy summer or with lower temperatures than expected, those who are going to buy it end up being unmotivated. If you have sun, heat, people are already thinking about buying at least one piece”, said Pimentel.

According to Climatempo forecasts, the summer in 2022 will have a milder heat than usual due to the La Niña phenomenon. The platform highlights that the sequence of hot days will be frequently interrupted by the passage of cold fronts and the entry of cold air of polar origin.

“La Niña will have negative impacts on rainfall in the South, Southeast and Midwest regions of Brazil, reducing the amount of rain during the season. The North and Northeast regions will benefit the most from La Niña, as the phenomenon increases the rain in these regions”, indicates Climatempo.

*under the supervision of Pauline Almeida