Brasil BioDesigns features handcrafts made by the finest Brazilian artisans, whose passion for their work is equaled by their commitment to preserving our environment. Some invent new sustainable techniques, while others preserve traditional ones. But each incorporates the use of natural, reused and recycled materials, (see Eco-Materials & Care page) resulting in the creation of handmade artwork that is unique, attractive and eco-fashionable.

Caroline Pastinato - Wire Dolls
Curitiba, Paraná

Caroline is a playful artisan, whose whimsical artwork blends basic shapes with vibrant colors to create wire dolls full of character and personality. She uses an ancient technique of making theater masks called papietagem, similar to paper-mâché. She chooses to make them from recycled materials such as craft paper and coat hangers.

Besides their intrinsically fun appearance, the wire dolls have an interesting social and anthropological significance. The dolls can be linked together in limitless combinations, forming communities of people, limited only by your imagination. So much fun!


Cida Barros - Skeletonized Leaves
Moji-Mirim, São Paulo

Cida Barros is dedicated to skeletonizing natural leaves and transforming them into delicate flowers. Her artwork has a very exquisite appearance similar to fine lace work. She has developed a technique that reveals the fascinating patterns of the leafs veins.

The process of skeletonizing starts with cooking a batch of leaves at high temperature and individually rinsing them with the utmost care, removing the chlorophyll, leaving only the veins and stem. Each leaf is sealed and then beautifully rendered into strands of flowers by a group of
craftspeople in her community.

She lives and works on her farm, teaching her skeletonizing technique to a local group of craftspeople from her community. These skills have improved their quality of life by creating jobs and keeping families together. This community also works together on the reforestation of trees. They plant mango, avocado and guava trees, which help to sustain the viability of the farm and the local ecosystem.

Harue Torres - Reused Materials/Metal work
Bragança Paulista, São Paulo

Cans of olive oil, tomatoes and sardines are all transformed into creative home decor by the artist Harue Torres. During a course at the Museum of Modern Art in São Paulo, she fell in love with recycled metals.

Harue has spent eight years developing her technique of transforming metal, once  discarded as kitchen garbage, into playful and enjoyable figurines such as animals and small characters. The aesthetic quality of Harue's work is inspired by nature and scenes from her daily life.

Maria dos Prazeres - Alternative Fibers
Recife, Pernambuco

Maria is an architect by trade and has also studied art history. Excited by Brazilian popular art, she felt inspired to take a weaving course to learn this fascinating technique. She then began searching for good craftspeople to assist her in starting her own business.

When she discovered local weavers - simple people - from Northeastern Brazil, she observed their use of alternative natural fibers in their work. Maria then began her long journey of searching for natural materials and techniques to incorporate into her designs.

In 2003, Maria dos Prazeres opened her studio focusing primarily on interior design, influenced by her academic background and Brazilian culture. She now finds great freedom artistically and has a full line of fabrics and fibers, scarves, clutches, handbags and other objects for personal use.


Marilia Guimaraes - Fabric Art
Campinas, São Paulo

Originally from Recife, Marilia graduated in Fabric Arts. Her homeland remains a constant source of inspiration for Marilia's designs, that range from bedsheets for babies and adults, to tablecloths, aprons, skirts, shirts, calendars, curtains and cushions.

Besides the influence of northeastern art, Marilia's work also shows elements of indigenous art, rock art and of primitive people around the world. Marilia uses 100% natural fibers to give softness and smoothness to all of her pieces.

Suzana Rodrigues - Bio-Jewelry
Brasilia, Distrito Federal

Suzana started her successful carer six years ago working from home with her own investment. Today, she has her own store in Brasilia and her bio-jewelry is on sale in the New York Museum of Modern Art catalog.

Suzana's talent, attention to trends in fashion and her innovative techniques, result in designs that are elegant, refined and are made with excellent workmanship.

She works exclusively with Brazilian seeds, nuts and fibers, employing immunizing techniques appropriate to the treatment of seeds, that is all natural and sustainable. Her trademark as an artist has as much to do with her approach to the raw material as it does with her eco-fashioable designs.

Terezinha da Silva - Labyrinth Lace
Riacho do Bacamarte, Paraíba

Terezinha was born in the small town of Paraiba, Brazil. Growing up, she learned the secrets of making "labyrinth lace" while still a young girl. The labyrinth is a technique of lace work that uses needles to cut into the fabric in precise patterns and designs. The unraveled areas are removed by hand and patiently re-sewn, using the same thread to draw beautiful and precious designs used in creating bedding, tablecloths and runners.

Producing this lace work is extremely time-consuming and intensive work. Her passion for this tradition and her commitment to this association of women artisans is what helps to keep the labyrinth lace technique alive.

In the mid-nineteenth century, labyrinth lace was used to barter and trade for other goods and services at the village fairs, providing many families a means of survival. Today, labyrinth lace has provided more than a source of income, it has perpetuated this historical technique as cultural heritage.

What Is Eco-Fashion?

Eco-fashion is built on the idea that looks do matter but, by reducing your impact on the Earth, you look and feel that much better.

The non-profit Sustainable Technology Education Project (STEP) defines eco-fashion as "clothes that take into account the environment, the health of consumers and the working conditions of people in the fashion industry."

The term "Eco-Fashion" was introduced at New York City's Fashion Week in February 2005 but, the use of recycled and organic materials by fashion designers has been around for years.

Now, the acceptance and demand for sustainable fashions by the consumer has made this segment of the industry one of the hottest areas in fashion today.

All Handmade & Unique

Keep in mind that the pieces we are selling here are 100% handmade and may have slight variations. The beauty that comes from natural differences in shape, size and appearance are desirable aspects of purchasing handmade natural products and do not constitute as defects.

We cannot guarantee we will have the same selections in our next collection. So please, order now if you see something you want. For special orders please send us a request by email.

We are confident that you will feel good about owning sustainable, handmade products from Brasil BioDesigns.