SAN FRANCISCO & RIO DE JANEIRO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Social enterprise, Escama Studio, will promote ‘Global Economic Development through Sustainable Fashion’ on an international stage next week through their sponsorship of the annual Social Enterprise World Forum (SEWF2012) to be held in Rio de Janeiro from October 16 – 18. Held for the first time in Latin America, Escama Studio has joined global leaders in the corporate sector such as Coca Cola, IBM, 3M, PwC, UBS bank, in addition to other influential public and private organizations, to address critical social problems through social enterprise and impact investing. In addition to larger institutions, the San Francisco and Brazil based design collective, Escama Studio, is one of many smaller global social enterprises and entrepreneurs participating in SEWF2012.
SEWF2012 is a three day event organized by the San Francisco-based non-profit, NESsT. Celebrating fifteen years as a pioneer and leader in solving critical social problems in emerging markets through impact investing and long term capacity building, they have trained 3,800 organizations in 48 countries and invested over 8 million dollars worldwide in its 15 year career. They bring expertise, innovative agenda and strong group of enterprise pioneers and investors from over 30 countries to gather in Rio to discuss global initiatives to create a capital market to support social enterprises. With an emphasis on impact investing, forum delegates will explore innovative business models and investment strategies, management skill building, leadership development in youth, and new design solutions through various sessions and workshops.
Escama Studio is an award-winning manufacturer of fashion accessories that has created economic growth and development among impoverished communities in Brazil’s capital, Brasília. The on-trend social enterprise is a natural fit to sponsor the Social Enterprise World Forum which will bring together international impact investors (who seek a financial return along with positive social and environmental impact) with investable entrepreneurs (who can make it happen with a triple bottom line).
Escama Studio adapted a smaller Brazilian artisan trend that took recycled post-consumer aluminum pull tabs and turned it into a line of metallic fashion accessories now popular in 23 countries worldwide. Since 2004 their sustainable business model has provided a fair living wage to over 100 artisan families while their products are carried in design shops including MoMA, the Royal Academy of Art London, and Japan’s Takashimaya. The company was awarded "Best Green Handbag" from the 2010 Independent Handbag Designer Award (IHDA) and was featured in numerous fashion magazines including InStyle and Oprah.
SEWF2012 is the first collaboration between NESsT and Escama Studio and the two will continue to explore broader initiatives globally in the near future.