The textile industry in Brazil plays a fundamental role in the national economy. Not by chance, it accounts for 9.7% of industrial manufacturing jobs and contributes 4.4% of the total value of the country’s manufacturing industry.
From raw material production to international fashion shows, Brazil has a productive structure that enables increasingly exponential growth.
Despite the challenges, the Brazilian textile industry continues to reinvent itself, demonstrating its ability to position the country as a global reference for quality and creativity.
Keep reading to learn more!
What is the history of the textile industry in Brazil?
Some historians claim that the beginnings of the textile industry in Brazil date back to the colonial period, around 500 years ago. At that time, however, the sector was heavily influenced by European culture, especially by the Portuguese colonizers.
As a result, Brazil did not yet have its own textile industry, but rather European influences that shaped the early steps of the Brazilian textile sector.
From the 19th century onward, the Brazilian textile industry evolved rapidly thanks to small artisanal factories that produced textiles fabric on manual looms for domestic consumption.
At the beginning of the 20th century, the arrival of mechanization contributed to the emergence of large factories in the Southeast region. During this period, the fashion industry was reshaped locally, becoming better suited to the Brazilian climate, a movement that was further driven by World War I.
However, it was between the 1960s and 1980s that the sector experienced a true boom, driven by machinery modernization, incentives for industrialization, and policies protecting the domestic market.
Large-scale production was boosted, consolidating the textile industry as one of the country’s largest employers and structuring the production chain as we know it today.
Later, with the Industrial Revolution and ongoing innovations, opportunities in the sector multiplied and have continued to grow ever since. Every day, new market trends emerge as a result of production optimization and improved outcomes.
The fact is that today, the textile industry is extremely relevant to the country’s economy, as well as to investments in textile technology.
Current landscape of the textile industry in Brazil
Today, the Brazilian textile industry is the 5th largest in the world, the 2nd largest producer of denim, the 3rd largest in knitwear and woven fabrics, and ranks among the world’s top five cotton producers, according to a survey.
In addition, according to the Brazilian Textile and Apparel Industry Association (Abit), the national textile sector presents significant figures:
- Revenue: R$203.9 billion in 2023;
- Exports: US$956 million in 2023;
- Imports: US$5.8 billion in 2023;
- Investments: R$4.6 billion in 2023;
- Production volume: 2 million tons in 2023;
- Formal workers: 1.30 million formally employed workers in 2024;
- Indirect workers: 8 million in 2024;
- Companies: 25.3 thousand formal production units in 2024.
It is worth highlighting that the main hubs of the textile market are:
- São Paulo;
- Santa Catarina (Itajaí Valley);
- Ceará.
According to data compiled by Fashion Network, these regions accounted for 71% of total production in 2025. Meanwhile, Brazil’s Northeast (Ceará, Paraíba, and Pernambuco), as a whole, has consolidated itself as an important export hub for fast fashion and denim.
Additionally, in 2025, the textile and apparel segment accounted, on average, for 1.2% of Brazil’s industrial GDP and also represents 5.8% of employment in the country’s manufacturing industry.
What are the main sectors of the textile industry in Brazil?
The Brazilian textile market operates across virtually all segments of the industry. After all, Brazil has the largest fully integrated textile chain in the Western world, encompassing:
- Synthetic and natural fiber production: essential raw materials for fabric manufacturing, such as cotton, wool, polyester, and nylon;
- Spinning mills: transform fibers into yarns, which serve as the basis for fabrics and knitwear;
- Weaving mills: responsible for converting yarns into flat fabrics, knits, or special structures;
- Textile processing and finishing plants: apply treatments and processes that enhance the quality, durability, and appearance of fabrics;
- Garment manufacturing: turns fabrics into clothing and finished textile products for consumers;
- Finishing: final stages of washing, dyeing, and adjustments that provide the final touch to products;
- Retail: sales channels that deliver textile products directly to consumers;
- Fashion shows: showcase creations and trends, connecting the industry to culture and the consumer market.
Read also: Weaving Machines: How Automation Optimizes Production
What are the expectations for the textile industry in Brazil?
Brazil has a solid history in the textile sector, and the numbers prove its relevance to the economy, as we have seen.
However, for those looking to improve results in this market, keeping up with new technologies is essential. Applying this knowledge to modern processes and techniques enables faster, safer, and more profitable operations.
Expectations for the sector are therefore closely tied to digital transformation in the textile industry.
Check out some of the key trends shaping the future of the textile segment in Brazil:
1. Industry 4.0 Technology
The use of Industry 4.0 technologies and automation in textile machinery is one of the main drivers of digital transformation in the industry. This is because automating critical tasks allows for:
- Cost reduction and less rework;
- Increased productivity;
- Higher quality in deliveries;
- Reduced dependence on manual intervention.
Therefore, by 2026, the expectation is that companies adopting Industry 4.0 solutions will be ahead of the competition. This includes:
- Factory floor digitalization;
- Smart sensors;
- Big Data;
- Artificial Intelligence;
- Real-time monitoring systems;
- And much more.
These solutions make it possible to track line performance, predict downtime, and make fast, data-driven decisions.
Investment in technology should be seen as a strategic project, not merely a one-time expense.
For companies that are just beginning their digital journey, solutions with embedded intelligence allow them to start textile automation without major leaps in complexity, such as:
- Textile Bobbin Packing Machine: automatic packing system for spinning yarn bobbins, ensuring yarn protection, standardized bales, and the elimination of manual bottlenecks;
- Textile Stenter: integrates impregnation, alignment, drying, and heat-setting processes to deliver consistent and continuous fabric finishing.
Both solutions combine intelligent automation, real-time monitoring, and compliance with safety standards, enabling spinning mills and textile finishing industries to increase productivity, reduce textile waste, and begin their Industry 4.0 journey with locally developed technology and support.
Read also: Textile Stenter: discover the new solution from Delta Máquinas Têxteis
2. Digital printing
Textile digital printing is a technology that has been transforming the textile industry in Brazil by offering:
- Greater agility;
- Mass customization;
- Reduced waste compared to manual or traditional methods.
In addition to speeding up production, this technique significantly reduces resource consumption.
While rotary screen printing consumes between 35 and 60 cc of ink per printed meter, digital printing reduces this amount to just 6 to 9 cc, also saving large volumes of water, according to FuturePrint.
Not surprisingly, the global textile digital printing market is experiencing strong growth, increasing from US$3.13 billion in 2023 to a projected US$5.72 billion over the next five years, according to Mordor Intelligence.
With these advantages, digital printing is consolidating itself as one of the main drivers of innovation, productivity, and sustainability for garment manufacturing and textile finishing companies.
Read also: Digital and conventional printing: main differences
3. Sustainability
Sustainability in the Brazilian textile industry is increasingly becoming a strategic factor, as highlighted, encompassing:
- Waste reduction;
- Water and energy savings;
- Use of renewable energy sources.
Today, Brazil already produces carbon-free fabrics and products, reflecting technological advancement and the sector’s commitment to environmentally responsible practices.
For example, between 2000 and 2024, Brazil’s textile sector increased its production by 18% while reducing direct CO₂ emissions by more than 70%, according to the new data panel from the National Industry Observatory.
These results show that energy efficiency and productivity can go hand in hand, reinforcing that companies investing in sustainable processes are better positioned to compete in both national and international markets.
Get ready for the future of the Brazilian textile industry!
Over the centuries, the textile industry in Brazil has demonstrated its ability to innovate, adapt, and grow from the first artisanal looms to today’s modern production hubs.
With advanced technology, intelligent automation, digital printing, and sustainable practices, the sector is well positioned to face challenges and seize opportunities, delivering greater productivity, quality, and competitiveness.
By 2026, companies that invest in Industry 4.0 solutions will be ahead of the competition, reducing costs, increasing efficiency, and ensuring sustainability across the entire production chain.
To achieve this, partnering with Delta Textile Solutions, a reference in comprehensive solutions for the sector, is a decisive step toward growing efficiently, competitively, and in line with global industry trends.
Get ready now for the future of the industry!
