By Mariana Pajuaba

Why buy products made in Amazonia?

Know the impact of the products you buy.
Rich in biodiversity, the Amazon biome is a region with great economic potential, precisely
because the supply of raw materials in quantity and diversity. This attracts several companies
and investors with the intention of mobilising and multiplying this potential. But do you know
the impact of consuming products from the Amazon? Find out below!

Looking after the environment and the people
The unique natural resources found in the Amazon can be transformed into a variety of
valuable products, from food to pharmaceuticals and cosmetics. However, not all activities can
be carried out, as the functioning of the biome must be preserved. Bringing in unknown
species of flora and fauna can cause a permanent imbalance.
In addition, the extraction and handling of inputs from the forest must be carried out by
communities that are also part of the ecosystem. These are people whose livelihoods are often
based on these products and who know better than anyone how to make good use of them
while maintaining the health and productivity of the species.
Developing sustainable business in the Amazon is a way of promoting the empowerment of
local communities through job creation, which consequently generate more income and
improve quality of life.
From Brazil to the World
Buying what comes from the Amazon also means strengthening the national market and allow
the exportation of our riches all over the world. This improves investment opportunities and
our products valuation.
In 2021, the extraction of Brazil nuts, cumaru and copaiba by indigenous people, quilombolas
and settlers in the region known as “Calha Norte do Rio Amazona” generated around
R$530,000.00 in funds from commercialisation, according to data from “Florestas de Valor”
(Imaflora).
As well as having proven effects to meet the demands of the global cosmetics market,
Amazonian ingredients have unrivalled therapeutic properties and aromas. These are valued
characteristics because they are difficult to find/reproduce elsewhere.
Green science and high performance
Technology plays an essential role when it comes to extracting resources from the Amazon in
an intelligent way. Biotechnology makes it possible to achieve the desired results with the least
amount of resources. This is achieved through bioavailability this is greater absorption of the
active ingredients by the skin.
As green science advances, cosmetics production is searching for non-timber inputs whose
extraction has less impact. Cacay tree is an example of this: the raw material is extracted from
the seed of the fruit and replanting is quicker and simpler than a large tree, for example.
In Brazil, the economy of non-timber forest products is worth more than R$1.5 billion a year,
according to data from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE).

Consuming products from a production chain that is good for the environment is also part of a
greater purpose. Doing good for the planet also means doing good for yourself. After all, our
skin and bodies suffer direct impacts from the environment in which we live.
SOURCES: Imaflora ; Exame.