Design, sustainability and territory: an analysis of the Brazilian footwear sector from the perspective of handmade know-how

Abstract

This article discusses design and the footwear universe from a sustainability perspective. From this approach, the study focuses on the handmade and territorial aspects that interpolate contemporary footwear brands. To achieve this, the research collected data on the current marketing context of fifteen handmade companies in the sector. As a discussion, the questions that guide a brand to be considered sustainable were highlighted, and the relationship of this attribution to the quality reference based on manual know-how and local traditions and raw materials. Finally, the conclusions point to the dialogue between design and the concepts of material and immaterial culture, based on the dynamic content of the attribution of value, which goes beyond economic reasons.