VIDA BR

What VIDA BR does

VIDA BR is a Brazilian sustainable apparel brand founded in 2014 by publicist Rafael Studart in Fortaleza, Ceará, following the viral 2012 "Vida na Seca" drought relief campaign that aided residents of Milhã, Ceará. The company designs and sells T-shirts and accessories manufactured primarily from recycled PET bottles (97% PET, 3% elastane) and, in its premium line, from 100% coffee ground fabric. Its core technological differentiator is a proprietary photosensitivity ink technology inspired by photosynthesis, which causes color-reveal effects on garments under sunlight exposure, complemented by glow-in-dark capabilities on black T-shirts and seed paper product tags that grow into plants when planted.

VIDA BR operates a distinctive multi-stakeholder social impact model: production occurs partly in the Itaitinga prison facility under a resocialization program (where inmates earn wages and receive 3 days of sentence reduction for every 1 day worked); it partners with Projeto Resgate to train recovering drug addicts in seed paper recycling, funding over 300 addiction treatments through related sales; and it employs women in vulnerable situations. The company is accelerated by Corlde Ventures in partnership with Universidade Federal do Ceará (UFC), where it maintains an R&D laboratory for ink and effect development.

The business model is primarily direct-to-consumer e-commerce through vidabr.com.br, supplemented by three physical retail partner locations in Fortaleza and Jericoacoara and a WhatsApp sales channel. Pricing spans mass-market basic T-shirts at R$98.97 to premium Botânico coffee ground fabric products at R$1,394.70, with installment payment options up to 12x. The brand has won multiple awards, including the 2024 Yunus/Somos Um Brazilian Social Business Award and the 2021 Troféu Empreender do Ano for socio-environmental impact, and maintains approximately 1.57M combined followers across Facebook (900K), Instagram (650K), and TikTok (20K).

Name

VIDA BR

Legal name

VIDA BR

Website

https://vidabr.com.br

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

VIDA BR is a Brazilian sustainable apparel brand founded in 2014 that produces T-shirts from recycled PET bottles and coffee ground fabric, featuring proprietary photosensitivity ink technology and a multi-stakeholder social impact model integrated with prison resocialization and addiction recovery programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sustainable Apparel

NAICS

Apparel Manufacturing (315)

SIC

Apparel & Other Finishd Prods Of Fabrics & Similar Matl (2300)

akta.pro primary industry

Apparel Alterations, Repair & Circular Manufacturing (Remake/Upcycle) (CRAAAAAO)

akta.pro secondary industry

Vegan/Alternative Material Goods Manufacturing (PU/Plant-based/Mycelium) (IMAOAHAH)

Keywords

• Sustainable t-shirts
• Recycled PET apparel
• Eco-friendly clothing
• Sustainable fashion
• Social impact apparel

Headquarters

HQ city

Fortaleza

HQ country

Brazil

HQ region

Latin America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Sustainable Apparel Sales: Direct sales of sustainable T-shirts and uniforms made from recycled PET bottles and coffee ground fabrics. Products sold through e-commerce website, physical retail partners, and WhatsApp. Includes both standard PET-based T-shirts and premium coffee ground fabric products.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

VIDA BR manufactures and sells sustainable T-shirts made from recycled PET bottles (97% PET, 3% elastane) and 100% coffee ground fabric, featuring proprietary photosensitivity ink technology that reveals colors under sunlight and glow-in-dark effects on black shirts. The company produces its apparel through social impact programs including Itaitinga prison manufacturing and Projeto Resgate drug rehabilitation partnerships, and sells directly to Brazilian consumers via e-commerce, three physical retail partner locations in Ceará, WhatsApp, and Correios shipping.

Product overview

VIDA BR is a Brazilian sustainable uniform and merchandise brand offering T-shirts and accessories with innovative textile technologies. The product portfolio centers on three main T-shirt lines: T-Shirt Efeito Luz Solar (sunlight-reactive designs that reveal colors under sun exposure), T-Shirt Efeito Escuro (black T-shirts with glow-in-dark technology), and T-shirts Básicas (basic sustainable options). The collection features diverse themed designs including Arara, Beija Flor, Pulmão, Árvore, Lâmpada, Amanônia, Relaxe, and Sustentabilidade, all made from recycled PET fabric (97% PET, 3% elastane). A premium offering includes the Botânico/Borra de Café line made from 100% coffee grounds. All products feature seed paper tags that can grow plants when planted. Production supports social causes including prison work programs and drug rehabilitation projects. The company also offers Tintas Fotossíntese (photosynthesis ink technology) and sustainable accessories like eco bags.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• T-Shirt Efeito Luz Solar (Sunlight Effect T-shirt line) White T-shirts featuring proprietary photosensitivity ink technology inspired by photosynthesis that reveals colors when exposed to sunlight (most visible between 10am-3pm under clear sky). Made from 97% recycled PET bottles and 3% elastane with seed paper tags that grow into plants when planted. Priced at R$198.00 à vista or 12x R$16.50 with interest. Targeted at environmentally conscious consumers seeking unique, conversation-starting sustainable apparel.
• T-Shirt Efeito Escuro (Glow-in-Dark T-shirt line) Black T-shirts with glow-in-the-dark technology that illuminates in low-light conditions. Made from 97% recycled PET bottles and 3% elastane. Priced at R$237.00 à vista. Includes seed paper tags. Targeted at consumers seeking dark-themed apparel with reactive visual impact.
• T-shirts Básicas (Basic sustainable T-shirts) Entry-level affordable sustainable T-shirts made from recycled PET fabric, available in white (T-Shirt Básica Branca at R$98.97) and black (T-shirt Preta Básica) variants. Includes seed paper tags. Targeted at price-sensitive consumers seeking accessible sustainable apparel.
• Botânico / Borra de Café (Premium Coffee Ground Fabric T-shirt) Premium T-shirt made from 100% coffee ground waste material with special photosynthesis-inspired sunlight effect. Lightweight, durable fabric with natural antibacterial properties. Features seed paper tag. Priced at R$1,394.70 à vista or 12x R$116.23 with interest. 50% of the value is donated to a social or environmental project of the customer's choice. Targeted at premium sustainable apparel buyers seeking maximum social/environmental impact.
• Tintas Fotossíntese (Photosynthesis Ink Technology Line) VIDA BR's proprietary photosynthesis-inspired ink technology applied across the T-shirt product portfolio to create color-revealing effects under sunlight. Developed in collaboration with Corlde Ventures accelerator and Universidade Federal do Ceará.
• Eco Bag (Sustainable accessory) Sustainable shopping bag featured as part of VIDA BR's accessory line, complementing the brand's circular-economy and environmental sustainability positioning.

Quantifiable outcome

• 300+ drug addiction treatments funded through seed paper sales
• +1 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Corlde VenturescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024VIDA BR is a startup accelerated by Corlde Ventures, the largest innovation hub in the Northeast region of Brazil, in partnership with Universidade Federal do Ceará (UFC). The company operates a laboratory for developing inks and special effects in collaboration with this accelerator.
• Ellabore Collab StoreminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPhysical retail partner location in Fortaleza's Aldeota neighborhood, displaying and selling VIDA BR products in-store.
• Iguatemi BosqueminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRetail location at Iguatemi shopping center in Edson Queiroz, Fortaleza, serving as a point of sale for VIDA BR products.
• Jeri ArteminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRetail partner in Jericoacoara beach destination, offering VIDA BR products to tourists and local residents.
• Projeto ResgatecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVIDABR trained and partnered with Projeto Resgate, an organization dedicated to recovering drug addicts, to recycle paper and transform it into seed paper. The sale of this seed paper has funded the treatment of over 300 people.
• Prison System of Itaitinga (Ceará)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of VIDA BR's production occurs in the Itaitinga prison. Inmates receive salary and have 1 day of their sentence reduced for every 3 days worked. This resocialization program provides professional skills and confidence while contributing to society.
• Universidade Federal do Ceará (UFC)coreTechnology or IntegrationAcademic partner through Corlde Ventures acceleration program, collaborating on research and development of innovative sustainable textile technologies.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Patagonia: Global leader in sustainable outdoor apparel using recycled materials and environmental activism; comparable to VIDA BR's recycled-fabric and cause-driven model but at vastly larger scale across multiple categories.
• Malwee: Established Brazilian apparel manufacturer with growing sustainable collections; comparable to VIDA BR as a Brazilian apparel producer with sustainability initiatives but at much larger scale and broader product range.
• Reformation: Sustainable fashion brand focused on recycled and lower-impact materials with strong sustainability storytelling; comparable to VIDA BR's positioning around circular materials and impact-driven branding.
• Allbirds: Public DTC sustainable apparel and footwear brand built on innovative natural materials (wool, eucalyptus, sugarcane); comparable to VIDA BR in DTC model and material innovation but with a global footprint.

Emerging players

• Pact: Sustainable basics apparel brand using organic cotton and recycled materials; comparable to VIDA BR's basic sustainable t-shirt line and DTC-first go-to-market motion.
• Cariuma: Brazilian-born sustainable sneaker brand using natural and recycled materials with DTC focus; comparable to VIDA BR in being a Brazil-rooted sustainable apparel brand using recycled materials and digital-first marketing.
• Nisolo: Sustainable accessories and footwear brand emphasizing ethical production and transparency; comparable to VIDA BR in combining social-impact narrative with sustainable material production and DTC channels.

Direct peers

• Osklen: Brazilian premium fashion brand founded on sustainable materials and Amazon-inspired identity; directly comparable to VIDA BR's Brazilian heritage, sustainable materials positioning, and themed design collections.
• Insecta Shoes: Brazilian sustainable footwear and accessories brand using upcycled and vegan materials, comparable to VIDA BR as a fellow Brazilian sustainability-first apparel/accessories brand with strong storytelling and DTC presence.
• VEJA: French-Brazilian sustainable sneaker brand that uses recycled and fairly-traded materials; comparable to VIDA BR in combining South American sustainability narrative, recycled inputs, and cause-based branding.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/vida.br
• Xx.com/vidabroficial
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/vidabr

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about VIDA BR