Perspectivas híbridas entre antropologia e design de sistemas para produtos feitos a partir do tecido da floresta

Abstract

This study presents critical research proposals for products made from forest fabric, a material composed of latex and cotton fabric, which forms industrial goods, such as bags and shoes. Also known as Amazonian rubber, the material consists of a social technology developed by Indians, rubber tappers, riverside dwellers and quilombolas. The inclusion of forest tissue in the global value chain has intensified since the mid-1990s, whether as a raw material for European products or as an industrialized material in Brazil. In this work, which is under development, we seek to study some products made from the social technology of the forest fabric. To do so, it has as its starting point the manual and informal work in the Amazon until international commercialization. The central objective is to deepen the understanding of the technological, social, environmental, creative, political and economic perspectives for such products. Among the specific objectives, it seeks to study the dynamics and work organization of social actors in the handicraft production of forest fabric. Most of the scientific literature related to the study of the fabric of the forest is focused on the performance of this social technology, on the extractive rubber market, and on social studies about rubber tappers and Indians. Thus, a critical investigation into the sustainability of the production network and the value of products made from this material is opportune. The methodology is mainly based on two case studies of French accessories, a luxury bag by Hermès and a casual shoe by Veja, highlighting their hybrid relationships between north-south, global-local, tradition-modernity pairs. The theoretical framework of this work combines diverse perspectives in anthropology, international relations, system design and the global value chain. The theoretical importance of this study lies in its interdisciplinary contribution to reflections on sustainable development in the Amazon, also seeking to generate practical results.