PRO Ecuador, a part of the ministry of production, foreign trade, investment, and fisheries, under the Government of Ecuador, has been collaborating with Indian textile manufacturers like Raymond, Blackberry, SS Homme etc., to drive the use of Corozo, also known as Vega Ivory, to promote green clothing and drive sustainable clothing trends in India.
Corozo, a native of the Amazon rainforest in Ecuador, has been harvested naturally and used as a popular material for buttons and embellishments since the 1860s. While it was extensively replaced with plastic in the 1940s, Corozo is again gaining popularity, especially in India.
Ecuador has been one of the largest exporters of Corozo to India and worldwide. As the only exporter of Corozo in the world, Ecuador has been effectively providing and promoting the use of Corozo to textile manufacturers and designers, helping change the narrative and design of global fashion. In the recently concluded Lakme Fashion Week, PRO Ecuador collaborated with a designer label, Ka Sha to showcase the versatility of Corozo, which was very well received.