Chic Eco Friendly Designs

When my extremely fashionable & lovely Brazilian friend, Lili wrote to tell me she was excited about a new Eco friendly fashion project she had began working with...I was intrigued. However, my intrigue quickly turned into adoration, admiration & a good old case of the "gimme gimmes"
when I actually saw Pretinha Designs.



Pretinha Designs have been featured in many publications including the "Stars HOT List" of Seventeen Magazine. You may also have seen them recently on the "Today Show" - Hot Celebrity Fashion spot by Steven Cojocaru.
What began in an arts & crafts fair on the streets of Rio de Janeiro
is now making it's way into Hollywood & the celebrity circuit.

It's hard to imagine that each of these beautiful pieces are hand crafted by
Soda Pop Tops. Yes, Soda Pop Tops.

Pretinha Design is the brainchild of Neide Ambrosio Martins de Souza. (shown here with her husband..who also created the Flag you see in the background)
Neide chose to use soda pop tops for her recycled designs because of the large consumption of canned drinks along the beaches of Brazil. She began by going down the streets and along the beach collecting sodapop can tops. Before long, she found herself not only dedicated to the design of recycled products (mixed with the art of crochet) but also unable to keep up with the demand of her newly found hobby. Only a few months later??
Neide went from selling her products at Copacabana beach to exporting!

And, as the demand for products continued to increase, she became able to offer employment to dozens of young girls from shantytowns who, in her words " used to spend their time surrounded by bad company... "
Adamantly dedicated to the idea of uplifting those in her Rio de Janeiro community as well as encouraging others to help the environment by using recycled items; Neide is a true

inspiration.

Darryl Hannah seen here with a Silver Pretinha Shoulder Bag Design...


To learn more about Pretinha Designs & where to purchase :
http://www.pretinhaarteslacres.com/

And the Crush Goes On....


xo

Parachute Girl