From costumes to parades, Brazil’s Carnival is now “made in China”

From the colorful umbrellas used in frevo dances to the parades in São Paulo’s sambadrome, China seems to be creeping into every aspect of Brazil’s Carnival. What started as a result of the deep strengthening of the trade relationship between the two countries now finds a more prominent place in one of the most traditional parties in Brazilian culture.

A report by website DialogoChino shows that Brazil began to import party supplies from China in the 1990s, making it the most common source of the country’s Carnival costumes and decorations. Chinese products proved to be more competitive than the locals, as production costs are notoriously cheaper in China. It was only a matter of time before Chinese masks, wigs, and costumes took over Brazilian streets.

Official Brazilian foreign trade data shows that in 1997, Brazil imported USD 1.71 million worth of party goods from China. In 2019, imports leapfrogged to USD 10.14 million. While it is an impressive...