While Carnaval (aka Carnival in English) is celebrated globally, arguably no one does it better than the city of Rio de Janeiro. The four-day celebration is considered an official holiday — more than seven million revelers gather in the city streets to enjoy music, dancing, show-stopping costumes and elaborate parade floats. Some Brazilians even tease that the year doesn’t officially start until Carnaval does.
Beyond the brilliant visuals (and vibe), there’s a deeper meaning behind the global celebration. Traditionally, Carnaval is held annually the week leading up to Lent—a period of abstinence from life’s indulgences, for example, meat or alcohol. Think of it, as the last “hurrah” before the quiet, religious season that spans 40 days until Easter Sunday.
Over time, the meaning of Carnaval has transitioned from a Catholic-centric holiday to a highly anticipated global event that brings awareness to both historical and environmental issues via creative costumes, music, food, and more.
This year, Carnaval has a whole new meaning for us here at Sol de Janeiro. After eight years and millions of products sold across more than twenty countries, it was time to update our look with a new logo and packaging designs. But with that came a tricky problem: What to do with all the packaging that had the old logo on it. Well, recycle it, of course!
So, we took the brand that was born in Brazil to be reborn there—specifically at Carnaval! Our old packaging was recycled in the US and then turned into musical instruments of Mangueira, the most traditional samba school in Brazil. Proving that Sol de Janeiro can go anywhere, but its heart will always beat in one place.
