The program will introduce the Brazilian production chain, including a visit to a quarry, an immersion in industrial processing, and participation in Cachoeiro Stone Fair, fostering closer ties between architecture, design, and the industry.
Two professionals specializing in high-end projects in China and the United States will take part in an immersion program within the Brazilian natural stone production chain from August 23 to 27. The program will cover several stages of the production chain, from stone extraction to industrial processing and the showcase of the latest innovations of the sector at Cachoeiro Stone Fair, providing a comprehensive view of the process that transforms Brazilian natural stone into one of the most highly valued materials in contemporary architecture.
The initiative is promoted by the sectoral project It’s Natural – Brazilian Natural Stone, developed by the Brazilian Natural Stone Association (Centrorochas) in partnership with the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (ApexBrasil). It is part of a strategy to establish closer connections between the Brazilian industry and professionals who influence material selection in strategic markets.
Although they operate in different contexts, Chinese architect Peng Xiao and American interior designer Sarah Wilson share some traits. Both develop projects where material selection is crucial for the project’s identity and user experience and work in markets that are priorities for the Brazilian natural stone industry: the United States, the main destination of Brazilian stone exports, and China, Brazil’s second-largest market.
“Brazil features the greatest geological diversity in the world and over 1,200 cataloged commercial varieties, a diversity that cannot be fully grasped by merely looking at catalogs or samples. This on-site experience will allow the guests to expand their knowledge of Brazilian natural stones and their potential uses,” says Thiago Fukuda, the manager of the project It’s Natural.
High-end projects and training of new designers in China
Peng Xiao has nearly three decades of experience in interior architecture. The founder and chief designer of Fuzhou ARUNF Design Engineering Co., Ltd. also works as a lead designer for firms headquartered in Shanghai and Singapore. His portfolio encompasses projects in hospitality, tourism, public infrastructure, and high-end properties. Besides his professional practice, he holds leadership positions at the Institute of Interior Design of the Architectural Society of China and works as a professor and mentor at universities across the country, balancing his professional practice with research and the training of new architects and designers.
From concept to delivery of high-end residential projects in the United States
Based in Washington, D.C., Sarah Wilson has been collaborating with builders and contractors on high-end residential projects for 15 years, working in every stage from design decisions to the selection of finishes, furnishings, and decorative elements. Her participation in this program stems from a prize draw held during Brazil Stone Experience, an event held by the sectoral project at the official Brazilian residence in the U.S. capital in May 2026.
About It’s Natural – Brazilian Natural Stone
It’s Natural – Brazilian Natural Stone is an export promotion program developed by the Brazilian Natural Stone Association (Centrorochas) in partnership with the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (ApexBrasil). The program aims to encourage and increase exports of Brazilian natural stones, through a set of strategic internationalization actions with initiatives geared towards promotion, strengthening of the image and development of the industry in the global market. Companies interested in being part of the project must visit https://podio.com/webforms/26378838/1995038 to register for free.
About Centrorochas
The Brazilian Natural Stone Association is active in all national demands to increase the competitiveness of the natural stone industry. The organization acts directly by providing support in the procedures related to the presence of Brazilian entrepreneurs abroad, along with commercial and operational activities for the development and evolution of Brazilian companies.
About ApexBrasil
The Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (ApexBrasil) works to promote Brazilian products and services abroad and to attract foreign investment to strategic sectors of the Brazilian economy. To achieve these objectives, the Agency carries out several trade promotion activities aimed at promoting exports and valuing Brazilian products and services abroad. They include prospective and trade missions, rounds of negotiations, support for the participation of Brazilian companies in major international fairs, and visits of foreign buyers and opinion formers to learn about the Brazilian production structure, among other business platforms that also aim to strengthen the Brazil brand. The Agency also works in coordination with public and private actors to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) to Brazil, focusing on strategic sectors, aiming at the development of competitiveness of Brazilian companies and of the country.
