PORTUGUESE PRECISION & CULTURAL HIGHLIGHTS

Portugal has a world-wide reputation as a centre of excellence for the manufacturing of technical clothing, in particular performance sportswear. Many large and well known brands have also selected Portuguese production partners for their innovative engineering and technical craft. Sadly many of these large brands have since trended much further East to source cheaper production, as they have to answer to investors and shareholders. For us the Portuguese remain the perfect partners and the masters of precision clothing. 

Since 2019 we've enjoyed the chance to visit Porto as the staging point to visiting our manufacturing partners in Northern Portugal. We like to visit as often as we sensibly can.

Also known as Oporto, it's one of Europe's oldest centres. It sits on the Douro river estuary and it's where Port is named after. It’s an atmospheric, historic city with great cultural heritage. It’s also a place where the British have long-standing and close ties with. Many of the biggest Port houses today, were originally British families who established their warehouses in Porto, for ageing the fortified wines from the Douro valley. Britain was at war with France at the time and the oenophiles back home needed a new supplier of their favourite beverage. 

Clérigos Church

A Baroque church in the city, built in 1732 . The church was built for the Brotherhood of the Clérigos (Clergy) by Nicolau Nasoni, an Italian architect - Wikipedia

FOOD by José Avillez

There's a lot of good food on the Atlantic coast and José Avillez is Portugal's most-celebrated chef, with multiple michelin accolades. 

We've enjoyed his relaxed and very accessible - Cantinho do Avillez - located on Rua de Mouzinho da Silveira, in the old town of Porto. 

BARCELOS 

About 40mins drive North of Porto is the city of Barcelos. All of our production is now expertly attended to by two partners who're based in the vicinity. 

Every time we visit, we are updated on the most responsible steps that the factory are taking to ensure their methods are as environmentally-minded as possible.

Pictured here is the recycled water that was used during the dyeing process. It is now safe to drink! Anyone?

We will not evaneglise about how green and faultless we are yet, but we will ensure that we take responsibility for asking the right questions and making absolutely certain that we're satisfied with the answers.

Although state-of-the art facilities engineer some of our precise and considered pieces, a lot of the process is still done by hand.

We make fine sportswear, using advanced European materials and produced using Portuguese precision.