Behind the scenes of our latest sourcing trip in Portugal

Mosey Me prides itself on creating high quality products that are manufactured responsibly. And last month I was fortunate enough to travel to Portugal, with the hopes of furthering our commitment to responsible manufacturing through deepening our relationship with this European textile hub.

While I always knew Portugal as a country with a focus on high-quality craftsmanship, I was keen to see what was happening there from a sustainability and product innovation point of view. As usual, it was a jam-packed agenda of only 4 days, which included a 2-day trade fair and two days visiting factories. I had the opportunity to visit our existing towel supplier and meet some potential new production partners for both bathroom and bedding.

 With 30+ hours of travel to get there and back, it was a whirlwind trip fuelled by not much other than caffeine and adrenaline. But despite the intensity of it all, it was totally worth the effort. I came away feeling energised and inspired by the passion of the people there, and the number of ideas and new techniques that I saw on offer. I walked away with not only much more knowledge about the towel production process, but also with greater into Portugal’s production capabilities and why they do things the way they do.

For example, most factories in Portugal a relatively small, and a lot are family owned and operated. Some have even been around for three or four generations, which means you are dealing with suppliers with a huge wealth of knowledge (that has often been passed down from one generation to another), and who have a personal connection to the business. Many factories also prioritise staying small to focus on detail and execution, plus to not over-stress their workers and their environment. With very strict labour laws, Portugal is a country that ensures its workers are paid and treated fairly.

 On the sustainability front, I was able to see a lot of alternative fabrics including natural fibres such as hemp, and innovative materials such a tufted products made from recycled plastic.

 Overall Portugal is an extremely inspiring country, creating and exporting truly innovative and quality products. As one of the last big European manufacturing hubs, we are keen to support the industry there and explore all the wonderful things that Portugal can create! So watch this space!

Until next time,

Eliza xx