Counting Sheep

AS BRANDS GO, YOU CAN’T GET MUCH MORE AUTHENTIC PORTUGUESE THAN ECOLÃ, A COMPANY THAT WAS STARTED IN 1925 AND HAS CONTINUED AS A FAMILY TRADITION THROUGH THREE GENERATIONS. MUCH MORE THAN A FABRIC FACTORY, IT CARRIES A LEGACY AS THE OLDEST FAMILYCERTIFIED ARTISANAL PRODUCTION UNIT OF PORTUGUESE ORIGIN. THAT GIVES IT SOME PRETTY SOLID ROOTS

Words: SALLY DIXON

THE HEART of Ecolã lies in a fourlegged animal – white, brown and beige in colour, found in the Serra da Estrela and renowned for having a particularly cosy appeal.

The Bordaleira sheep that frequent the highest mountain range in mainland Portugal provide the raw material for Ecolã’s portfolio of products that draw on ancestral tradition and promote a natural, sustainable lifestyle. In case you’re wondering, each sheep yields around three to four kilograms of fine wool in the spring, come shearing time (giving them a fresh new haircut with which to face the intense summer heat).

Ecolã means ecological wool, paying homage to their 100% product and respect for the natural elements that surround the factory based in the mountainous village of Manteigas.

From shepherds to chic

The first and second generations of the family ran the company under the family name and focused solely on making clothes using traditional Burel.

“What’s Burel?”, I hear you ask. Burel is a highly resistant, high strength, waterproof fabric that involves 100% sheep’s wool going through a specific sequence of processes to give it these supercharged properties.

It’s wool but not as you know it. Burel is the favoured

Breathtaking views and wonderful comfort in attire of shepherds and monks due to its hard-wearing properties. Synonymous with the Serra da Estrela Mountain range, Burel is also commonly used in interior design projects.

In the early years, Ecolã focused on three types of products – traditional blankets/throws, clothes for shepherds, and the Burel fabric.

Then along comes the third generation, and the decision to launch a collection for urban clients based on the success of the ethnographic production of shepherds clothing in 1995, innovation being the key to the brand’s growth.

Staying true to their roots and 100% wool origins, sales expanded from the domestic arena to exploring new ground in international markets. A move which paid off, given that Japan and Germany are now their biggest markets, with pure wool gaining something of a luxury status across the globe, as sustainability became the new buzzword.

Accessories soon followed, with demand from customers around the world, and hats, slippers, bags, and scarves joined the Ecolã range in their three stores in Lisbon, Porto, and Manteigas.

Sharing as well as caring

The late nineties were big for Ecolã in that they also expanded into hospitality, opening their first guest house. Today they have two guest houses, Casa de São Marcos Alojamento and Alojamento Santa Clara, and a hotel, Hotel da Fábrica, all located in Mantegias. Guided tours of the factory enable visitors to see first-hand the wooden looms from the first generation of wool production and understand the different techniques of weaving.

Post-tour, you can immerse yourself in the world of Ecolã with a stay at Hotel da Fábrica, where you’ll find Burel Tartan on the headboard and lamps of your hotel room and remnants of traditional production processes as interior features. Louis Vuitton featured Ecolã in their respected 2020 travel guides; say no more.

Future plans to open an e-shop might just see an exciting new launch this month. Look out online for their bestsellers, the Hood Coat and Vest, both made using the Burel fabric. You could just be saving the planet one piece of natural, renewable, biodegradable clothing at a time.

As Ecolã wisely say, “Buy better, keep forever.” You’ll be keeping the sheep happy come summertime, that’s for sure.

ECOLÃ’S GUIDED TOURS

Monday to Friday: 9:00-11:30 or 14:00-16:30

Saturday and Sunday: booking in advance

Duration: 45 minutes

Available in Portuguese, English and Spanish. French and Italian by request. Private parking available.

This page: Great fish and chips at Roosters, complete with mushy peas. Opposite page: You’ll find fresh crab at many eateries