Design Philosophy
The Master Craftsmen.
An object made with love and dedication stands out from any other. The art and knowledge of wool, honed over generations, are felt in the details, the design, the quality of the materials, and the production time.
Burel Factory is a brand made from its own history. From the time it takes to tell it, to weave it, and to transform it into a project where art is seen in the hands and felt in the heart. A genuine, authentic, and personal art, carrying a little bit of each person who makes it. From the artisans who made themselves from the endless mountains of Serra da Estrela.
It is these artisans, these masters of the looms, who have mastered the know-how of wool crafts rooted in those lands, and have created a legacy that we now promote and value through an innovative and sustainable approach, without allowing the beauty and simplicity of traditional processes to succumb to the rush of time.
The Essence of the Serra da Estrela.
Our main source of inspiration comes from the Serra. In the colors that embrace the different seasons, in the silhouettes that stand out against horizons impossible to define, in the organic forms that enhance the landscape, and in the simplicity of the sheep's wool that has shaped it for countless years. It is from the magnificent people of that land that we draw the knowledge passed down from parents to children, to consecrate something meaningful that merges with history, without affecting the stage where it happens – our ‘magic mountain’.
We elevate wool to art, burel to culture, and the Serra da Estrela to destination.
The Industrial Legacy
The industrial heritage of the woolen mills of Serra da Estrela follows a thread of history spanning centuries. The region is the epicenter of the manufacture, industry, and knowledge of wool that was woven there. A wool-making center that boosted the local industry, which was centered around the population. It is this legacy that we recover through the analysis of the patterns we find in old, faded, woodworm-eaten sketchbooks, with pencil annotations and handwritten signatures.
Much of the design of the patterns in our blankets and our fashion collection comes from these pieces of history. From the ancestral looms we work with, we draw the authenticity of our fabrics, the affection of the masters who look upon them with tenderness because parents and grandparents once worked there. Looms that we honor in some pieces, to remember this exquisite art.
Art by Many Hands
Burel Factory is a factory of meaning and purpose, where design and history combine to become one. The art it promotes is developed by local masters with vast knowledge, using processes as immaculate and traditional as possible, to offer the best product that embodies the preservation of the cultural and industrial heritage of the Serra region. With slow production, sustainable processes and certifications, this is a cultural fabric made from innovative textiles that perpetuate artisanal processes with meaning, tradition and ingenuity. A work that, although done on centuries-old looms, is partially done by many hands that not only finish, sew and add to it, but also operate the old machinery from the time when the industry was handmade, ensuring high quality in the finish. Many hands make this machine, which is the factory, work.
Our Masters of Knowledge.
Amelia Monteiro Martins Brazete - Ana Catarina De Jesus Ventura - Ana Catarina Saraiva - Ana Celina Martins - António Saraiva Inácio - Claudia Massano Lopes De Carvalho - Delfina De Jesus Abrantes Pinheiro Patriarca - Dina Bela Ramos Almeida – Diogo António Saraiva - Emília Marisa D'ascenção Silva Ventura – Eduardo Martins Tacanho - Elisabete Sofia Pinheiro De Jesus - Flávio Daniel Leitão Marques - José António Mendes Massano – José Da Neta - José Luis Abrantes Pinheiro - José Luís Saraiva Leitão - João António Massano Abrantes - Luis Miguel Dos Santos Sabugueiro - Maria Amelia Paiva De Carvalho Quaresma - Maria Jose Gomes Paiva - Maria Jose Dos Santos Salvado Pinheiro - Maria Da Graca Saraiva Barbosa Santos - Maria De Fatima Tavares Ramalha Neves - Maria Helena Fonseca Isento Saraiva - Marisa Isabel Martins Massano - Marilia De Jesus Da Costa Massano - Massano - Marta Da Graça Pinheiro Neves Carvalhinho - Olga Carvalhinho Morgado - Paula Cristina Martins Tavares Felix - Rafael Carvalho Costa - Rosa Maria Monteiro Martins Dos Santos - Sonia Isabel Oliveira Brazete Da Silva - Susana Da Graça Paiva Da Silva - Teresa Maria Da Fonseca Saraiva Serra - Suzi Paula Afonso Batista - Tânia Sofia Silveira Fatela - Vitor Hugo Martins
Our Designers.
Over the years, partnerships with Portuguese designers have grown, reflecting our belief in the value and emerging talent of the nation to create innovation and, through it, a greater legacy.
