Sustainable Commitment, Naturally.
Burel Factory is a Portuguese brand born in the mountains of Serra da Estrela, dedicated to the preservation and regeneration of its cultural and industrial heritage, and knowledge of the wool industry that spans generations. It promotes the mastery of knowledge, the art made by several hands that weave, card and spin in ancestral machines that have been heard since the 19th century. It ensures the legacy of wool and burel through design, art and textile innovation, the commitment to the fragility of the mountain and all its nature, disseminating the Portuguese art of burel in a conscious and responsible way.
To promote the Portuguese Art of Burel in a Conscious, Responsible way, and at the Rhythm of Life in the Mountain.
Wool. Renewable, Recyclable, Biodegradable.
Sustainability begins with wool, with the sheep that shape the valleys of Serra da Estrela since the beginning of every story. For the production of burel, we resort to shepherds from Serra da Estrela, who graze their sheep in the open air on the upper plateaus of the Mountain, where the vegetation is tender, which makes the wool softer and of higher quality.
Wool is a natural, durable and resistant material. It is renewable, recyclable, biodegradable, thermal and breathable. It ages gracefully, resists stains and even dyes very easily, allowing your dyeing process to be greener and more sustainable. It is our mother matter and the starting point for everything we challenge ourselves to create.
Our Sheep. Calm, Free and Happy.
The burel and wool we use in the fabrics and products we make come from the sheep that make up the vast landscape of the Serra da Estrela Natural Park, called by name by the shepherds who lead them to the green pastures of the mountains. We buy the wool from them. We use wool from Bordaleira and Churra, two native breeds in the region, as well as Portuguese Merino from Alentejo, a few kilometers down the road. We make sure that the animals are well treated, that they live happily, and that the shearing is done manually without causing any kind of suffering. Shearing is a necessary act for the animal comfort, while preserving an ancestral tradition, extending this culture in time.
Wool is the basis of everything we do, without causing an environmental impact. It is a natural and eco-responsible product.
Zero Waste. Creativity Hundred.
In nature nothing is lost, everything is transformed. It is based on this universal standard that we work. We have defended the Zero-Waste policy since we were born, through the conscious use of resources, the creation of partnerships with artists, designers, creatives and associations, in order to innovate in the use and valorization of wool.
We develop part of our products from burel leftovers, collecting them and reintroducing them in the transformation process. The result? Unique, conscious and surprising pieces that contribute to minimizing the ecological impact and respect the fragility of nature.
Economic Sustainability. A Social Commitment.
Our commitment to valuing the region and its culture makes it imperative to stimulate its long-term economic and social development, guaranteeing its sustainability, generating jobs and attracting qualified labor, in order to foster local development and its social stimulus. .
Specifically: we employ part of the local population and promote their training; we encourage the younger generation, who left the region in search of better working conditions in the big cities, to return home, creating incentives to stay; we are promoters of non-desertification in the municipality of Vila de Manteigas and in the interior of Portugal; we encourage small producers and local artisans who supply us in different areas and small landowners who are home to many of our employees. Several of them started families.
It is in the constant commitment to the community through continuous training, the encouragement of qualified work, education and the transmission of knowledge between generations, that we contribute to the economic and social sustainability of one of the most isolated regions of the country, making it richer , more diverse, more plural, guaranteeing the offer of various services that channel everyone towards the appreciation and discovery of Serra da Estrela, with added value proposals that guarantee good prospects for the future.
We are promoters of non-desertification in the municipality of Vila de Manteigas and in the interior of Portugal.
Textile Pioneers.
We are made of people and it is for them that we work. No genres or labels. Part of our sustainable commitment is precisely the creation of a unisex fashion collection, because if a fabric doesn't have a gender, a piece covered with it shouldn't have one either.
A fashion collection tailored to the genre requires twice as many samples, prototypes, production times, energy, and even the size of the space where the pieces will live. All these little things make a big impact on the environment and your resources. That's why we create conscious fashion that transcends trends, respecting nature and people in the process. An act of resistance to mass production.
