In recent years, Portugal has become the most important production country for European fashion brands looking to move away from mass production in Asia. There are good reasons for this—and a few that are discussed less often.
“The most honest answer to the question ‘Where is it made?’ is rarely just one country.”
Why do fashion brands produce in Portugal?
Short distances. Northern Portugal is around 2,000 kilometers from Germany—a few days by truck instead of weeks by ship from Asia. This makes small-scale reorders much easier and is significantly better for the environment.
Small quantities. Large-scale Asian production only makes economic sense for thousands of units. Portuguese manufacturers work with runs in the hundreds—that’s the real reason small brands can produce there without building up a warehouse full of unsold stock.
Accessibility. You can go there in person. Anyone who has seen a production facility firsthand and knows the people who work there talks about it differently from someone who has only read an audit report.
Legal framework. EU labor laws, union representation, regulated working hours. This doesn’t replace doing your own research, but it does provide a different starting point. That’s the main reason for producing in Portugal.
The country of manufacture is listed for each product individually—not as a blanket statement for the entire shop.
SHOP THE COLLECTION ↗Is production in Portugal more expensive?
Yes, significantly. The difference is mainly due to wage levels and smaller production runs—both of which directly affect the purchase price. For a small brand, that means a higher retail price or a lower margin. Both are choices, not laws of nature.
What mattered more to us: a T-shirt carrying a message about justice shouldn’t be made under conditions we’d rather not mention at church.
Why we still don’t say “everything is made in Europe”
Because it wouldn’t be true. There are a few products that are simply made in very limited quantities in Europe if we want to offer them at reasonable prices. That’s why a small number of Good-Natured items are made outside Europe.
For clothing made by these manufacturers, our supplier is a member of the Fair Wear Foundation. This is a different kind of oversight from personal contact on site, and it would be dishonest to present it under the same heading.
Conclusion
Portugal is hard to beat when it comes to good working conditions, short distances, and personal contact—and it’s more expensive. What you can’t infer from that is a blanket statement about an entire product range. The more honest approach is to state it on each individual product.
Our socks are knitted in Saxony. The product page tells you where each item is made.
LEARN ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY ↗
