Cláudia Azevedo Lopes
If there were still doubts about the production return to Europe, and the advantages for the Portuguese textile and clothing industry, Soeiro is here to prove that the change is already underway. The company has no doubt that the demand it felt in recent months is motivated not only by proximity, but also by the quality of Made In Europe.
A demand that has grown so much that the only concern the company has at the moment is finding seamstresses to carry out the orders. “We have a lot of orders, and a lot of difficulty finding people to work, especially seamstresses. I think that the training offer should be strengthened in this craft so that we can get around the problem, because the customer is in fact returning to Europe, and it is a type of customer that does not mind paying for the quality of the product, as is the case in Switzerland and Holland”, explains Cristina Basaloco.
“They arrive here and immediately ask: is the production Portuguese? And the raw materials? And the cotton? They want everything Made In Portugal!”, says the head of the clothing company that currently employs 100 workers, and works 100% for export.
France, Holland, England, Belgium, Switzerland and Germany are some of Soeiro’s markets, which works exclusively on a private-label basis. “Occasionally, we also make some partnerships, that is, instead of us presenting a model, the customer presents the design of a product they want to make, and we do it”, explains Cristina, who also adds that Soeiro’s sustainable offer, attested by OEKO-TEX certifications, it is very successful between customers. So much so that in recent years, in the midst of a pandemic, the company has never stopped growing.