Fashion
The Portuguese fashion sector is recognised for its capacity to innovate and the confidence its heritage of know-how inspires in the international market.
Comprising eight industries, including clothing, footwear, leather goods and jewellery, it has 15,085 companies (2022 data), most family-run SMEs employing more than 167,000 workers. The sector, which represents around 22 per cent of Portuguese manufacturing companies, generated a turnover of more than 11 billion euros.
The industry's exports summed 7.5 billion euros in 2023, accounting for around 10 per cent of Portuguese exports. This industry exports to around 200 markets, mainly Spain, France and Germany, accounting for around 51 per cent of total exports.
The focus on branding by some sectors of the fashion industry and the international recognition of Portuguese products with more excellent added value have contributed to the cluster's growing global reputation.
With a solid commitment to research and development and design, the companies in this sector offer an integrated range of products. Customer-oriented, they invest in differentiation, customisation, and more flexible services. Through implementing Industry 4.0 and the digitalisation of procedures, they have generated new sales and management methods, boosting their presence in e-commerce and various marketplaces.
Portuguese designers have opted for a unique style where creativity takes centre stage, provoking irreverence in design and form. This ambition to create new concepts, supported by a contemporaneity that looks to the past for inspiration, has received enthusiasm and international attention.
Sustainability and social responsibility are the watchwords in this sector, which has sought and found solutions to reduce the ecological footprint of production, promoting the use of new materials, methods and production processes that are more environmentally friendly.
The fashion industry has a comparative advantage when we consider the ESG obligations - Environmental, Social and Governance, criteria that will be used to assess the impact and management of companies on issues related to the environment, social responsibility and corporate governance and whose fulfilment and reporting will be mandatory for all companies in the coming years.
Home Decor
The Portuguese Home cluster comprises the furniture, home textiles, housewares (ceramics, cutlery, metal crockery, small domestic appliances and glass and crystal) and lighting sectors.
Marked by a tradition of know-how and quality, resilience, adaptability and a clear customer focus, the industry is recognised for its ability to innovate, create trends and, above all, for the confidence its heritage of know-how inspires in the international market. The industry's high operational efficiency and ability to quickly produce small series are also competitive advantages.
Portugal is an innovative, sophisticated, and forward-looking country that prioritises sustainability. Portuguese industries are committed to innovation and technology, keeping up with new trends and offering a varied, high-performance, sophisticated, and excellent range of products, always with a deep respect for the environment and the future.
Exceptional design, flexibility, ample capacity for customisation and high-quality standards are the principal competitive factors that distinguish Portuguese brands worldwide. With the rise of conscious consumerism comes the ambition for products that offer high quality, longevity, and timeless design. High-quality contemporary furniture, home textiles and lighting make it possible to connect with nature through striking minimalism.
Involving an essential set of so-called traditional sectors, the Home cluster has increasingly become part of the creative industries, valuing branding, aesthetics, design, comfort, sensations, and experiences and seeking to respond to changing consumer preferences and new market trends.