This guide explains how you can find qualified manufacturers and wholesalers in Portugal. You will learn how to use supplier databases, trade shows, trade associations and sourcing companies to find suppliers producing clothing, home textiles, furniture, and other product types.
I also share some of the experience I have gained in recent years working with Portugese factories, and how this can help you manage expectations, and improve the response rate wehn requesting quotations.
Supplier Overview
Productmkr supplier database
Portugal is one of the primary countries covered by the Productmkr Supplier Database. The country is arguably the first choice for many of our softline customers, with a wide range of qualified garment and home textiles manufacturers.
This is how you can use the database to search and contact Portuguese suppliers:
Step 1: Select Location > European Union
Step 2: You will now see a list of the suppliers that you can identify by flag. Portuguese manufacturers make up a majority in many of the clothing and home textiles categories covered by the supplier database.
Notice that you can combine more than one product category. This can be relevant if you need suppliers that, for example, produce bed linen in organic cotton. In these situations, you will see fewer – but more relevant – suppliers.
Step 3: You can now click on your suppliers of choice to find their contact details, both email and phone number.
Other supplier directories
The challenge when sourcing in Portugal is often the difficulty in finding suppliers in the first place. That is also the reason we created the Productmkr Supplier Database in the first place. However, there are a few alternative supplier directories that you can consider.
Europages
Europages is probably the closest you will get when looking for an “Alibaba for Europe”. Here you can also find Portuguese manufacturers and wholesalers in a wide range of industries, including those we cover.
GOTS supplier database
If you are looking for organic cotton garment suppliers, then the GOTS-certified supplier database is the only place you need to look. All you have to do is to set the product category and select Portugal as the supplier country. The supplier database is also free to use.
Trade shows
My opinion is that trade shows present the best opportunity to meet Portuguese manufacturers. Such trade shows are not only confined to Portugal itself, as they tend to attend shows in Frankfurt and elsewhere in Europe.
It should also be noted that Portugal is not only about clothing and textiles but has manufacturers in various industries – ranging from furniture and jewellery to machinery and construction products.
Here are some of the largest trade shows in Portugal:
Trade show | Products |
INTERCASA | Furniture and home |
INTERSHOES PORTUGAL | Footwear |
INTERTEX PORTUGAL | Textiles |
MOD’TISSIMO | Textiles |
PORTOJÓIA | Jewellery |
TECNIPÃO | Machinery |
TEKTÓNICA | Construction products |
Chambers of Commerce
Chambers of Commerce located in Portugal are often willing to suggest companies, that are often members. There are mainly two types of chambers – those representing a certain nationality and those grouping together a certain industry. These are sometimes also called Trade Associations.
Here are a few examples:
- Textile and Clothing Association of Portugal
- Fashion Industry Associations National Association of Garment and Garment Industries
- MODATEX
Sourcing companies
The final option is to contact a sourcing company that either researches suitable suppliers for you or selects one within their own network. If you decide to go with a sourcing company, then make sure that you first ask the following questions:
1. Will you let us know which factory makes the product?
2. Will we have access to the production facility?
3. Do we pay you a fixed fee or a commission?
4. Do you add a margin on top of the factory price?
5. How can you ensure that our products are compliant with EU rules?
Sourcing companies can be invaluable partners, as long as they are operating transparently, and add value beyond what a factory would. If they only exist to extract money on top, without value-added services, then you are likely better off dealing directly with the factory.
How to select suppliers in Portugal
When we selected suppliers for the Productmkt Supplier Database, we primarily took the following factors into consideration:
Product scope
While not unique to Portugal in any way, the product scope is still the key factor when selecting suppliers. What I mean by this is that a supplier must be specialised in the right product, and the right material to be relevant.
In 2023, we helped a client source blanket manufacturers in Portugal. Their blankets were particularly large, so we had to limit our selection to not only blanket factories – but those that could reach a 3 x 3 m size. This drastically reduced the supplier options – which is not only bad as it allows us to focus on the factories that actually matter.
In the end we did find a qualified factory who produced a first batch for shipment in late 2023.
OEKO Tex Standard 100
Many of our customers mainly turn to Portugal to manufacture garments and home textiles. Hence, OEKO Tex Standard 100 – which indicates compliance with REACH and other substance restrictions – has been a key selection criterion for our own supplier database.
This helped the customer we helped with the big blankets in 2023, as they received an OEKO Tex Standard 100 certificate from the supplier, valid for their fabrics. This meant that they could save at least around 800 EUR in lab testing fees.
It is not always the case that they can provide OEKO Tex Standard 100 certificates for all available materials, but even then it still indicates that they take compliance seriously.
FAQ
How should I contact suppliers in Portugal?
We recommend that you start by sending an email. However, our experience is that many suppliers do not actively monitor their inboxes, and spam filters often prevent emails from new senders from landing in their inbox. It is therefore often necessary to call the suppliers as well.
Why do so few Portuguese suppliers respond to our RFQ?
Portuguese manufacturers tend to be quite selective when it comes to the companies they work with. They are not in the business of making free techpacks and countless samples to buyers that do not even have a registered business or clear brand vision.
Here are my suggestions for improving the changes of receiving responses when you reach out:
1. Use a company email rather than a public email
2. Provide a clear and detailed techpack
3. Communicate your intended buying volumes
Why are their quoted prices so high?
Many buyers expect Portugese suppliers to quote prices that are much lower than is realistic. You manufacture in Portugal because you have high quality and efficiency requirements – not because you are looking for the lowest prices.
Are Portuguese factories easy to work with?
Generally speaking, I would not say that Portugese factories are easier to wrok with than those in, say, China. Granted, I have more experience working with factories in China than Portugal – but overall you are dealing with the same issues. This means that there are misunderstandings, delays, and sometimes quality issues. Manufacturing is a complex process involving people and many moving parts – regardless of where in the world this takes place.