Shear Ambition

Her goal? To revive “burel,” a traditional Portuguese wool fabric used for over 1,000 years. But time was short—many of the people who knew how to operate the antique machines were aging. As Isabel put it, “The machines are beautiful, but they are only beautiful if they work. Otherwise, it’s just a museum.”

Today, Burel Factory produces fabric exclusively from Serra da Estrela’s native Bordaleira sheep, ensuring both traceability and regional impact. They maintain a strict zero-waste policy, recycle all byproducts, and support the local economy through collaborations with shepherds and cheese-making workshops. While machines begin the transformation of the coarse wool into thread, much of the work—including their signature 3D stitching—is still done by hand.

Their product range is extensive: blankets, throws, cushions, pouffes, curtains, clothing, knitwear, furniture, and architectural textiles with built-in acoustic insulation. Microsoft Portugal even commissioned large-scale burel panels to adorn their office walls.

Burel Factory is now the largest employer in the area and a cultural destination in its own right. Visitors can tour the factory, watch the wool-making process, shop on-site, and even stay at one of Costa’s two hotels nearby. As Costa says, it’s more than just an economic endeavor: “it’s a project to save heritage.”