Burel Factory

BUREL - Penhas douradas - Portugal

Copyrith reserved to MONOCLE

Viva Burel! (English subtitles)

A documentary about a fabric? - How could that possibly be interesting?
It is not! Is is more! - It is inspiring, powerful and moving. It is about hopes, dreams and visions. About the present, the past and a sustainable concept for the survival of the region in the future.
BUREL is a very durable wool-fabric whose production and processing is an old Portuguese handicraft and a handed on tradition having its origin traced back to the Middle Ages.
Our film team has been to Manteigas for 4 days, a village located in the mountains of Serra da Estrela, Portugal. Manteigas is a beautiful place with an idyllic nature.
The People of Manteigas once lived from and were mainly employed through the manufacturing and processing of BUREL and other wool-fabrics. The mark of globalisation has been devastating for this area. The numerous factories are all gone. There are no jobs. The young emigrate.
The initiative Saberes fazeres da Vila, made it its task to uphold the knowledge of the old craft skills. In 2009, the design label Burelfactory was founded. Behind the label are Isabel Dias da Costa and her husband João Tomás. We followed them and their project.
The label cooperates with different young designers to develop products with a variety of traditional production methods. With its enthusiasm, creativity, and believe in sustainability Burelfactory is of high potential for the future of the village.

LINKS:
facebook.com/DieLeuteAusManteigas
design-aus-portugal.de/de/designer-und-hersteller.php?we_objectID=37
weser-kurier.de/bremen/kultur2_artikel,-Bremer-testen-Crowdfunding-_arid,393892.html
weser-kurier.de/bremen/stadtteile/oestliche-vorstadt_artikel,-Ana-Santos-rettet-ein-altes-Handwerk-_arid,73329.html
bremen-center.tv/mediathek.html?mediathek=1&video=941
mysherpas.com/de/projekt/Die-Leute-aus-Manteigas/daten/uebersicht.htm

mantecas

Mantecas - Penhas Douradas Factory

Aforestdesign.mov

The Birdwatchers

The birdwatcher is freed from details. Seeing himself as an integral part of nature, he relates to it intimately, respectfully; a bond made so much stronger by the thrill of what he does.

Even for those living the high life, the greatest luxury is still the simple satisfaction of being alone. The simple proof that the relationship between oneself and nature still exists.

It is this relationship, considered primordial by a*forest* design, that led to the recent collaboration with *Burel* brand. *Burel* was hatched in the Serra da Estrela, developing from a social project aimed at stimulating the production and marketing of products from the town of Manteigas.

The Birdwatchers is a collection of products, accessories and some items of clothing in /Burel/, the traditional Portuguese 100% wool fabric, woven in the old Império mill, which is still working in Manteigas.

The colours of the Serra da Estrela mountains predominate in this collection: greens, greys, honey and white in silhouettes and objects that epitomise a lifestyle in harmony with nature; like a birdwatcher.