12. What’s happening with wool in Portugal - a once powerhouse for wool processing & design.
On a research trip last autumn to southern Portugal, a lightbulb went off, the penny dropped and it all made sense. Intending to travel around the bottom third of the country (essentially a line drawn from Lisbon due east and then downwards) to see sheep farms, talk to wool producers and visit wool studios, when four days in I was perplexed. There was nothing to visit, nothing to see, not a sheep to be found. I knew the Burel Factory and wool growing area further north were a hive of activity but in the south? Nothing, nada, zilch.
One day, I stumbled across a smallholding with a horse out back, chickens wandering about, and a small flock of sheep. I followed the little sign at the gate showing eggs for sale, and went in to talk to the owner. Turns out it was an English woman living there with her Portugese husband, and she worked the land while he commuted to Lisbon daily. Explaining that their summers were now causing so much difficulty due to heat, she went on to talk about life in her husband’s childhood era when lamb was cheap and plentiful, cork was the main business activity along with pottery, but now that is all changed. The lamb they buy is from Ireland, the cork industry has collapsed and pottery is a niche industry struggling against cheap imports sold to tourists.
I was incredulous. How? Why? Her answer was simply put - climate change.
Summer temperatures hitting high 30’s regularly and occasionally reaching the intolerable height of 40’C means that grass simply does not grow. Soil does not retain moisture. Surface water evaporates immediately. Therefore there is huge difficulty in growing forage crops for livestock. They simply cannot feed sheep anymore due to the increased heat of summer. It’s impossible to feed them in the summer on pasture as there is no growth, and there is no opportunity to grow and harvest winter fodder in the form of hay, haylage or silage. The result is that sheep numbers have fallen dramatically in southern Portugal, reducing the availablilty of a low cost high nutrition value protein - sheep meat, be it lamb, hogget or mutton. When I did eventually come across sheep, they were literally licking the ground, picking at scrub and coarse vegetation. There was quite simply nothing for them to eat.
The disappearance of a major food ingredient has many impacts. For example annual salaries in Portugal are low by European standards and many imported food items such as beef are out of reach cost-wise. Methods of cooking and centuries-old recipes are part of a region’s intrinsic identity. A change in agriculture and livestock production resulting from climate change, impacts on many fronts, one of which is the erosion of culture. Food is a significant part of culture: the ingredients, the cooking vessels, the techniques and the flavours all combine to create a unique set of characteristics that connect the cuisine to the country or region. It is a huge part of everyday life and the tourism experience.
The penny dropping moment was realising that is all comes back to soil. Everything. Portugal joined the EEC in a similar time to Ireland, yet we have bypassed the Portugese in many ways and not just economically. This is primarily down to inward direct investment yes, but also from agriculture, and as a sector it’s enormous reach across not just traditional farming, but the associated sectors of engineering, agritech, logistics, feed science, manufacturing, agriscience to name a few. There is a link back to land, soil and agriculture in most industries, and if soil health is compromised to the extent that livestock cannot be raised, crops cannot be grown, and food produced, the economy suffers hugely. Irish soil is one of our greatest tangible and intangible assets. Our whole economy can be connected to soil.
The second part of my research was into the cork industry, of which I knew nothing whatsoever about but I felt there could be comparisons made with the wool industry. Visiting one of the main and last cork factories in southern Portugal was and eye-opening experience, where the history, development, harvesting methods, and impact on farmers was discussed at length during a tour. There is also a wonderful textile museum that has a demonstration and display area devoted to cork in the outbuildings of an ancient beautiful palace. Textiles, leather and cork were the three main industries of Portugal before petro chemicals and tourism overtook and to some extent replaced them as major economic activities of the country.
Portugal’s relationship with cork is both ancient and profound, with archaeological evidence suggesting that the Iberians used cork as early as 3,000 BC. However, cork did not emerge as an organized industry in the country until the 18th century. The 19th century saw a dramatic rise in cork production due to its increasing use in sealing wine bottles, a development that solidified cork’s place in both Portuguese industry and global trade.
Today, Portugal stands as the world’s leading producer of cork, responsible for over half of global production. The country is home to approximately 730,000 hectares of cork oak forests, and the cork oak tree (Quercus suber) thrives particularly well in Portugal’s mild, Mediterranean climate. This vast natural resource supports one of the country’s most important economic sectors and reflects a deep cultural and environmental heritage.
The cork industry plays a critical role in Portugal’s economy. It supports thousands of jobs across the country, especially in rural regions, and contributes significantly to Portugal’s positive trade balance through the export of cork and cork-derived products. Cork’s economic value is matched by its environmental significance. It is harvested from the bark of cork oak trees in a process that does not harm the tree, and this can be repeated every nine years over a tree’s lifespan, which can exceed 200 years. This makes cork a renewable, biodegradable, and fully recyclable material.
Cork is used in a wide range of industries, demonstrating remarkable versatility. In the wine industry, cork remains the gold standard for bottle stoppers, prized for its ability to seal and age wine effectively. In construction, cork is valued for its natural insulating properties—both thermal and acoustic—and is used for flooring, wall coverings, and insulation. In furniture and interior design, cork provides a unique tactile and aesthetic appeal. Its sustainable nature has also made it increasingly popular in fashion, where it appears in accessories such as bags, shoes, and hats. Additionally, cork is found in sporting goods, toys, crafts, and architectural projects, making it an indispensable material in both traditional and innovative applications.
Beyond its practical uses, cork oak trees provide essential ecosystem services. They help prevent soil erosion, regulate water cycles, and store carbon dioxide, playing an important role in mitigating climate change. Cork oak forests are also biodiversity hotspots, home to a wide range of flora and fauna. The preservation and sustainable management of these forests are thus both environmentally and economically vital.
Cork harvesting in Portugal is governed by strict regulations to ensure long-term sustainability. The trees are never felled; instead, skilled workers carefully strip the bark by hand during a specific three-month summer window. The first harvest does not occur until a tree is at least 25 years old, and initial bark yields lower-quality cork used for industrial or design applications. Subsequent harvests every nine years yield progressively better material.
For farmers, cork provides a sustainable and dependable source of income, with regular harvests every nine years after the initial maturation period. Many cork oak forest owners diversify their operations by combining cork production with other agricultural activities, such as raising Iberian pigs for artisan meat products. Additionally, involvement in forest certification programs, such as the 2BForest initiative, , helps farmers manage their lands responsibly and often increases profitability through access to premium markets.
The Portuguese government actively supports the cork industry, promoting sustainable practices and investing in research and development to improve product quality and diversification. This ensures that Portugal remains at the forefront of cork innovation and sustainability.
In conclusion, cork is more than just a natural material in Portugal—it is a cornerstone of the national identity. It represents a harmonious blend of economic strength, environmental stewardship, and cultural tradition. As global demand for sustainable materials grows, cork continues to exemplify how nature-based industries can thrive without compromising ecological integrity. Portugal’s cork industry stands as a model of resilience, renewal, and responsible development, valued not only for its products but for the rich legacy it preserves and the sustainable future it fosters. There are many parallels with the wool industry, but Portugal is way ahead in terms of diversity and sustainability, preservation and innovation when it comes to the cork industry.