Porto, Portugal
LOCATION
1988
ESTABLISHED
89
EMPLYEES
Sneaker
WHAT IS MADE HERE
12
PRODUCTS OF US MADE HERE
About the manufactory
The current owner of the Manufactory is Rui, a super-friendly Portuguese with two very serious passions: cycling in the beautiful Portuguese countryside and crafting premium sneakers. Even though his father officially started the Factory, Rui’s family’s love affair with shoes goes all the way back to 1937 when his grandfather first set foot in the shoe industry. He passed down his knowledge to his son who founded the Sneaker Manufactory in 1988.
How we found the manufactory
It is a well-known fact in the industry, that the region of Porto has developed into one of the leading hotspots for high-quality sneakers over the last decades by combining traditional craftsmanship and modern technology. When we decided to add sneakers to our collection, we knew right away that this is where we had to go. After touring many factories in the region without finding exactly what we were looking for, we finally ended up at Rui´s.
Immediately upon entering the workshop, we were welcomed by a vibrant energy of bustling activity and deep focus. Every single one of the 89 artisans working in the Manufactory is an expert of his or her craft and plays a crucial role in the completion of the finished product. It takes the combined effort of 37 artisans to craft one pair of our sneakers in a total of 52 production steps.
What struck us most were the numerous intermittent quality checks and the incredible amount of care taken to ensure the quality and neatness of the parts of the shoes that you can’t even see right away. You’ll know what we mean when you take out the insole. When we pointed that out to Rui he simply responded with a grin on his face: “We supply many premium brands so we have many steps in place to ensure premium quality”.
Sustainability & Community
As is a strong part of the Portuguese culture, family and community are very important. That is one of the many reasons why the family-run Manufactory has always employed many people from nearby, trained them and given them a safe well-paying job.
Employee satisfaction is imperative to Rui. And he doesn't just say that, he means it. The numbers speak for themselves. From the 21 artisans we had a chance to talk to during our visit, they have stayed at the Manufactory for a mind-blowing average of 17 years. 4 of them have even worked at the company for 30+ years.
Rui is very aware of his responsibility to facilitate an environmentally-friendly production. That is why the Manufactory has gone through several renovations and invested heavily in the most modern technology in order to ensure minimum energy consumption. Besides, all materials, other than the leathers and outsoles, are sourced from Portugal in order to minimise transport ways.
Where the materials for our sneakers come from
For our Low-Top and High-Top sneakers, we use the premium quality Nappa, Pebble, and Suede leathers from Tannery Mastrotto. All 3 leather types have received the coveted LWG Gold rating and guarantee an elegant appearance and long lifetime.
Mastrotto
"We supply many premium brands so we have many steps in place to ensure premium quality."
Rui, Owner
The work that goes into one of our sneakers
It is easy to forget the complex nature of the products we use every day and the skills required to craft them. At Dalgado, we are very proud to be working with some of the most revered artisans ensuring utmost quality and exceptional durability. Whenever we see our artisans at work, we are amazed by their dedication and handicraft. That is why we want to highlight their amazing skills and show what it takes to create one of our sneakers.
60
It takes 60min to craft one sneaker
52
It takes 52 steps to craft one sneaker
37
It takes 37 artisans take craft one belt
Portugal
Made by artisans for you in
Products made in this manufactory
Check out our other manufactories
OUR SOCK MANUFACTORY
Porto, Portugal
OUR CLASSIC BELTS MANUFACTORY
Hamburg, Germany
OUR GLOVE MANUFACTORY
Naples, Italy