Louropel, the world's largest button manufacturer, will open a new industrial unit in Vila Nova de Famalicão, in the parish of Louro, next to its current facilities. The Portuguese company, founded in 1966 and currently with five factories in Portugal, produces daily between nine and 12 million buttons, exporting most of them to European markets and to the United States. Among its clients are brands such as Hugo Boss, Ralph Lauren, Armani, Valentino, Kenzo and Massimo Dutti.
The new unit will be dedicated to the reception, storage and shipping of natural and recycled products used in the manufacture of ecological buttons. The materials include semolina flour, coffee, wood sawdust, leaves and wood. Currently, natural and recycled buttons represent approximately 25% of production, but the company intends to substantially increase this share in the coming years.
The president of Louropel, Avelino Rego, revealed that the goal is to raise ecological buttons to values between 50% and 75% of production over the next three years. This strategy responds to the growing demand for materials with lower environmental impact in the fashion sector, where major international brands have been increasing sustainability requirements.
To proceed with the expansion, the company needed to use land covered by the National Agricultural Reserve regime. An order published in the Official Gazette declared Louropel's request to be of relevant public interest, authorizing the use of an area of 6,234.36 square meters. The project includes a warehouse with 1,827 square meters, an access area, 1,813.66 square meters of green spaces and the transfer of land for the future western variant of Vila Nova de Famalicão.
