«Basically, we have put together a small selection of the best products we have made over the past two years, covering our summer, winter and sportswear collections. We are now presenting a new swimwear collection and a protective workwear range. These are two new product ranges that we are developing and investing in», Alexandre Silva, production engineer at Sidónios Malhas, told Portugal Têxtil during the company’s participation in the September edition of Première Vision.
The two new areas still account for a small proportion of the company’s activity, as they are relatively recent ventures. «They still represent very little. At the moment, we are just starting out. We have been investing in and developing the collection for less than a year or two», explained the production engineer, describing them as «niches» that «take time to develop» and require additional testing because they are «much more durable products than fashion items».
The move into knitted fabrics for swimwear and protective clothing followed customer requests and the identification of an opportunity to apply the company’s experience to developing products with specific characteristics. «We started receiving requests and began to see that we could offer something different, more comfortable, with all the characteristics that the market for this new range requires. It is not easy because it is not our market, and even customers are not used to looking to Portuguese knitters for this type of product. But I think that, over time, we will be able to establish ourselves», he noted. Sidónios Malhas intends to target the European market, with swimwear aimed more at southern European markets and protective clothing at the Nordic markets.
Fashion remains at the heart of the strategy
In the sportswear segment, where the company has been operating for around 15 years, activity already accounts for at least 30% of the business. Fashion nevertheless remains Sidónios Malhas’ main focus. For the past two years, the company has maintained a partnership with an Italian design studio to develop its collection for the Italian market. «In practice, it means having a clearer direction when developing products. Knowing where the market is heading and trying to introduce the products it will need», Alexandre Silva explained.
The partnership has enabled the development of products using speciality yarns and the adaptation of the collection to market needs. At the same time, the company is seeking to improve service and delivery times by making greater use of stocked products and using the same yarns across different articles. «The main strength is trying to create a special collection with improved service. Using more of the same yarns across several products so that we can always keep those yarns in stock, consistently improving service and reducing lead times, which is the most important thing now. Much more important than competing on price itself», Alexandre Silva emphasised.
Among the materials used, European linen with Masters of Linen certification currently holds a prominent position at Sidónios Malhas. According to the production engineer, around 10% of production consists of 100% linen articles, an increase driven by customer requests, although organic cotton continues to play a major role in production. However, the growing diversity of fibre certifications, such as GOTS, OCS and BCI, poses challenges for stock management. «It is becoming very difficult to manage stocks when, for the same yarn, we have to hold stock with five or six different certifications», he noted, adding that «this also inevitably increases the company’s costs and pushes up prices».
All of Sidónios Malhas’ production is destined for export, although some is currently supplied to Portuguese garment manufacturers, which subsequently export the finished products. Among foreign markets, France, Germany and the Netherlands stand out in Europe, while North American brands account for a significant proportion of its international customers.
In 2025, Sidónios Malhas grew by around 10% compared with the previous year. «It was a good year. Contrary to what I think was the general market trend, for us it was actually a better year than the previous one», Alexandre Silva revealed.
The first half of this year, however, was marked by an imbalance between supply and demand and greater indecision among customers. «At the moment, there is much more supply than demand. That is the main problem right now. Not only in Portugal, but also in Turkey and Italy», he stressed. Despite this environment, the company managed to maintain performance in the first six months in line with the same period of the previous year. Looking ahead to the rest of the year, Alexandre Silva acknowledged the difficulty of forecasting developments and emphasised that the market «is very unpredictable».
