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With more than 80 years of experience in the textile industry, Polopiqué is considered to be a leader in the textile industry. The company has managed to distinguish itself by mastering all phases of the textile production process, from spinning, weaving and finalization, to garment and commercialization of high quality products.
MUNICH FABRIC START had the opportunity to have a one on one interview with Rosario Rodrigues on how the Polopiqué has managed to distinguish itself through its innovation.
Polopiqué is an exhibitor at MUNICH FABRIC START 2022 in the new Hall 8 – THE SOURCE.
Already booked out for weeks, THE SOURCE is the new European One Stop Solution for holistic fashion sourcing. 65 selected international manufacturing companies will present their offers from Cut-Make-Trim (CMT) to High End Production. A cluster of the most important sourcing countries such as Portugal, Turkey, Morocco, Tunisia, Bosnia and Vietnam creates a business-relevant mix for risk diversification, independent of genre and price level. MUNICH FABRIC START has developed the new Hall 8 with around 2,500 square meters of additional space for this purpose. The recently restored Lokhalle, a listed building directly adjacent to the former MUNICH FABRIC START site, is the perfect location. With its gigantic dimensions and spectacular architecture, it is one of Europe’s largest cantilevered historic steel halls.
The result is a unique new venue for flexible sourcing services and rethought value chains.
Polopiqué is a Portuguese family company with decades of tradition in the textile industry. In addition, Polopiqué was created and established in the most relevant geographical area in terms of textiles in Portugal. Therefore, we privilege this know-how and proximity, and we should consider the many benefits of local production in terms of sustainability, agility and quality guarantee.
How does Polopiqué optimize processes to improve the quality of manufactured products?
“Investing in Research and Development activities to constantly adopt new and innovative raw materials and production processes. It is also imperative to stay up to date regarding more agile and ecological modern technology and machinery.”
Polopiqué is a member of the Better Cotton initiative; what does that mean?
Better Cotton is the world’s leading sustainability initiative, presenting the mission to help cotton communities survive and thrive while protecting and restoring the environment. The better cotton initiative makes global cotton production better for producers, the environment, and the cotton sector’s future. It is about interacting with the whole supply chain to transform how cotton is sourced, ensure the improvement of the working conditions and a higher standard of living for farming communities, and spreading knowledge, support and resources for more sustainable practices in cotton production and other crops.
What are your thoughts on certification used in the textile industry?
We believe it is vital to convey trust and transparency to customers and consumers in their purchase acts to make informed choices. It is also relevant to involve them so that they feel an essential part in choosing brands with better practices throughout the chain of the production cycle.
Did you face challenges during the pandemic? And how did you deal with them?
Yes, of course, and at that stage, we invested in the production of personal protective equipment and products related to medicine and health, proving our ability to adapt to new situations and the flexibility of our team and production processes when developing new types of products.
What’s next for Polopique? What direction do you see your company taking in the coming years?
Continuing to surprise the market with innovations through constant R&D practices, taking advantage of new raw materials and production processes. Also reinforcing the weight and presence in new markets and business areas, namely in home textiles.
How important is it to be unique yet still have a recognizable factor in your work?
Very important. Polopiqué is flexible and proud to find solutions to most of our customer’s requests. Furthermore, by controlling all stages of the production process, we can guarantee higher quality standards and better agility.
Modularity is not a new concept. For decades, it has shaped architecture, furniture and industrial design. Applying it to soft textiles, however, opens up an entirely new discussion.
Creativity and curiosity have always been our driving force. Our work evolves through prototypes—never finished, always raising new questions about materials, processes, and possibilities.
Both the fashion and textile industry often celebrates creativity. Yet many of the industry’s creative decisions are made long before a designer ever begins designing. Colour being one of them. The thing is, by the time a designer selects yarn, someone else has already determined the available colours, sequences and combinations. Choice exists, but only within boundaries.
“Through hands-on experimentation, I explore the potential of new surfaces and alternative forms of leather, aiming to reconnect human life with the natural world as an interconnected fabric.”
