September 2025 has been “the worst month for redundancies” in the Portuguese textile industry. Over 1,000 workers have lost their jobs, “just in Vale do Ave” (in the north), writes Jornal de Notícias – and another 1,000 are at risk.
The paper talks of workers from one factory (Polopiqué) already ‘going hungry’/ wondering how they will put food on the table.
“This is the worst it has been in recent years”, Francisco Vieira, coordinator of the Minho and Trás-os-Montes tells the paper, admitting that the start of September often sees redundancies in the industry, but nothing touching the numbers of this year.
So far, in the first week of September, Polopiqué has announced the closure of its factories in Guimarães and Vizela (280 redundancies), plus the restructuring of other units which could see another 400 jobs lost.
StampDyeing, in Ponte, Guimarães, has let go around 100 workers, while Darita shoes, in nearby São Torcato has said goodbye to 70.
Bravisublime, in São Lourenço do Selho has sent 42 workers home, JN adds – stressing there is so much more at risk, as just in Guimarães court there are 17 companies in a situation of insolvency.
“JF Almeida, which employs 800 people, has filed for bankruptcy but guarantees it will not lay off anyone. Somelos, which employs 900 people, is behind on salary payments, and Tearfil (which employs 250 people) is also not paying properly.
“The mayors of Guimarães and the Vizela City Council are already asking the government for help. This is a situation of “weakness that is affecting the textile and footwear industry,” warns Domingos Bragança, mayor of Guimarães.
Across the districts of Aveiro and Braga, at least 150 people have been laid off in the last few days alone, says JN.
WHY IS THIS HAPPENING?
According to all the affected businesses, the main culprits are imported Asian products, many of them counterfeit, which do not pay taxes.
Platforms like Shein and Temu “sell a lot of clothes, and in many cases, the material is counterfeit”, explain reports.
César Araújo, president of ANIVEC, the national association of clothing and apparel industries, is adamant: “The blame lies with the way Europe has disrupted the market and allowed the largest tax evasion of the 21st century (this because goods valued up to €150 are exempt from paying customs duties.)
“Stores are closing, small businesses are closing, and now these online platforms are copying everything, counterfeiting! This is crime upon crime. We are experiencing tax evasion and piracy. We are turning into a criminal state,” Araújo is clearly extremely frustrated.
JN’s article was not particularly positive about the future. While César Araújo believes the sector “has the capacity” to absorb workers who have been laid off this month, Ricardo Silva, president of the Portuguese Textile and Clothing Association, said on TSF Rádio that while business should improve in the medium term, he anticipates more company closures in the coming months.
Source material: Jornal de Notícias/ ZAP
