The interior of ‘Santos Ofícios‘ was submitted to a very careful work of reconstruction, which made possible to show arches of an old brick that draw a cross and also to preserve an entire wall of tiles made at that time in the ‘Rato’ factory.

Inside this historical place handworks made of different materials are displayed: stone, clay, metal, corn, wood,  cork, wool, cotton, paper, jute, straw…. Traveling all over the country, from the North to the South the owners of the shop, mrs. Louisa Cruz and mr. Homero Cardoso, visited hidden villages and they have been able to meet dozens and dozens of folk artists.

Not only the famous artists like Irmãs Flores and the descendants of Rosa Ramalho, Mistério and Ana Baraca, but also those who have never left their villages and were completely unknown. Website shop ‘Santos Ofícios‘ with more art items including a list of  Portuguese folk artists.

Unfortunately some folk artists are already deceased and couldn’t leave followers, but thanks to a continous work of research the owners of Santos Ofícios have been able to meet and divulge other ones. In this branch of the Portuguese culture – the Folk Art – that is displayed with dignity in ‘Santos Ofícios’, the only place in Lisbon that insists on keeping, in this area, a standard of rigour intimately tied to the concept of ‘tradition’.

‘Santos Ofícios‘, open 10 am to 8 pm daily, except on Sunday. Rua da Madalena no. 87, Lisbon, opposite Madalena church

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Products in cork stand out for their quality and beauty. They are practical, malleable and pleasant to touch, as well as easily cleaned and long-lasting.

Shop owner Natalia Silva shows a client how to clean a product made of cork. Even Natalia’s business card is made of cork skin….

Beautiful handbags and much more… all products are made from a raw material of nature.

History: Everything begins with Novacortiça, a company specialized in the production of natural cork disks for champagne…Sandra Correia, the manager of the company , decorates a stand during an event with an umbrella produced entirely in cork oak skin. So popular was it, that it spawned a company in 2003, Pelcor. Based in the Algarve, in São Brás de Alportel, a city known as the cradle of cork industry in Algarve, Pelcor was born as a trade mark of products in cork, represented in about 80 stores in Portugal.

Portugal produces about half the world output of commercial cork, and its exports over recent years have accounted for around 70 percent of world trade.

Pelcor, Rua da Pedras Negas 30, Baixa, Lisbon. Open Monday to Friday 10h – 19h. Saturday 10h -13h. Tel. (00351) 21 304 9727. Email: loja.lisboa@pelcor.pt

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