In between the sheets with Lameirinho, our partner factory

At Leisurely we’re aiming for radical transparency, and we’re doing it by keeping things simple. We’ve intentionally kept our supply chain compact so we can follow it for ourselves, right back to the forest the raw material comes from.

For our first exploration into the supply chain we’re taking you into the factory where our sheets are made, from yarn to finished bed sheets. We chose to work with Lameirinho in Northern Portugal as they’re the best in their game, making beautiful bedsheets for the past 75 years. We recently chatted to Tania, one of the team and generally lovely human being, to learn more about their story.

Lameirinho is a fourth generation family business. Can you tell us more about the origins and how you’ve kept that going over the years?

Lameirinho is a family-owned company with an amazing tradition and heritage in the home textile business. The founder Mr. Joaquim Martins Coelho Lima was the father of the current President of the board of Directors and great grandfather of the fourth generation. Mr. Joaquim Coelho started the business in 1948 with just two mechanical looms, producing fabrics for the Portuguese market. During the 1970’s, Lameirinho started exporting internationally, starting with the UK where we’ve always had a brilliant relationship.

You’re total bedding experts. How do you make sure your bedding is extra special?

We have dedicated teams in each production unit, most of whom have worked in the company for several years already, some of them for even more than forty years! Not only are they experts in what they do but they’re also passionate about it, which is what makes Lameirinho sheets extra special and unique.

You have an impressive list of awards and accreditations for your sustainability. Can you tell us more about those and why sustainability matters to you?

Lameirinho’s commitment to sustainability comes directly from the more than 700 people who work for the company - every employee’s opinion matters. Each year we make significant investments to make sure we reduce our impacts on the environment. We use Integrated Management Systems of Quality, Envionment, and Safety, certified extensively with ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and ISO 45001, Oeko-Tex, GRS, GOTS, SA8000, and Fair Trade amongst others. But beyond certification, we’re always searching for new sustainability developments; from processing all fibre waste into alternative products such as our own recycled yarn, to saving water, and using alternative energy sources.

At Leisurely we always want to make sure our supply chain is celebrated and treated fairly. Can you tell us what support you need and what you really want to see more of from brands?

As a manufacturer we think that transparency is of major importance. It’s only fair to show where the products of the brand are produced and how they are produced... To show who is behind the scene is an added value for both the brand and for the supplier. And we just love how your brand does it!

How do you ensure wellbeing and a good working environment for all of your team?

Lameirinho provides to its staff medical care, we have an in-house doctor and a nurse everyday; there is also a psychologist available for those who need this kind of care. We have a canteen for staff lunches each day, and we also have gym classes after work available for those who want.

Is there any message you want to share with us?

On the 12th of May Lameirinho will turn 75 years old... We hope that in the future Leisurely will continue to trust in our company to keep up with this great partnership!

A big thank you to Tania for speaking with us, we hope this is just the beginning of the Leisurely-Lameirinho partnership!