Relevant Entities in the Sector

Employers' Association, with national scope, representing around 500 companies, which provide approximately 35,000 jobs and generate nearly 3,000 million euros in revenue, two-thirds of which are destined for export markets. It resulted from the merger of APIM (Portuguese Association of Knitwear and Garment Industries) and APT (Portuguese Association of Textiles and Clothing) in July 2003.

A national and European reference institution for the promotion of Innovation and Technological Development in the Textile and Clothing Industries, CITEVE is a private, non-profit, public utility entity.

Active since 1989, its mission is to support the development of the technical and technological capabilities of the textile and clothing industries.

The Department of Textile Engineering at the University of Minho aims to create and disseminate knowledge in the textile and apparel sector, being responsible for the scientific and pedagogical organization and the management of human and material resources in the field of Textile and Apparel Science and Technology.

A national reference in qualification and innovation for the textile, clothing, apparel, and wool industries. Since 2011, they have been empowering talents to become professionals of excellence, connecting people and companies in response to the trends and demands of a constantly evolving sector. With a strategic presence throughout the country – Porto, Lisbon, Covilhã, Vila das Aves, and Barcelos.

T Jornal was founded in 2015 with the purpose of spreading the good news of the Portuguese textile and clothing industry, which has long been focused on innovation and sustainability. Owned by ATP – Textile and Clothing Association of Portugal, the newspaper is updated daily in digital format and aims to serve a broad community of readers: entrepreneurs, workers, universities, training schools, trade fair organizers, and fashion designers.

Founded in 2001, www.portugaltextil.com is a portal dedicated to fashion and aims to provide information as a way of generating knowledge, targeting all agents connected to the Textile and Clothing Industry (TCI), thus contributing to its progress.

AICEP - Portuguese Trade & Investment Agency is a public entity with a business-oriented mission. Its purpose is to promote the internationalization of Portuguese companies and support their export activities; attract and monitor investment projects, both national and foreign; and promote Portugal’s image abroad.

ANIVEC/APIV ensures its members the defense of the interests of the Clothing and Fashion sector, enhancing the effect of economies of scale that the association factor provides, in national and international representation, promoting activities, through internal competencies and partnerships, that collectively and individually facilitate their action in both the domestic and foreign markets.

It presents the various dimensions of the industry and organizes promotional events that highlight its main assets. From design to manufacturing, the initiative showcases tradition alongside the most advanced features of Portuguese companies, which embrace the future with a sustainable and eco-friendly approach.

The Textile Science and Technology Center (2C2T) is a research excellence unit of the School of Engineering at the University of Minho, focused on developing innovative solutions for the textile value chain. With 47 collaborators and 31 integrated researchers, 2C2T adopts a multidisciplinary approach in three key areas: Sustainability, Digitalization, and High-Performance Applications.

The Wool Museum is part of the University of Beira Interior, an entity with administrative and financial autonomy. Integrated into the Portuguese Museum Network since 2002, its mission is the preservation of the heritage associated with one of the oldest human industries, in a territory that, with the Serra da Estrela as its matrix and Covilhã as its historic center, early opened up to international contacts.

The Ave Valley Textile Industry Museum was founded in 1987 as the result of a research project on the textile sector in the Ave Valley, initiated by José Manuel Lopes Cordeiro, who was then responsible for the Industrial Archaeology Program at the University of Minho. Located in an area strongly shaped by the textile industry, it is the only museum dedicated to this activity in the Ave Valley region.