BEST PORTUGAL BRANDS
Ana Águas article
Sugo Cork rugs take cork out of the commonplace and introduce it into the tapestry
Created by designer Susana Godinho, Sugo Cork Rugs was the first brand in the world to integrate cork into traditional tapestry techniques.
For decades, we have become accustomed to seeing cork associated with wine, to construction, to isolation. Useful, resistant and very Portuguese. But hardly anyone would imagine this natural material woven into a loom, side by side with wool, linen or cotton, transformed into a piece designed to use or decorate.
It was in this territory that Sugo Cork Rugs was born, Portuguese brand founded by designer Susana Godinho, who challenged the boundaries between textile design and material innovation by integrating cork into traditional handcrafted tapestry techniques. The result is handmade pieces with natural raw materials and a personalized approach to interior design..
At a time when so many brands talk about sustainability as a communication argument, Sugo Cork works on the ground, in concrete choices and in the production process itself. Wool and cork have national origin. Linen comes from Europe. Cotton is born from the recovery of surpluses and waste from the Portuguese textile industry and, in some cases, It is the brand itself that recycles these materials to create new yarns. The use extends to the details: surplus linen is transformed into packaging materials or small samples; Yarn scraps help to build color palettes or new creative possibilities. More than reducing waste, It’s about looking at the matter with respect..
But Sugo's uniqueness doesn't just live in its materials. It also lives in the hands that give it shape. Production is ensured by specialized labor, with experienced rug makers who have mastered artisanal and mechanical techniques, in a balance between textile memory and technical evolution. There are automated processes that support production, sim, but the detail, sensitivity and finishes remain dependent on human intervention.
Each piece is made to order. There is no series production, nor undifferentiated solutions. There are conversations with architects, interior designers, private clients and hotel projects. There is mood boards sent by customers, concepts under construction, very specific color requests, texture or dimension. There are technical drawings, samples, tunings, reviews. And then, finally, the execution. This route transforms each rug into a concrete response to a specific space., and not in a simple decorative object replicated to scale.
Sugo Cork Rugs' relationship with design is central. Not just as an aesthetic dimension, but as a tool for interpretation and creation. Each piece seeks to dialogue with the architecture that receives it., with the surrounding materials and the identity of those who choose it. This is perhaps why Sugo's work has resonated with a particularly demanding public., both in Portugal and beyond borders.
Before the pandemic, to messenger took his vision to international fairs in New York, Japan, Stockholm, Canada, Brazil, United Kingdom and France. Among all, a House & Objet proved to be especially relevant due to its direct connection to professionals from different geographies. More recently, the presence at Habitat Valencia marked a new chapter in this international expansion. But, despite this global reach, the essence remains truly Portuguese. Not just because production takes place here or because a significant part of the raw materials are born in the territory. But because there is a very particular heritage in this project: the appreciation of manual work, the time needed to do it well, the proximity between those who idealize and those who execute.
In a market saturated with fast and disposable objects, Sugo Cork Rugs proposes another cadence. Of pieces designed to last.
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