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Reed Basket Bags,
The seventh wonder of Portugal

Junco basketry is an exclusive and unique Portuguese tradition, having gained the status of "7th wonder of Portugal" in 2020.

The art of working with reeds is centuries old. It originated over 150 years ago in the center of the country (the Ribatejo and Alcobaça areas, from where it later spread throughout Portugal).

Rush is a plant that grows in damp, waterlogged areas. Harvested in the height of summer, it's dried and then dyed in the most beautiful, vibrant colors (red, green, etc.), or it can remain its natural color (my favorite, beige).

Sweet Treats, Baskets or Basket Bags?

"Gulosas" is the name that the Portuguese people affectionately call the "Cestas de Junco" , or our "Basket Bags" . It's up to each person. Times change, fashions change.

It was inside the Gulosas that, 100 years ago, agricultural workers took their lunch to the fields, girls carried books, mothers went to the market, and fathers carried firewood.

This only proves that Junco is a highly resilient plant, and that our artisans made, and still make, quality pieces. However, they also took care to give them a touch of grace, making them more than baskets—works of art.

It takes an artisan 8 hours to make a Basket Bag, using only a loom, his hands, secrets, and techniques passed down from generation to generation, such as how to paint the Junco so that the paint never fades.

Junco is one of the 7 wonders of Portugal, and that's not just a distinction, it's a declaration of cultural ownership by a country planted by the sea, which no one should attempt to usurp. I've said it.

Our Inspiration

Reeds woven into a loom give life to true works of art. The combination of colors and designs has specific meanings for each artisan. It's a form of artistic and cultural expression for the Portuguese people.

We're a brand proud to be Portuguese, despite our small country. We love our crafts, from embroidery, lace, Arraiolos, crochet, knitting, ceramics, cork, and basketry.

We have a little bit of everything, and we invest mainly in quality, always trying to combine the artisanal and traditional with the current and contemporary.

Seeing our crafts being absorbed and usurped by other peoples is frustrating. That's why we believe in valuing and protecting our country's cultural heritage.

Tradition and Fashion - Dolores

"For as long as I can remember, I've loved fashion. I studied image consulting and styling at the Lisbon Fashion School, and I've always loved playing with different styles. Different textures. Different colors."

"I like to mix the old with the new, to create something unique, and that isn't just "fast fashion." I like special pieces, traveling, learning, meeting people, and being able to use everything I feel in the creation of my pieces. (...) each piece I make is a way of expressing myself. It's not work, it's growth."

"I want to have my own identity and have the space to put small parts of my life into my creations. I don't want to be limited to the same old thing. I want to finally evolve and make my dream come true. Not just mine, but my family's too."

"(...) Dollores is not just me, it is not just one person. It is a family, where everyone participates and is heard. Where, above all, there is a fundamental concept: With self-love, all dreams are possible."