Palm Weaving Shop

Loulé is traditionally the land of palm weavers, women who intertwine the palm leaves (from the dwarf palm tree abundant in the region), in a more or less complex braid and with which they create a wide variety of utilitarian and decorative pieces.

The origin of this art is lost in time, but it is known that in the sixteenth-century Algarve the enterprise was already a thriving industry, largely due to the growth of fruit growing in the region and the importance that basketry reached in the harvesting, drying and transport of almonds, carob, figs, grapes, oranges, etc.

In the past, there were many women who dedicated themselves to this activity and there were few houses where the technique was unknown. Nowadays it is no longer like that and this extraordinary art is disappearing. To counteract this situation, the Palm Weaving shop was created in 2017.

Owned by the Municipality, the “Palm Weaving Shop” re-enacts in its current form, what about a century ago were the houses of the palm weaving that existed throughout the Algarve, highlighting the one in Loulé for its importance.

The Palm Weaving Shop, located in the heart of the historic center of the city, is made up of a collective of artisans who intertwine the palm, sew and connect each of its branches, using ancestral techniques, to produce varied pieces that are the delight of visitors. From carrycots to rugs, from doormats to lamps, here you can find from traditional pieces to completely innovative pieces, where the limit is imagination.

The space also offers workshops on palm weaving and palm mesh, as well as more in-depth courses on the craft.