A Project to Create Value with Local Wool in Fashion Design Products: A Social, Environment and Economic Sustainable Model
摘要
Throughout history, the interior region in Portugal as characterized by the exodus of people who sought better living conditions in other locations and communities. Nevertheless, some of the shepherds of Serra da Estrela persist, resulting in a love for the profession and a legacy of generations. Knowing the harsh reality of a profession, guardians of sheep of the Bordaleira breed, it is necessary to guarantee an economically viable and consequent response that would create favorable conditions for them to continue the profession and ensure the desired quality of life in the community. Along with cheese, there was an urgent need to find a solution for wool region, which in many situations is already a waste, without value. Grupo Valor do Tempo, leader of the project, in partnership with associations in the region Ancose, and researchers from academia, developed a project to solve the problem: valorization of wool from Serra de Estrela sheep and, consequently, impact on the quality of life in the community of shepherds existing in the region of Serra de Estrela. The project, developed in a concept of Economic, Social and Environmentally Sustainability dimensions, involving Fashion Design and product development, using companies and artisans in the region and Portugal for the viability and valorization the wool from Bordaleira sheep. It is developed with a project methodology, which guarantees the valorization of wool directly for the shepherds of Serra de Estrela between 1000 and 2000%, and thus being able to contribute to improving the living conditions of the shepherds and reducing wool waste in the region. Finally, the validation and communication of the project culminated in the opening a pop-up store—Serra de Estrela DOP and a creation a Serra de Estrela sheep interpretation centre.