More than 100 years ago, German fabric engineers descended upon the green landscape north of Porto near the former capital of Portugal, Guimarães. There, in the Vale do Ave, small family owned fabric mills learned the art of weaving and finishing yarn dyed flannel. The climate in this region proved ideal for brushing the cotton loomstate. Over time, these Portuguese fabric makers became master artisans of this unique and complex cloth, developing proprietary techniques for skillfully raising the nap of the fabric with the most delicate blend of pressure selected to achieve the perfect loft and performance.