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Author
Tiago Reis
Co-founder of Ra-Ro
One of the three friends who turned a childhood memory and a shared vision into a project with purpose: to find, preserve and share rare products rooted in local traditions. He is dedicated to building the bridge between makers and those who value authenticity and know-how that stands the test of time.
Stories by Tiago Reis
All stories
4 min read
Redondo pottery: Xico Tarefa, Zeza and the painted ware born between the wheel and the brush
Xico Tarefa, a master potter from Redondo, has worked clay on the wheel since he was 13; his wife, Zeza, paints the...
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4 min read
Portuguese crochet: tradition, handmade pieces and how to care for them
Crochet is made with a single hook, one loop at a time. Where it comes from, how it entered Portuguese homes, how...
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4 min read
Corporate Christmas gifts: how to choose Portuguese handmade gifts for clients and teams
How to choose corporate Christmas gifts with Portuguese crafts, for clients or for your team: budget, food or objects, the story of...
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5 min read
Cork crafts: what is made from Portuguese cork, why it is sustainable and how to care for it
Cork is the bark of the cork oak, stripped by hand without felling the tree and only every nine years. What is...
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4 min read
Burnt wood: what shou sugi ban is, why fire protects wood and how to care for it
What burnt wood and shou sugi ban are, why fire protects wood, how to care for a piece, and the story of...
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5 min read
Portuguese chestnuts: varieties, how to choose, store and cook them
Longal, Judia, Martaínha and Bária, the four PDO chestnuts, how to choose, store and cook chestnuts, and the black clay roaster César...
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5 min read
Hand-blown glass: how it is made, where it comes from and how to care for it
Blown glass starts as a bubble of molten glass, opened with breath and shaped by hand. How it is made, where the...
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5 min read
Marquetry: what it is, how it is made and how to recognise a handmade piece
Marquetry builds pictures from thin sheets of wood in different colours. How it is made, how it differs from inlay and intarsia,...
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5 min read
Supporting Portuguese artisans: how buying handmade crafts helps endangered trades
A craft only passes to the next generation if someone buys the pieces. Why so many trades are at risk, what changes...
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6 min read
Pieces with soul: how handmade objects change the energy of a home
Handmade objects in natural materials bring texture, warmth and a story into a home. Why they change how a room feels and...
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5 min read
A cosy home in winter: 10 ideas with handmade pieces
A cosy winter home comes from layers of wool, warm light, a shared table and natural materials. Here are 10 simple ideas...
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5 min read
Empreita, palm and esparto: what they are and how they differ
Empreita is the braid made from dwarf palm leaves, sewn into baskets, bags and hats. Esparto is a tougher grass, used for...
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5 min read
Portuguese clay bowl (alguidar): what it is, what it is for and how to care for it
The alguidar is a wide mouthed Portuguese clay bowl used for kneading, seasoning, marinating and serving. How to choose, prepare and wash...
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5 min read
Portuguese smoked pork belly (barriga fumada): what it is, how to cook it and where to buy it
Barriga fumada is Portuguese pork belly, layered with meat and fat, cured and smoked. How it differs from lard and bacon, how...
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4 min read
Alentejo: a travel guide to the plains, from cante to the viola campaniça
A guide to the Alentejo: what to see, cante singing and the viola campaniça, and which crafts to bring home, from pottery...
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5 min read
Guimarães embroidery and the lovers' handkerchief: what they are, how to spot them, how they differ
Guimarães embroidery is a certified technique with a single colour per piece; the lovers' handkerchief is an embroidered declaration of love. Here...
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5 min read
Madeira: an island itinerary and the crafts worth bringing home
From Funchal to the levadas of the Laurisilva, a Madeira itinerary with the places not to miss and the crafts worth bringing...
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4 min read
The Caretos of Podence and traditional Portuguese masks: what they are and what they mean
Caretos are masked figures from Trás-os-Montes who take to the streets in winter and at Carnival, wearing tin, leather or wooden masks...
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3 min read
Banana fibre: what it is, how it is made and what is crafted from it in the Azores
Each banana plant fruits only once. Afterwards the stem can become fibre, and the fibre basketry. How it is done on São...
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3 min read
Burel: what it is, how it is made and how to care for Portugal's mountain wool cloth
Burel is wool that is woven and then beaten in water until it becomes dense, warm and resistant to wind and rain....
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3 min read
How to spin wool with a drop spindle: a step-by-step guide for beginners
You can learn to spin wool with a spindle in an afternoon. See what you need, how to start, how to draft...
Read the storyThe founders
Ra-Ro was born from three friends and one memory: finding, preserving and sharing rare products rooted in local traditions.
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