WOOD, HERITAGE, AND DESIGN: A COLLABORATION WITH WEWOOD
WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO START WEWOOD, AND WHAT IS ITS CORE PHILOSOPHY?
Wewood - Portuguese Joinery was officially established as a brand in 2012, but its origins trace back four years earlier, when brothers Salvador Gonzaga and Carlos Silva, the second-generation owners of Móveis Carlos Alfredo, began conceptualizing the idea of creating a design house proud of its heritage and grounded in the principles of quality of the materials, durable construction and timeless design.
The creation of Wewood was not born out of inspiration but rather necessity. During a period of financial and economic crisis that impacted Europe and Portugal in particular, the factory's sales of classic furniture to French and Spanish markets began to decline. Faced with this challenge, the brothers sought a solution: to create their own brand, collaborate with designers, develop a small collection, and explore new markets and clientele.
The philosophy of Wewood remained deeply rooted in the values of its predecessor. It preserved the heritage, craftsmanship, and family traditions of Móveis Carlos Alfredo, continuing to work with solid wood and skilled artisans. The brand also embraced the creative input of designers in the development of its products, blending tradition with innovation to meet the demands of a changing market and the promotion focused more on genuine communication than on marketing.
HOW DO YOU APPROACH CRAFTSMANSHIP AND SUSTAINABILITY IN YOUR WORK?
The quality of our products is deeply rooted in Portugal’s rich traditions of craftsmanship and furniture making. We continuously strive to enhance our work by integrating new technologies that support our artisans, never replacing them. Many of our staff remain with us for life, passing down their expertise through generations. This accumulated knowledge forms the foundation of our craftsmanship, ensuring excellence in every piece we create.
We primarily work with solid wood, an enduring, natural material valued for its beauty and graceful ageing. As a vital part of the global ecosystem, wood must be handled responsibly, and we take this duty seriously. The oak and walnut used in our furniture come from responsibly managed forests and other controlled sources. We adhere to FSC Forest Management Certification standards, ensuring sustainable practices that preserve biodiversity and support local communities.
Sustainability is not just about the environment, it’s about people. While we acknowledge that cutting trees has an environmental impact, it also provides livelihoods for over 100 people in our company. To sustain both our craft and our future, we are committed to responsible forestry, ensuring that we will always have the wood we need to continue creating.
HOW DOES YOUR WORK CONNECT TO THE LOCAL CULTURE AND TRADITION?
Our factory is located in the Paredes region, an area renowned for its furniture manufacturing, which serves as the backbone of the local economy. It’s safe to say that nearly every family in this region has at least one member working in the wood industry.
We could romanticize the history, pointing out that the Iberians have worked with wood since prehistoric times or that the Portuguese were masters of solid wood craftsmanship as far back as the 15th century when they built the Caravela boats that carried them to Africa, South America, and Asia. But the truth is, while these historical milestones are impressive, culture and tradition should be rooted in the present, in the daily lives of people, rather than being confined to the past.In our local culture, wood is more than just a material, it’s a way of life. Woodworking techniques, the jargon from the factories, and even the slang used by craftsmen are woven into everyday conversations, whether over coffee or at the family dinner table. That’s what culture is. I truly believe that local culture is more important than national culture. The carpenter’s pencil tucked behind the ear is also a symbol of tradition, heritage, and even a touch of fashion.
CAN YOU SHARE ABOUT THE PIECES YOU ARE CREATING FOR QUINTA FILIPPA AND WHAT MAKES THEM UNIQUE?
For Quinta Filippa, we are crafting a collection of Caravela chairs and lounge chairs in oak, featuring our newly introduced Golden Brown finish, which debuted this year and premium fabrics selected by Quinta Fillipa’s team.
The Caravela chair family was originally designed in 2017 by our former design director, Gonçalo Campos, one of the most internationally renowned designers of his generation. Meticulously crafted using traditional joinery techniques, the Caravela chair and lounge chair are part of a sophisticated collection, custom-designed to bring style and elegance to both residential and hospitality spaces.
Inspired by the traditional Portuguese Caravela boat, the design of these chairs pays homage to one of the most significant and daring chapters in Portuguese history. The Caravela was a small, highly manoeuvrable sailing ship developed in the 15th century by the Portuguese, enabling exploration along the West African coast and into the Atlantic Ocean. The shape of the Caravela chair evokes the sails of the historic vessel, robust yet elegant, capturing the spirit of adventure and craftsmanship that defined an era.